Question: Is it legal to discriminate against gays and lesbians?
Is it legal to fire someone for being gay or lesbian? Can you be kicked out of a restaurant or denied an apartment for being gay? Is discrimination against gays and lesbians legal?
Answer: The answer is, it depends on where you live. Seventeen states and the District of Columbia have laws banning discrimination based on sexual orientation:
- California
- Connecticut
- District of Columbia
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Washington
- Wisconsin.
Many cities and municipalities also have their own anti-discrimination laws. So do many of the major corporations in America. But if you're unlucky enough to live or work in a place that allows legal discrimination, you have no legal recourse if you are discriminated against for being gay or lesbian.
More Lesbian Life Q&A