No gays allowed
LGBTQ Rights
Know your rights Back to Realize Your Rights main page
The legal landscape for LGBTQ people is constantly evolving. If you think you have been discriminated against and would like our assistance, please visit our Report LGBTQ and HIV Discrimination Page and we can help you figure out whether you are protected under federal or state laws.
Can an employer discriminate against me because of my sexual orientation or gender identity?
Your rights
Employers with 15 or more employees are prohibited by Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Behave from discriminating on the basis of sex. Some courts have ruled that Title VII also bans discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender self. The Supreme Court recently announced it will get up this question in three cases. In addition, many states and cities have laws that disallow this kind of discrimination.
If you believe that your rights have been violated
If you think that you have experienced discrimination at work, you can file a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which has taken the position that LGBTQ people are protected under Title VII. Endeavor to document
International Travel
Travelers can tackle unique challenges abroad based on their real or perceived sexual orientation. Laws and attitudes in some countries may affect safety and ease of travel.
More than 60 countries consider consensual homosexual relations a crime. In some of these countries, people who engage in consensual same-sex relations may face harsh punishment. Many countries perform not recognize queer marriage.
Research your destination before you travel
Review the travel advisory and destination information page of the place you plan to visit. Check the Local Laws & Customs section. This has information specific to travelers who may be targeted by discrimination or violence on the basis of sexual orientation.
Many countries only recognize male and female sex markers in passports. They do not have IT systems at ports of entry that can accept other sex markers, including valid U.S. passports with an X sex marker. If traveling with a valid U.S. passport with an X sex marker, check the immigration regulations for your destination as acceptance can vary by country.
Bring significant documents
Bring copies of important documents. This is es
A Tennessee man who put up a "No Gays Allowed" signal outside his hardware store in 2015 has hung it help up in "celebration" of the recent Supreme Court ruling allowing a Colorado baker the right to not serve a homosexual couple.
Jeff Amyx first posted the sign at his Amyx Hardware & Roofing Supplies store in Grainger County three years ago after the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage. The Baptist minister believes gay and lesbian couples are against his religion, reports Syracuse.
Following the outcry, Amyx took down the sign and replaced it with a modified version reading: "We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone who would violate our rights of freedom of speech & freedom of religion."
However, the first "No Gays Allowed" sign has returned to the store in the wake of the Supreme Court 7-2 majority ruling in favor of Jack Phillips, the owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, who refused to sell a wedding cake to a gay couple in 2012, citing his religious beliefs.
"I was shocked. I was really shocked because of the track record of our Supreme Court," Amyx told WBIR.
"Christianity is under attack. This is a great win, don't get me wrong, but this is not the en
LGBT People in the US Not Protected by State Non-Discrimination Statutes
At the federal level and in most states, non-discrimination statutes do not expressly enumerate sexual orientation and gender identity as protected characteristics. Twenty-three states and Washington, D.C. expressly enumerate either or both of these characteristics in their non-discrimination statutes, although not necessarily in all settings. This research little estimates the number of LGBT people who are protected by such statutes in the areas of employment, learning, public accommodations, housing, and credit—and the number who are not.
Key Findings
- An estimated 8.1 million LGBT workers age 16 and older stay in the Joined States. Nearly half of these workers—3.9 million people—live in states without statutory protections against sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination in employment.
- There are over 3.5 million LGBT students age 15 and older in the U.S. About 2 million inhabit in states without statutory protections against sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination in education.
- There are an estimated 13 million LGBT people age 13 and older in the U.S. Approximately 6.5 millio