Homosexuality
    ✔ Legal
    Gay Marriage
    ✔ Legal
    Censorship
    ✖ State-enforced
    Changing Gender
    ✔ Legal, no restrictions
    Gender-Affirming Care
    ✔ Legal
    Non-Binary Gender Recognition
    ✖ Not legally recognized
    Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Employment Discrimination
    ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
    Housing Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Adoption
    ✔ Legal
    Intersex Infant Surgery
    Unknown
    Military
    ✔ Legal
    Donating Blood
    ✔ Legal
    Conversion Therapy
    ✔ Banned
    Age of Consent
    ✔ Equal
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Surveys in North Carolina have shown mixed views towards LGBTQ+ rights and issues.

Perception of LGBTQ+ People

Survey results from 7 LGBTQ+ Equaldex users who lived in or visited North Carolina.

Overall

Overall

Perceived Safety*

Feel safe being open
Absence of verbal harassment
Absence of threats and violence
*Survey results represent personal perceptions of safety and may not be indicative of current actual conditions.

Equal Treatment

Treatment by peers
Treatment by family
Treatment at work
Treatment at school
Treatment by general public
Treatment by businesses
Treatment by law enforcement
Treatment by religious groups

Visibility & Representation

Inclusion in education
Representation in entertainment
Representation in news
Political support
Out public figures

Culture

Pride/events
Nightlife
Dating life
Interest groups and clubs

Services

Health and wellness
Gender-affirming care
Support and social services
Advocacy and legal

History

Homosexual activity in North Carolina

?

Homosexual activity in North Carolina is legal.

Current status
Since Jun 26, 2003
Legal
Lawrence v. Texas (2003)
Sources:
Lawrence v. Texas, 539 U.S. 558 (2003)
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Same-sex marriage in North Carolina

?

Same-sex marriage in North Carolina is legal.

Current status
Since Oct 10, 2014
Legal
Case determined denial of rights was unconstitutional.
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May 8, 2012–Oct 10, 2014
Banned
Constitutional ban under Amendment One ballot initiative in 2011 and 2012.
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Censorship of LGBT issues in North Carolina

?

Censorship of LGBT issues in North Carolina is state-enforced.

Current status
Since Aug 16, 2023
State-enforced
The law previously blocked went into effect on August 16, 2023.

Instruction on gender identity and sexuality is forbidden from k-4, and schools are legally required to alert parents if a minor wants to change their name or pronouns at school.
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Until Aug 16, 2023
No censorship
NC passed House Bill 755 restricting mention of LGBT-related topics in public schools. Also teachers are required to tell students' parents if they are gay. However, the bill was stalled because of a potential veto from Gov. Roy Cooper.

Right to change legal gender in North Carolina

?

Right to change legal gender in North Carolina is legal, no restrictions.

Current status
Since Jun 23, 2022
Legal, no restrictions
On June 23 2022, a judgement passed to allow trans individuals to modify their gender marker without proof of surgery.

Non-binary options absent.
Until Jun 23, 2022
Legal, but requires surgery
Requires surgery to change documents. As well missing non binary options on documents.
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Gender-affirming care in North Carolina

?

Gender-affirming care in North Carolina is legal.

Current status
Legal
North Carolina Adults and minors are able to get gender affirming care, now through insurance, if they are employed. Circuit court ruled April 29th that state insurance must pay for gender affirming care. State insurance will come at a later date.

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in North Carolina

?

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in North Carolina is not legally recognized.

Current status
Not legally recognized
Not currently recognized.
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LGBT discrimination in North Carolina

?

LGBT discrimination in North Carolina is no protections.

Current status
No protections
As of December 16, 2014, there are no legal protections for people who are LGBT in regards to employment.
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Oct 14, 2017–Sep 9, 2018
Illegal in some contexts
Only in state discrimination. Employment discrimination protections pending
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LGBT employment discrimination in North Carolina

?

LGBT employment discrimination in North Carolina is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status
Since Jun 15, 2020
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Protected federally under a Supreme Court ruling.
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Oct 14, 2017–Sep 9, 2018
Ambiguous
State Discrimination protection only. As well as sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination protection in public employment only.
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Until Oct 14, 2017
No protections
Legal on a State level. Outlawed in many highly populated municipalities. Ex: Boone, Raleigh, et cetera.
Sources:
NC Anti-Discrimination Statute which lacks any reference to sexual orientation - ncleg.net/EnactedLegislatio…

Raleigh City Ordinance - General Code of Ordinances, Division II, Part 4, Chapter 1, Article A, Section 1000-4 - library.municode.com/showDo…

Town of Boone, Personnel Policy - Article IV, Section 2 - townofboone.net/departments…
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LGBT housing discrimination in North Carolina

?

