Homosexuality
    ✔ Legal
    Gay Marriage
    ✔ Legal
    Censorship
    ✔ No censorship
    Changing Gender
    ✔ Legal, no restrictions
    Gender-Affirming Care
    ✔ Legal
    Non-Binary Gender Recognition
    ✔ Recognized
    Discrimination
    ✔ Illegal
    Employment Discrimination
    ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
    Housing Discrimination
    ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
    Adoption
    ✔ Legal
    Intersex Infant Surgery
    Unknown
    Military
    ✔ Legal
    Donating Blood
    Unknown
    Conversion Therapy
    ✔ Banned
    Age of Consent
    ✔ Equal
💬 Join Equaldex's LGBTQ+ Discord to discuss LGBT rights and chat!

Recent studies in New Jersey indicate that there is significant support for LGBTQ+ rights.

Perception of LGBTQ+ People

Survey results from 5 LGBTQ+ Equaldex users who lived in or visited New Jersey.

Overall

Overall

Perceived Safety*

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 New Jersey

?

Homosexual activity in New Jersey 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.
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Same-sex marriage in New Jersey

?

Same-sex marriage in New Jersey is legal.

Current status
Since Sep 27, 2013
Legal
In 2013, New Jersey legalized same-sex marriage.
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Censorship of LGBT issues in New Jersey

?

Censorship of LGBT issues in New Jersey is no censorship.

Current status
No censorship
There are no laws that censor the LGBTQ community in New Jersey.

New Jersey actually requires schools to teach students about the LGBTQ community.
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Right to change legal gender in New Jersey

?

Right to change legal gender in New Jersey is legal, no restrictions.

Current status
Since Feb 12, 2018
Legal, no restrictions
requires public announcement of name change. Changes pending. Missing non binary options on drivers licenses.
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Gender-affirming care in New Jersey

?

Gender-affirming care in New Jersey is legal.

Current status
Since Apr 4, 2023
Legal
Governor Phil Murphy signed Executive Order No. 326, which protects out of state transgender people to come to New Jersey without being prosecuted in their home state. This Executive Order also protects people living in the state.
Sources:
nj.gov/governor/news/news/5… (Copy of the Executive Order is on the bottom of the page)
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Legal recognition of non-binary gender in New Jersey

?

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in New Jersey is recognized.

Current status
Since Feb 1, 2019
Recognized
New Jersey-born residents can ask for an X as their gender marker on their birth certificate as well as IDs.
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LGBT discrimination in New Jersey

?

LGBT discrimination in New Jersey is illegal.

Current status
Illegal
People are protected from discrimination based upon both sexual orientation and gender identification.
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LGBT employment discrimination in New Jersey

?

LGBT employment discrimination in New Jersey is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status
Since 2007
Sexual orientation and gender identity
State law provides for protections against employment discrimination in regards to both sexual orientation and gender identification.
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LGBT housing discrimination in New Jersey

?

LGBT housing discrimination in New Jersey is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status
Sexual orientation and gender identity
This state explicitly bans housing discrimination based upon sexual orientation and gender identification.

Additionally, 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 New Jersey

?

Same-sex adoption in New Jersey is legal.

Current status
Since 1995
Legal
Single and joint adoption are permitted per N.J. Stat. §9:3-43.

Second-parent adoption is permitted via case law in H.N.R, 666 A.2d 535 (N.J.Super, 1995)
Sources:
www.lambdalegal.org/states-region/new-jersey
H.N.R., 666 A.2d 535 (N.J.Super, 1995)
§9:3-43
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Intersex infant surgery in New Jersey

?

Intersex infant surgery in New Jersey is unknown.

Current status
Unknown

Serving openly in military in New Jersey

?

Serving openly in military in New Jersey 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."
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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 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…
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Blood donations by MSMs in New Jersey

?

Blood donations by MSMs in New Jersey is unknown.

Current status
Unknown

Conversion therapy in New Jersey

?

Conversion therapy in New Jersey is banned.

Current status
Since Aug 2013
Banned
Conversion therapy was banned by the state legislature and signed into law by the governor in August of 2013. It was contested in court and the ban was upheld by the courts.
Sources:
njlawjournal.com/id=1202669727981/Third-Circuit-Upholds-NJ-Ban-on-Gay-Conversion-Therapy?slreturn=20141113023537

nclrights.org/bornperfect-l…

nclrights.org/bornperfect-t…

hrc.org/resources/entry/the…
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Until Aug 2013
Ambiguous
Conversion Therapy is currently legal. No law currently bans it, despite organizations such as the American Psychological Association denouncing it. Though it's not actually ambiguous (It is in fact legal), this is the best indicator of the available options.

Equal age of consent in New Jersey

?

Equal age of consent in New Jersey is equal.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 2006
Equal
it got equalized.
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