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Safe Schools Laws

School nondiscrimination laws protect LGBTQ students from discrimination in school, including being unfairly denied access to facilities, sports teams, or clubs on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity. This map shows state school nondiscrimination laws that explicitly include sexual orientation and/or gender identity as protected characteristics, as well as states that explicitly interpret existing bans against sex discrimination to include sexual orientation and/or gender identity. In some states, school regulation or teacher code of conduct prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and/or gender identity. These states are only reflected on this map if these are the only available protection in the state.

See also our Equality Map of states that ban transgender students from using school bathrooms or facilities according to their gender identity.

United States Map
  • State has explicit guidance for the treatment and inclusion of transgender students (17 states , 2 territories + D.C.)
  • State law prohibits discrimination in schools on the bases of sexual orientation and gender identity(19 states , 1 territory + D.C.)
  • State law prohibits discrimination in schools on the basis of sexual orientation only (2 states)
  • State explicitly interprets existing prohibition on sex discrimination to include sexual orientation and/or gender identity (see note) (2 states, 1 territory)
  • School regulation or teacher code prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and/or gender identity (see note) (3 states, 1 territory)
  • No state law protecting LGBTQ students (24 states, 2 territories)
  • State law prevents schools or districts from adding LGBTQ protections to nondiscrimination policies (2 states)

Citations & More Information
*NOTES (and click "Citations & More Information" below the map legend for more information about every state): 
-In green-striped states, state agencies have explicitly stated they interpret existing protections against discrimination based on sex to include discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Click the "Citations & More Information" button (below the map legend) for more detail for every state.
-Utah's regulations prohibit discrimination on the bases of both sexual orientation and gender identity.  In Delaware, Rhode Island, and Northern Mariana Islands, the regulations prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation only.

Some states also prohibit discrimination on the basis of "association with someone with a listed characteristic" or a person's relationship to someone else with a listed characteristic. These laws protect students with, for example, LGBTQ friends or family members. Additional information on these protections is included in the "Citations & More Information" link beneath the map legend.

Please note, other rights may exist or be recognized where you live; this map is not intended as legal advice or an indication of your rights.

Recommended citation:
Movement Advancement Project. "Equality Maps: Safe Schools Laws." https://www.mapresearch.org/equality-maps/safe_school_laws. Accessed [day of access].
Trevor Lifeline - (866-488-7386) - You can call the Trevor Lifeline to connect with a trained volunteer counselor who is ready to listen. It’s free and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Percent of Adult LGBTQ Population Covered by Laws

*Note: These percentages reflect estimates of the LGBTQ adult population living in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Estimates of the LGBTQ adult population in the five inhabited U.S. territories are not available, and so cannot be reflected here.

48%

48 % of LGBTQ population lives in states that have laws prohibiting discrimination in schools on the bases of sexual orientation and gender identity

3%

3 % of LGBTQ population lives in states that have laws prohibiting discrimination in schools on the basis of sexual orientation only

4%

4 % of LGBTQ population lives in states that explicitly interpret existing prohibition on sex discrimination to include sexual orientation and/or gender identity

1%

1 % of LGBTQ population lives in states that have school regulations or teacher codes that prohibit that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity

44%

44 % of LGBTQ population lives in states that have no law protecting LGBTQ students from discrimination (including 2% who live in states prohibiting local protections)

2%

2 % of LGBTQ population lives in states that have anti-enumeration laws or regulations

Data current as of 06/18/2025
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