- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✔ Legal
- Censorship
- ✔ No censorship
- Changing Gender
- ✖ Legal, but requires surgery
- Gender-Affirming Care
- ✔ Legal
- Non-Binary Gender Recognition
- ✖ Not legally recognized
- Discrimination
- ✖ Illegal in some contexts
- Employment Discrimination
- ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Housing Discrimination
- ✖ Sexual orientation only
- Adoption
- ✔ Legal
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- Unknown
- Military
- ✔ Legal
- Donating Blood
- ✔ Legal
- Conversion Therapy
- ✔ Banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion
Recent surveys in Wisconsin have revealed a mixed response towards LGBTQ+ rights and issues.
OPPOSE
SUPPORT
Perception of LGBTQ+ People
Survey results from 5 LGBTQ+ Equaldex users who lived in or visited Wisconsin.
Overall
Perceived Safety**Survey results represent personal perceptions of safety and may not be indicative of current actual conditions.
Equal Treatment
Visibility & Representation
Culture
Services
History
Homosexual activity in Wisconsin 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.
Same-sex marriage in Wisconsin is legal.
Current status
Since Oct 6, 2014
Legal
Same sex marriage in Wisconsin returned when the Supreme Court decision came through.
Censorship of LGBT issues in Wisconsin is no censorship.
Current status
No censorship
There are no laws censoring LGBT topics in Wisconsin.
Right to change legal gender in Wisconsin is legal, but requires surgery.
Current status
Legal, but requires surgery
Only for birth certificates. Missing non binary options on birth certificates.
Gender-affirming care in Wisconsin is legal.
Current status
Legal
Wisconsin tried to ban gender affirming care for minors, it was ultimately vetoed by the governor. Adults are able to get gender affirming care, minors are also able to get gender affirming care. Governor Tony Evers stated in his offical veto letter
"This bill would prohibit, with limited exceptions,
healthcare providers from engaging in, causing the
engagement in, or making referrals for certain medical
intervention practices upon an individual under 18
years of age for the purpose of changing the minor's
body to correspond to a sex that is discordant with the
minor's biological sex".
"This bill would prohibit, with limited exceptions,
healthcare providers from engaging in, causing the
engagement in, or making referrals for certain medical
intervention practices upon an individual under 18
years of age for the purpose of changing the minor's
body to correspond to a sex that is discordant with the
minor's biological sex".
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Wisconsin is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
While Wisconsin allows some progress for non-binary recognition, like allowing parents to not be classified as mother or father on their child's birth certificate, it is not currently possible to request an X gender marker on any type of ID.
LGBT discrimination in Wisconsin is illegal in some contexts.
Current status
Illegal in some contexts
Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is illegal, but gender identification is not included in these protections.
LGBT employment discrimination in Wisconsin is sexual orientation and gender identity.
Current status
Since Jun 15, 2020
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Protected federally under a Supreme Court ruling.
Sexual orientation only
State law provides protections from discrimination based on sexual orientation only. However, public state employees are allowed domestic partner benefits.
LGBT housing discrimination in Wisconsin is sexual orientation only.
Current status
Sexual orientation only
This state explicitly bans housing discrimination based upon sexual orientation only.
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)."
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)."
Intersex infant surgery in Wisconsin is unknown.
Current status
Unknown
Serving openly in military in Wisconsin 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.
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.
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."
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.
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.
Blood donations by MSMs in Wisconsin 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.
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.
Banned (1-year deferral) under federal United States law
After a series of recommendations, the FDA has moved to a 12 months deferral.
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.
Conversion therapy in Wisconsin is banned.
Current status
Since Jun 1, 2021
Banned
On June 1, 2021, Wisconsin governor signed an executive order prohibiting state and federal funds being used for conversion therapy which aims to change a minor's sexual orientation or gender identity.
Cities like Milwaukee and Lacrosse also have a complete ban on conversion therapy.
Cities like Milwaukee and Lacrosse also have a complete ban on conversion therapy.
Equal age of consent in Wisconsin is equal.
Current status
Equal
Wisconsin's age of consent for same-sex and different-sex couple is 18. State Statute provides an exemption for people who are married between the ages of 16 and 17.
United States Equality Rank
#192
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