I stumbled upon this intriguing infographic on Sociological Images originating at The Guardian. It details LGBTQ rights in the U.S. by region and state. If you visit The Guardian (and you definitely should), the graphic is interactive, allowing you to hover over each state for more stats and info.

I’m delighted that more and more states are legalizing marriage equality (go fuck yourself, North Carolina). And it’s fantastic President Obama finally supports gay marriage. Although I wish it had happened years ago. But it horrifies and terrifies me that in this day and age, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer individuals and couples still don’t have equal rights and face massive oppression and discrimination across the majority of the country.

Here are more details on the various categories of laws the infographic covers and the states protecting gay rights:

Marriage
Only 8 states and DC have legalized gay marriage. Civil unions are legal in 5 and domestic partnership in 5. Gay marriage is illegal or banned in 39 states (absolutely disgusting).

Gay marriage — Connecticut, DC, Iowa, Maryland (Jan. 2013), Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, Washington (June 2012)

Civil Unions — Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey, Rhode Island

Domestic Partnership — California, Maine, Nevada, Oregon, Wisconsin

Hospital Visitation
“Federal regulations enacted in 2011 allow patients in hospitals receiving Medicare and Medicaid funding to decide who has visitation rights or can make decisions on their behalf regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.” At the state level, 16 states and DC allow same-sex spouses hospital visitation rights. 6 allow for designated visitors and 2 states allow both.

Same-sex spouses — California, Colorado, Connecticut, DC, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New York, Iowa, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin

Designated visitors — Kentucky, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia

Spouses and designated visitors — Delaware, Illinois

Adoption
“All U.S. states allow a single individual the right to petition to adopt a child.” 18 states and DC allow joint adoption. 3 have an outright ban on joint adoption.

Joint adoption –Arkansas, California, Connecticut, DC, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington

Ban on joint adoption — Michigan, Mississippi, Utah

Employment
16 states and DC have laws protecting against employment discrimination for gender identity and sexual orientation. 5 states have laws protecting employment discrimination for sexual orientation.

Gender identity and sexual orientation — California, Colorado, Connecticut, DC, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington

Sexual orientation only — Delaware, Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, Wisconsin

Housing
“Federal regulations from the Department of Housing and Urban Development require housing programs receiving federal funding to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.” At the state level, 16 states and DC protect against housing discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. 4 states have laws protecting against housing discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Gender identity and sexual orientation — California, Colorado, Connecticut, DC, Maine, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington

Sexual orientation only — Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, Wisconsin

Hate Crimes
“Federal hate crime laws extend protection for crimes related to one’s sexual orientation or gender identity.” At the state level, 17 states’ hate crime laws address sexual orientation only and 13 states and DC address gender identity and sexual orientation.

Gender identity and sexual orientation — California, Colorado, Connecticut, DC, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, Washington

Sexual orientation only — Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Texas, Tennessee, Wisconsin

Schools
“Nearly all states address discrimination or bullying as some form of law for elementary and high school students, though almost half do not define categories for protection.” 18 states and DC have laws addressing discrimination or bullying based on sexual orientation or gender identity and 1 state has laws addressing discrimination or bullying based on sexual orientation.

Gender identity and sexual orientation — Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, DC, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington

Sexual orientation only — Wisconsin

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This graph on laws protecting LGBTQ right proves we have so far to go in achieving equality.