Last year, 489 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced in state legislatures; most were defeated but 46 were signed into law, while 37 pro-LGBTQ+ bills were signed. New HRCF research shows that more than seven in ten LGBTQ+ adults report that anti-LGBTQ+ legislation has negatively impacted their mental health
With the release of the newest edition of the State Equality Index (SEI), we’re able to have a close look at various parts of our country that proffer a safer and possibly better quality of life and those that are less inviting offer little to no protections for its LGBTQ+ residents.
Despite the fact North Carolina typically remains a moderate purple state and cities and towns like Asheville, Cary, Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Durham, Raleigh and Winston-Salem are welcoming and most have city and/or county policy in place to protect LGBTQ+ residents, the state as a whole falls into HRCF’s last category: “High Priority to Achieve Basic Equality,” which also includes other neighboring states like South Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia. While most NC residents consider themselves to be progressive despite the minority conservative political control of both state chambers, it may come as a surprise that we fall far behind other states like Alaska and Iowa.
The SEI’s rankings are based on an assessment of a state’s laws and policies in the areas of parenting, religious refusal and relationship recognition, non-discrimination, hate crime and criminal justice, youth and education, and health and safety. The 2024 SEI shows many challenges ahead: During just the most recent state legislative session, lawmakers introduced almost 500 bills targeting LGBTQ+ people, with many targeting transgender people specifically. The legislative attacks covered a broad array of topics like blocking parents from accessing health care for their transgender child, barring young trans people from playing sports and removing books from school libraries that acknowledge the existence of LGBTQ+ people.
The 2024 SEI’s assessment of statewide LGBTQ-related legislation and policies has placed each state in one of four distinct categories:
Twenty-one states, plus Washington, D.C., are in the highest-rated category, “Working Toward Innovative Equality”: California, Colorado, Maine, New York, District of Columbia, Nevada, Minnesota, Oregon, Massachusetts, Illinois, New Jersey, Connecticut, Vermont, Washington, Maryland, Rhode Island, Delaware, New Mexico, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Michigan, Virginia
Four states are in the category “Solidifying Equality”: Alaska, Wisconsin, Iowa, Pennsylvania
One in the category “Building Equality”: Utah
Twenty-four other states in the lowest-rated category: “High Priority to Achieve Basic Equality,” which indicates the state is most likely to have many discriminatory laws and policies: Arizona, Indiana, Kansas, North Dakota, Nebraska, Montana, North Carolina, Kentucky, Missouri, West Virginia, Ohio, Georgia, Wyoming, Texas, Florida, Louisiana, South Dakota, Idaho, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama
The 2025 State Equality Index comes at a pivotal moment in our nation’s history, demonstrating the value of leadership that protects LGBTQ+ communities. States advancing equality are seeing stronger economies, attracting top talent, and building more vibrant communities.
“From boardrooms to town halls, we’re watching local leaders forge powerful partnerships with business leaders and faith communities to create solutions that work. Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Act shows us what’s possible when communities choose progress – real protections that strengthen families and expand opportunities for all. The road map is clear, and the results speak for themselves: when states protect every resident’s dignity and potential, everyone thrives.
Accompanying the State Equality Index, the HRCF’s Public Education and Research program released a report – “The Impact of Anti-LGBTQ+ Legislation on LGBTQ+ American Adults” – which highlights the state and federal legislative assaults on the LGBTQ+ community and provides data on the negative consequences of these discriminatory laws. In 2024, nearly 500 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were proposed across the United States, with 46 bills successfully signed into law in 16 different states. This legislative wave has had far-reaching impacts, taking a significant toll on the LGBTQ+ community with more than seven in ten (71.5 percent) LGBTQ+ adults reporting that these laws have negatively impacted their mental health or well-being.
These legislative attacks have resulted in increased rates of harassment, discrimination, and marginalization – with the transgender and gender-expansive community bearing the brunt of the attacks. One of the most devastating impacts has been the restriction on access to medically necessary care with over four in ten (41.1 percent) transgender and gender expansive adults reporting that they or someone close to them lost access to gender affirming care. The report emphasizes the urgent need for legislative change by highlighting personal stories and statistical evidence to take the necessary steps toward creating a more inclusive world for LGBTQ+ people.
The full 2024 SEI report, including detailed breakdowns for every state and a preview of the 2025 state legislative season, is available online.