Mapping LGBTQ Equality: 2010 to 2020 presents a fresh perspective on the current status of LGBTQ equality in the states by examining MAP’s policy tally, encompassing nearly 40 LGBTQ-related laws and policies across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the five U.S. territories as of January 1, 2020. The report also compares the current status of LGBTQ policy landscape to the status of these same laws as of January 1, 2010.
MAP’s policy tally aggregates these laws and policies into a concise yet comprehensive way to gauge the LGBTQ-related policy landscape across the country. What emerges in 2020 is a patchwork of positive LGBTQ laws and policies, with variations both by region and area of law, as well as a remarkable growth in both the policy accomplishments and challenges facing LGBTQ people over the past decade.
While these changes over the past 10 years show remarkable progress toward LGBTQ equality, they also importantly show the significant work remaining—whether in criminal justice, identity documents, and more— as well as the new or increasing challenges that have arisen in recent years, such as the growth of religious exemptions. The findings presented in the report illustrate how an LGBTQ person’s legal rights and protections can change dramatically across state lines, even in 2020. It is critical that advocates for LGBTQ equality continue to work for progress in cities and counties, in state legislatures, and in the halls of Congress.
