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Gay rights in America: How states stand on gay marriage and 6 other issues

The tapestry of federal and state laws surrounding gay rights is enormously intricate. Here is a look at each state's laws on issues ranging from gay marriage to hate crimes to discrimination. 

Gerry Broome/AP/File
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1. Marriage

(Updated June 13, 2013)

• Federal: The federal government does not recognize same-sex marriage or extend to any same-sex couples the 1,138 rights afforded to married couples in the US by the federal government, as tallied by the United States Government Accountability Office.

• States: Some states do recognize marriage or offer some rights to same-sex couples. The majority of US states have legally defined marriage to be between a man and a woman or amended the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage. 

Full rights (12 states and D.C.)
Marriage licenses issued to same-sex couples in these states carry identical benefits and rights of heterosexual married couples:

Full spousal rights within the state (7 states and D.C.)

These states provide gay couples with the same rights, protections, responsibilities, and benefits that the states give to heterosexual married couples. Many gay-rights activists argue that civil unions and domestic partnerships nonetheless causes the public to perceive them as something less than marriage. Supporters defend them as the most realistic goal in states resistant to gay marriage.

*These states ban same-sex marriage.

Some spousal rights within the state (1 state)

*These states ban same-sex marriage.

No rights (30 states)
Prohibit marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships, or have no or unclear laws on same-sex marriage:


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