LGBT housing discrimination in North Carolina is no protections.

Current status
No protections
This state does not provide any legal protections from discrimination based upon sexual orientation or gender identification.

However, the Human Rights Campaign states, "The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires grantees and participants of HUD programs to comply with local and state non-discrimination laws that include sexual orientation and gender identity.
HUD also prohibits inquiries regarding the sexual orientation or gender identity of a prospective tenant or applicant for assisted
housing in every state (March 2012)."
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Same-sex adoption in North Carolina

?

Same-sex adoption in North Carolina is legal.

Current status
Since Jun 26, 2017
Legal
Under federal law since 2015.

Single adoption, joint adoption by married couples and second parent adoption by married couples are legal.

Two unmarried individuals cannot adopt jointly. North Carolina does not explicitly protect LGBT individuals from discrimination.
Until Jun 26, 2017
Legal
Applies to all unmarried couples. Second-parent adoptions are also not available.
Sources:
scholar.google.com/scholar_…
www.lambdalegal.org/states-region/north-carolina
N.C. Gen. Stat. 48-1-103, 48-2-301
Boseman v. Jarrell, 704 S.E.2d 494 (N.C.2010)
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Intersex infant surgery in North Carolina

?

Intersex infant surgery in North Carolina is unknown.

Current status
Unknown

Serving openly in military in North Carolina

?

Serving openly in military in North Carolina is legal.

Current status
Since Feb 26, 2021
Legal under federal United States law
President Biden removed former President Trumps ban on transgender people serving in the military, transgender people are still allowed to serve as of 2024.


A year after the ban was lifted, Admiral Levine was sworn into being a Admiral being the first transgender woman to hold a high rank in the Navy and in Cabinet.
Apr 11, 2019–Feb 26, 2021
Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned under federal United States law
New policy goes into effect barring individuals with a "condition" known as "gender dysphoria."
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Sep 20, 2011–Apr 11, 2019
Legal under federal United States law
In 2011, Don't Ask Don't Tell was repelled under the Obama Administration 6 years later a new executive order was introduced. Former President Obama allowed members dishonorably discharged under DADT, to receive a honorable discharge.
Dec 21, 1993–Sep 20, 2011
Don't Ask, Don't Tell under federal United States law
Don't Ask, Don't Tell was the historic compromise signed by President Bill Clinton authorizing people who are LGBT to serve in the military provided they didn't disclose sexuality. The law also removed the ability for others in the military from asking for a service member's orientation.
Sources:
gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-104p…
catalog.archives.gov/id/122244870 *official document for DADT signed by Former President Clinton*
gao.gov/assets/nsiad-92-98.pdf *study from 1992 to 1998*
history.com/news/dont-ask-d…
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Blood donations by MSMs in North Carolina

?

Blood donations by MSMs in North Carolina is legal.

Current status
Since May 11, 2023
Legal
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.
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Apr 2, 2020–May 11, 2023
Banned (less than 6-month deferral)
Blood donation centers follow the new FDA 3-month deferral guidance.
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Dec 21, 2015–Apr 2, 2020
Banned (1-year deferral)
FDA issued a new directive allowing for blood donation after a 1 year deferral.
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Dec 21, 2015–Apr 2, 2020
Banned (1-year deferral)
Blood donation centers followed the non-binding FDA one year deferral guidance.
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1983–Dec 21, 2015
Banned (indefinite deferral)
Ban on blood donations from MSMs applies to any man who has had sex, even once, with another man on or after January 1, 1977.
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Conversion therapy in North Carolina

?

Conversion therapy in North Carolina is banned.

Current status
Since Aug 2, 2019
Banned
On August 2, 2019, North Carolina governor signed an executive order to prohibit the use of state funds for conversion therapy on minors with the aim of changing their sexual orientation or gender identity.
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Sep 6, 2016–Aug 2, 2019
Ambiguous
Not legal but unenforced.
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Equal age of consent in North Carolina

?

Equal age of consent in North Carolina is equal.

Current status
Equal
State General Statute GS14-27.7 defines age of consent in North Carolina as 16 for vaginal intercourse but makes no mention of anal or oral intercourse, however it best categorized as equal as there is no law against it.
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