LGBTQ rights in Utah | |
|---|---|
 Utah (US) | |
| Status | Legal since 2003 (Lawrence v. Texas) Legislative repeal in 2019 |
| Gender identity | Transgender people can change their legal gender without surgery. However healthcare is much harder to access due to legal restrictions than in other states |
| Discrimination protections | Sexual orientation and gender identity protections (employment and housing only, public accommodations not included; religious organizations, groups, and individuals exempt) |
| Family rights | |
| Recognition of relationships | Same-sex marriage since 2014 |
| Adoption | Same-sex couples permitted to adopt |
The rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of Utah have significantly evolved in the 21st century. Protective laws have become increasingly enacted since 2014, despite the state's reputation as socially conservative and highly religious. Utah's anti-sodomy law was invalidated in 2003 by Lawrence v. Texas, and fully repealed by the state legislature in 2019. Same-sex marriage has been legal since the state's ban was ruled unconstitutional by federal courts in 2014. In addition, statewide anti-discrimination laws now cover sexual orientation and gender identity in employment and housing, and the use of conversion therapy on minors is prohibited. In spite of this, there are still a few differences between the treatment of LGBTQ people and the rest of the population, and the rights of transgender youth are restricted.[1][2]
Opinion polling has shown an increase in support for LGBT rights in the state. A 2017 Public Religion Research Institute poll showed that 44% of Utah residents supported same-sex marriage, a significant increase from the early 2000s. A 2019 survey by the same pollster showed that 74% of Utahns supported anti-discrimination legislation protecting LGBTQ people.[3] Salt Lake City, the largest city in the state, has one of the largest LGBTQ populations in the country.[4]
- ^ "Utah Senate Bill 16, 68th Leg., Reg. Sess. (Utah 2022)". utah.gov. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
- ^ "Utah Senate Bill 100, 68th Leg., Reg. Sess. (Utah 2022)". utah.gov. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
prriwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Survey ranks Salt Lake City's LGBT population 7th among top 50 metro areas". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved August 2, 2021.