LGBT rights in Alaska
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in the U.S. state of Alaska may face some legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT Alaskans. Since 1980, same-sex sexual conduct has been allowed, and same-sex couples can marry since October 2014. The state offers few legal protections against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, leaving LGBT people vulnerable to discrimination in housing and public accommodations; however, the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County established that employment discrimination against LGBT people is illegal under federal law. In addition, four Alaskan cities, Anchorage, Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan, representing about 46% of the state population, have passed discrimination protections for housing and public accommodations.
LGBT rights in Alaska | |
|---|---|
Alaska (USA) | |
| Status | Legal since 1980 |
| Gender identity | Transgender people allowed to change legal gender, surgery not required |
| Discrimination protections | Sexual orientation and gender identity covered in employment anti-discrimination laws statewide since 2020 (Bostock v. Clayton County) |
| Family rights | |
| Recognition of relationships | Same-sex marriage since 2014 (Hamby v. Parnell) |
| Adoption | Same-sex couples allowed to adopt since 2014 (Hamby v. Parnell) |
Recent opinion polls have shown increasing levels of support for LGBT rights and same-sex marriage. A 2017 Public Religion Research Institute poll found a 57% majority and a 65% majority in favor of same-sex marriage and anti-discrimination legislation, respectively. In 2018, voters in Anchorage rejected a voter initiative which would have stripped discrimination protections from transgender individuals.