Homosexuality
    ✔ Legal
    Gay Marriage
    ✔ Legal
    Censorship
    ✔ No censorship
    Changing Gender
    ✖ Legal, but requires surgery
    Gender-Affirming Care
    ✖ Legal, but banned for minors
    Non-Binary Gender Recognition
    ✖ Not legally recognized
    Discrimination
    ✖ Illegal in some contexts
    Employment Discrimination
    ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
    Housing Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Adoption
    ✔ Legal
    Intersex Infant Surgery
    ✖ Not banned
    Military
    ✔ Legal
    Donating Blood
    ✔ Legal
    Conversion Therapy
    ✖ Not banned
    Age of Consent
    ✔ Equal
💬 Join Equaldex's LGBTQ+ Discord to discuss LGBT rights and chat!

Public opinion in Nebraska appears to be somewhat divided on LGBTQ+ issues, as evidenced by recent studies.

Nebraska Initiative 416- Ban Same-Sex Marriage Act

(Nebraska , 2000)
29.9%
Against (not in favor of ban)
70.1%
For (in favor of ban)

Have you lived in or visited Nebraska?

Share your experience of being LGBTQ+ in Nebraska.

Take Survey

History

Homosexual activity in Nebraska

?

Homosexual activity in Nebraska is legal.

Current status
Since Jun 26, 2003
Legal
US Supreme Court ruling issued in Lawrence v. Texas struck down all sodomy laws on the basis of privacy and liberty. The decision overturned any laws remaining in all US states which prohibited acts of sodomy.
Report error  ·  Log

Same-sex marriage in Nebraska

?

Same-sex marriage in Nebraska is legal.

Current status
Since Jun 26, 2015
Legal
After a 5-4 vote in Supreme Court attempts by conservative states to ban same-sex marriage were overturned making it legal across the USA.
Report error  ·  Log

Censorship of LGBT issues in Nebraska

?

Censorship of LGBT issues in Nebraska is no censorship.

Current status
No censorship
There are no laws censoring LGBT topics in Nebraska.
Report error  ·  Log

Right to change legal gender in Nebraska

?

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

Current status
Legal, but requires surgery
Requires surgery to change birth certificate. Missing non binary options on documents.
Report error  ·  Log

Gender-affirming care in Nebraska

?

Gender-affirming care in Nebraska is legal, but banned for minors.

Current status
Since Oct 1, 2023
Legal, but banned for minors
Minors of this law are considered 19 age and under, so they do not have access to gender affirming care as of 2023. Adults over the age of 19 are still able to get gender affirming care. LB 574 bans all gender affirming care for under 19 years of age.

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Nebraska

?

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

Current status
Not legally recognized
Not currently recognized.
Report error  ·  Log

LGBT discrimination in Nebraska

?

LGBT discrimination in Nebraska is illegal in some contexts.

Current status
Since 2022
Illegal in some contexts
law passed outlawing lgbtq discrimination in most public places.
Report error  ·  Log
Aug 10, 20162022
Ambiguous
Only city discrimination protections in Omaha. As well sexual orientation and gender identity under Federal hate crime law. Sexual orientation under Nebraska Hate crime law. Full state discrimination protections pending statewide.
Report error  ·  Log

LGBT employment discrimination in Nebraska

?

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

Current status
Since Jun 15, 2020
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Protected federally under a Supreme Court ruling.
Report error  ·  Log
Until Jun 15, 2020
No protections
There are no legal protections for people who are LGBT in regards to employment.
Report error  ·  Log
Aug 10, 2016–Sep 16, 2018
Ambiguous
under city discrimination protections only. protections under sexual orientation under Nebraska hate crime law.
Report error  ·  Log

LGBT housing discrimination in Nebraska

?

LGBT housing discrimination in Nebraska 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)."
Report error  ·  Log
Jan 1, 2012–Sep 18, 2018
Ambiguous
Only in the Omaha.
Report error  ·  Log

Same-sex adoption in Nebraska

?

Same-sex adoption in Nebraska is legal.

Current status
Since Mar 2, 2015
Legal
March ended the long legal fight to same sex adoption with same sex couples now allowed to become foster parents, completely equalizing their rights to adopt
Report error  ·  Log
1995–Mar 2, 2015
Illegal
The 1995 Administrative Memorandum of the Nebraska Division of Children and Family Services introduced a ban on fostering and adoption by individuals identifying as "homosexual" as well as unmarried individuals.
Report error  ·  Log

Intersex infant surgery in Nebraska

?

Intersex infant surgery in Nebraska is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
No US state has enacted a ban on surgeries that attempt to change an intersex minors sex without their consent.
Report error  ·  Log

Serving openly in military in Nebraska

?

Serving openly in military in Nebraska 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 an Admiral, becoming 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."
Report error  ·  Log
Sep 20, 2011–Apr 11, 2019
Legal under federal United States law
In 2011, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was repealed by the Obama Administration. Former President Obama allowed members who were dishonorably discharged under DADT, to receive an 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…
Report error  ·  Log

Blood donations by MSMs in Nebraska

?

Blood donations by MSMs in Nebraska is legal.

Current status
Since May 11, 2023
Legal under federal United States law
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.
Apr 2, 2020–May 11, 2023
Banned (less than 6-month deferral) under federal United States law
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.
Report error  ·  Log
Dec 21, 2015–Apr 1, 2020
Banned (1-year deferral) under federal United States law
After a series of recommendations, the FDA has moved to a 12 months deferral.
Sources:
web.archive.org/web/2015010…//www.fda.gov/biologicsbloodvaccines/bloodbloodproducts/questionsaboutblood/ucm108186.htm
vox.com/2015/12/21/10635076…
Report error  ·  Log
1983–Dec 21, 2015
Banned (indefinite deferral) under federal United States law
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.
Report error  ·  Log

Conversion therapy in Nebraska

?

Conversion therapy in Nebraska 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.

Equal age of consent in Nebraska

?

Equal age of consent in Nebraska is equal.

Current status
Equal
Report error  ·  Log