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LGBT Rights in Texas State

    Homosexuality
    ✔ Legal
    Gay Marriage
    ✔ Legal
    Censorship
    ✖ State-enforced
    Changing Gender
    ✖ Legal, but requires surgery
    Non-binary gender recognition
    ✖ Not legally recognized
    Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Employment Discrimination
    ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
    Housing Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Adoption
    ✔ Legal
    Military
    ✔ Legal
    Donating Blood
    ✔ Legal
    Conversion Therapy
    ✖ Not banned
    Age of Consent
    ✔ Equal

Recent surveys in Texas have revealed a mixed response towards LGBTQ+ rights and issues.

Texas Surveys

44%
support same-sex marriage
41%
against
14%
don't know

of Texans support same-sex marriage.

History

Homosexual activity in Texas

?

Homosexual activity in Texas is legal.

Current status
Since Jun 26, 2003
Legal
same sex activities legal.
Sources:
Lawrence v. Texas, 539 U.S. 558 (2003)
Added by garrettdietz  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Same-sex marriage in Texas

?

Same-sex marriage in Texas is legal.

Current status
Since Jun 26, 2015
Legal
Every state has had same sex marriage legal since 2015.

Feb 26, 2014–Jun 26, 2015
Unrecognized
Despite the supreme court ruling, the constitutional ban of same sex marriage in Texas is still valid.
Added by Mikeylito  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Apr 17, 1997–Feb 26, 2014
Not legal
The family code was amended to prohibit same sex marriage.
Added by Mikeylito  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Censorship of LGBT Issues in Texas

?

Censorship of LGBT Issues in Texas is state-enforced.

Current status
Since Oct 28, 2021
State-enforced
Numerous schools and libraries in Texas have been instructed to terminate or remove books with topics that, "make students feel uneasy". The topics under fire include (but are not limited to) lgbtq characters, same-sex relationships and gender discussion. Teachers that ignore this law could be fired.

Right to change legal gender in Texas

?

Right to change legal gender in Texas is legal, but requires surgery.

Current status
Legal, but requires surgery
Requirements for transgender people to change their legal gender on their birth certificate vary by county. In some locations sex reassignment surgery is required, while other locations only require that the individual has received “appropriate treatment” according to a physician.
Added by DuffdeNecker  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Texas

?

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

Current status
Not legally recognized
Non-Binary gender is not recognized in the state of Texas.
Added by DuffdeNecker  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT discrimination in Texas

?

LGBT discrimination in Texas is no protections.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 2018
No protections
No Full state discrimination protections. Certain cities may have laws of their own. Full housing pending statewide. full public accommodation pending state wide. As well as no laws in place to prevent bullying.
Added by Ausyk  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT employment discrimination in Texas

?

LGBT employment discrimination in Texas is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status
Since Jun 15, 2020
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Protected federally under a Supreme Court ruling.
Added by Notdog1996  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Jan 1, 2018–Jun 14, 2020
Ambiguous
City protections in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, San Antonio. In one county. As well as sexual oreination hate crime law.
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Until Dec 31, 2017
No protections
No protection from employment discrimination at the state level
Added by clintmax  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT housing discrimination in Texas

?

LGBT housing discrimination in Texas 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)."
Added by clintmax  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Jan 1, 2018–Sep 7, 2018
Ambiguous
In six city discrimination protections. One county.
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Same-sex adoption in Texas

?

Same-sex adoption in Texas is legal.

Current status
Since Jun 26, 2017
Legal
Single adoption, joint adoption by married couples and second parent adoption by married couples are all legal. In some cases, adoption has also been approved for unmarried LGBT couples.

However, Texas allows adoption agencies to discriminate against LGBT people on the basis of religion.
Sources:
www.lambdalegal.org/states-region/texas
Tex. Fam. Code §162.001
familyequality.org/wp-conte…
Added by imullin01  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Jan 1, 1986–Sep 6, 2018
Legal
In all aspects since 2013. under federal law since 2015.
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Jan 2016–Jun 26, 2017
Married couples only
According to the advocacy organizations, the Family Equality Council and Equality Texas and the non-profit legal services provider Texas Legal Services Center, same-sex couples are able to adopt as a couple if they are legally married.
Added by _it4_  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Serving openly in military in Texas

?

Serving openly in military in Texas is legal.

Current status
Since Jan 26, 2021
Legal
On January 26, 2021 the biden administration made it so transgender individuals can openly serve in the military, 10 years after don’t ask don’t tell was repelled.
Added by tsusamu  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Sep 20, 2011–Jan 26, 2021
Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
Don't Ask, Don't Tell is officially repealed throughout the United States, and gays and lesbians may openly serve. "Transvestites" barred from service.
Added by imullin01  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Blood donations by MSMs in Texas

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Blood donations by MSMs in Texas 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.
Added by 4anahiv  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Apr 2, 2020–May 11, 2023
Banned (3-month deferral)
Blood donation centers follow the new FDA 3-month deferral guidance.
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Dec 21, 2015–Apr 2, 2020
Banned (1-year deferral)
Blood donation centers followed the non-binding FDA one year deferral guidance.
Added by JerofDoorhandle  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

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.
Added by imullin01  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Conversion therapy in Texas

?

Conversion therapy in Texas is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
Conversion Therapy is currently legal. No law currently bans it, despite organizations such as the American Psychological Association denouncing it.
Added by imullin01  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Equal age of consent in Texas

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Equal age of consent in Texas is equal.

Current status
Equal
Age of consent is 17 regardless of gender or orientation. However, Texas has a "Romeo and Juliet law" allowing younger people of similar ages to consent, but the wording of this law excludes same-sex partners, but this still technically doesn’t make aoc ‘unequal’.
Sources:
Texas Penal Code Section 21.11
Added by imullin01  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log