On 31 March 2016, Federal District Court struck down Mississippi's ban on same-sex couple adoptions. On June 26, 2017, the United States Supreme Court reversed an Arkansas Supreme Court ruling that allowed a law listing parents by gender on birth certificates to stand. The new SCOTUS ruling allowed both same-sex spouses to be listed on birth certificates. These court rulings made adoption by same-sex couples legal in all 50 states. 
 
States can however require couples to be legally married before adopting.

The ability for same-sex couples to legally adopt a child.

Although the age of consent varies depending on state and territory, it is still equal for heterosexual and homosexual sexual acts.

The difference between legal age of consent for homosexual sex and heterosexual sex.

The new FDA policy on blood donation eliminates deferrals and screening questions specific to men who have sex with men (MSM). Prospective donors will be asked the same set of questions regardless of their sex or sexual orientation.

The ability for MSMs (men who have sex with men) to donate blood or tissue for organ transplants. A deferral period refers to a waiting time before a man can donate after having sex.

The FDA announced changes to the blood donor eligibility policy in April 2020, reducing the MSM deferral period from 12 months to 3 months. The change came amid the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, where blood was needed urgently.

After a series of recommendations, the FDA has moved to a 12 months deferral.

Starting in 1983, the United States implemented a full ban on blood donations from gay men. The primary justification for the ban was the perceived high risk of HIV transmission, with health regulators identifying men who have sex with men (MSM) as a significant risk to the safety of the blood supply.

Censorship became &#34;other punishment&#34; in the state of Texas, and in Florida Govt. DeSantis wants to ban LGBT topics from being discussed in schools. 
 
Generally, LGBT Topics are considered under the Free Speech Clause. Due to the nature of the current laws, and state decisions such as in Florida; &#34;Varies by region&#34; is the best indicator to use.

Censorship or prohibition of discussing, promoting, or teaching LGBTQ+ topics in media, schools, and in the general public.

Alabama Public Television banned an episode of “Arthur” (entitled “Mr Ratburn and the Special Someone”) because Mike McKenzie (director of programming for the station) deemed the episode “inappropriate” for young viewers. 
It is unknown about other American states’ censorship laws regarding LGBTQIA+ issues.

President Trump issued an executive order to &#34;defend women&#34;, the order creates only male and female terms. Also stated in the terms, federal funding will not go towards 
(i) changes to agency documents, including regulations, guidance, forms, and communications, made to comply with this order; and 
 
(ii) agency-imposed requirements on federally funded entities, including contractors, to achieve the policy of this order. 
 This order includes, any federally funded agencies like Department of Motors, which would be under Department of Transportation.

Legal recognition of a change in gender by permitting a change on an individual's legal documentation.

As of 2022, all passports are able to get a gender marker X on the US State website or in person. Social Security will be able to change the name as well, unknown of the date when allowed. Check any of the states for Drivers ID or Birth certificates. 

Many U.S. jurisdictions require gender-affirming surgery before the person&#39;s legal sex can be changed 
It is important to note that surgery is not universally required to change legal sex under federal law or in some states. However, a health professional&#39;s certification may be necessary. It is essential to consult the specific laws and guidelines of your state for accurate information on the legal requirements for changing gender markers and identity documents. 
 
There is no federal law on right to change gender, varies by region

From a Federal standpoint, you can change your gender with proof that you have undergone treatment for a gender change (surgery no longer required in any agency as of June 2013). However, states also have their own laws on gender recognition.

Conversion therapy has always been a topic among legislative groups of people. Roughly about 23 states have fully banned conversion therapy for minors. The rest of the states have not yet banned it or plan to keep it unbanned.

Legal status of conducting sexual orientation changing therapy ("ex-gay" therapy)

Obergefell v. Hodges, 2015 court case allows same-sex marriages. This also protects LGBTQ discrimination. Bostock v. Clayton County, GA protects LGBTQ employees. Tennessee has laws for LGBTQ discrimination, thus being varies by region even though its federally protected

Prohibition of discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

In all Federal positions, discrimination based on sexual orientation is against the law in instances related to work and employment.  In non-federal government jobs, it is based on the state&#39;s laws as no federal protections currently exist for non-employees.  Additionally, even federal employees could face discrimination unrelated to work in areas of life such as housing, health care, etc.  In fact, many groups are advocating the repeal of protections or the introduction of laws to permit discrimination.

As of June 15th, 2020 the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that discrimination in employment based on sexual orientation or gender identity is illegal under Title VII the Civil Rights Act of 1964, classified as sex discrimination. 
 
As of June 15, 2020, all persons working for employers that employ more than 15 people are protected from discrimination based solely on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity via the Supreme Court&#39;s landmark decision in Bostock v. Clayton County.

Prohibition of discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity in employment, including hiring, promotion, termination, harassment, etc.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has ruled that “[A]llegations of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation necessarily state a claim of discrimination on the basis of sex”, and are barred by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This ruling applies at both the state and federal level. 
 
Furthermore, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ruled on April 20, 2012 that an employer who discriminates against an employee or applicant on the basis of the person’s gender identity is violating the prohibition on sex discrimination contained in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ruled on April 20, 2012 that an employer who discriminates against an employee or applicant on the basis of the person’s gender identity is violating the prohibition on sex discrimination contained in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

While Gender Affirming Care is unrestricted federally, it varies by region due to no federal laws in place. Several states have either banned or passed laws to protect gender affirming care. Office of Health and Human Services made an document stating that they are with gender affirming care in 2022. There have been no efforts made to make gender affirming care federally protected, President Biden has made no comments on the specific topic

Medical and psychological support designed to help individuals transition to the gender they identify with, including hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and surgeries.

