LGBT rights in Ohio
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in the U.S. state of Ohio have most of the rights non-LGBT residents have. Same-sex sexual activity has been legal in Ohio since 1974, and same-sex marriage has been legally recognized since June 2015 as a result of Obergefell v. Hodges. Ohio statutes do not address discrimination on account of sexual orientation and gender identity; however, the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County established that employment discrimination against LGBT people is illegal in 2020. In addition, a number of Ohio cities (including Athens, Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dayton and Toledo) have passed anti-discrimination ordinances providing protections in housing and public accommodations. Conversion therapy is also banned in a number of cities. In December 2020, a federal judge invalidated a law banning sex changes on an individual's birth certificate within Ohio.
LGBT rights in Ohio | |
|---|---|
Ohio (USA) | |
| Status | Legal since 1974 |
| Gender identity | State does since December 2020, allow change of sex on birth certificates for transgender people |
| Discrimination protections | Protections in employment; several municipalities have passed further protections |
| Family rights | |
| Recognition of relationships | Same-sex marriage since 2015 |
| Adoption | Same-sex couples allowed to adopt |
Recent opinion polls have shown that LGBT rights enjoy popular support in the state. A 2016 Public Religion Research Institute survey showed that 61% of Ohio residents supported same-sex marriage. Another survey by the same pollster in 2019 showed that 71% of respondents favored non-discrimination laws protecting LGBT people.