These Are the 23 States with Little or No Protections to LGBTQ People

Missouri has no state laws prohibiting discrimination in employment, lending, or policies affecting students based on sexual orientation or gender identity. In fact, a state law prohibits local schools and school districts from passing their own LGBTQ non-discrimination laws. There is no ban on conversion therapy.

Like eight other states, Mississippi has laws that specifically target its LGBTQ communities rather than just excluding them from non-discrimination protections. The state allows child welfare agencies and medical professionals to invoke religious exemptions in denying services based on sexual orientation or gender identity, and explicitly prohibits educators from discussing LGBTQ issues in schools.

Montana has no state laws against anti-LGBTQ discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodation, or lending. State law requires parental notification when LGBTQ topics are to be taught in schools and allows parents to opt out their children.

Like some other states with low LGBTQ equality ratings, Nebraska treats sexual orientation more favorably than gender identity. Nebraska doesn’t apply a broad interpretation of religious exemption-based LGBTQ discrimination, but it has no laws protecting people from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in matters of adoption, foster care, definition of spouse or partner, lending, or private health insurance services.

North Carolina has no laws protecting LGBTQ people from discrimination related to adoption, foster care, or definition of spouse/partner. There are state laws that protect people from employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, but no such laws regarding housing, lending, private health insurance, or treatment of youth in the child welfare system.