Homosexuality was decriminalized at the federal level in the United States through the landmark Supreme Court decision of Lawrence v. Texas in 2003. The court struck down a Texas statute that criminalized sexual acts between same-sex couples, declaring such laws unconstitutional. This judgment set a precedent that rendered similar anti-sodomy statutes across states unenforceable, thereby federally decriminalizing homosexuality in private, consensual settings.

Consensual sexual activity between individuals of the same sex.

Before Lawrence v. Texas, some states had already decriminalized sodomy. The first state was Illinois in 1962.

The Fair Housing Act (Title 8 of the Civil Rights Act of 1968) protects people from housing discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation nationwide.

Prohibition of discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity when applying for housing or discrimination by landlords / property owners.

In the United States, intersex infant surgeries are not federally banned. Only a few states have established laws to protect against such surgeries; many have proposed legislation, but none have been enacted. California passed a non-binding resolution condemning the practice, yet it did not achieve a ban.

Medical interventions performed on intersex infants to alter their genital appearance to conform to typical male or female standards, often without the informed consent of the child who is too young to participate in the decision-making process.

Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Obergefell v Hodges, all 50 states and the District of Columbia are required to issue marriage licenses for same-sex couples and recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states.

Marriage and marriage recognition between two people of the same biological sex and/or gender identity.

From May 2004 to June 2015, the legality of gay marriage in the United States varied by state. On November 18th, 2003, Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled that banning same-sex marriage was unconstitutional, and their ruling came into effect on May 17th, 2004. Massachusetts was the first state to legalize same-sex marriage. 
 
Between May 17th, 2004, and June 26th, 2015, when the United States Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, 37 states and the District of Columbia legalized same-sex marriage.

On the evening of March 18th, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes blocked the implementation of Trump&#39;s executive order banning transgender people from the military. The judge said that not only was the order unconstitutional but “a solution in search of a problem.”.

The ability for homosexuals to serve in the military and be open about their sexuality.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth filed in court a memo on February 10th, 2025 relating to President Trump’s executive order from the previous month. 
 
From now on, The U.S. military will prohibit transgender individuals from enlisting, and will cease providing or supporting gender transition procedures for service members.

President Joe Biden removed former President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender people serving in the military, and transgender people are still allowed to serve as of 2025. 
 
In January of 2025, President Trump signed an executive order that bans transgender people from serving in the military. However, before his executive order can take effect, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth needs to submit a plan on how the military will implement the order.

New policy goes into effect barring individuals with a &#34;condition&#34; known as &#34;gender dysphoria.&#34;

In 2011, &#34;Don&#39;t Ask, Don&#39;t Tell&#34; was repealed by the Obama Administration. Former President Obama allowed members who were dishonorably discharged under DADT, to receive an honorable discharge.

Don&#39;t Ask, Don&#39;t Tell was the historic compromise signed by President Bill Clinton authorizing people who are LGBT to serve in the military provided they didn&#39;t disclose sexuality.  The law also removed the ability for others in the military from asking for a service member&#39;s orientation.

In his first hours in office, Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the federal government to only recognize two sexes: “Male” and “Female”. The order also directed federal agencies to eliminate the use of &#34;gender&#34; in federal documents and guidelines, including an instruction to the Secretary of State to discontinue the use and option of X gender markers in passports moving forward, but not retroactively invalidating passports. 
 
On January 23rd, 2025, the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, ordered the U.S. state department to freeze all applications for passports that had requested an ‘X’ on their gender marker. 
 
Other IDs are still state dependent, and there are many states in the U.S. that recognize third gender identities.

Legal recognition of non-binary, genderqueer, or third gender identities.

Between April 11th, 2022, and January 22nd, 2025, the United States allowed people to have an X gender on their passports at a national level.

On June 15th, 2017, Oregon officials voted yes to allowing the legal representation of non-binary people. On July 3rd, 2017, this option became available to the public.

Before July 3rd, 2017, no US states legally recognized non-binary people. 

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Cleveland hosted the Gay Games in 2014 and has built on its gay credentials since then. It offers a modest but friendly gay scene.

Twist Social Club is a lively Cleveland gay bar in Edgewater, not far from the city's gay nightlife. 
 
This upscale gay bar boasts chic interiors, alongside a tasty food menu. 
 
Throughout the week Twist plays host to special event nights, including game nights, karaoke, and DJ parties.

Twist Social Club Bar Cleveland Ohio

Twist Social Club

Twist Social Club is a lively Cleveland gay bar in...

Vibe Bar and Patio is a contemporary gay bar in Cleveland's West Boulevard area. 
 
Famed for its spacious brick-walled patio, Vibe is a popular hot-spot amongst the city's LGBT+ community. 
 
Here, you can enjoy tasty cocktails and drinks in a cosy interior. 
 
Vibe also offers pool tables, happy hours, and theme nights.

Vibe Bar and Patio Cleveland Ohio

Vibe Bar and Patio

Vibe Bar and Patio is a contemporary gay bar in Cl...

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Gay Cleveland

Cleveland hosted the Gay Games in 2014 and has built on its gay credentials since then. It offers a modest but friendly gay scene.

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