- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✔ Legal
- Censorship
- ✔ No censorship
- Changing Gender
- ✔ Legal, no restrictions
- Gender-Affirming Care
- ✔ Legal
- Non-Binary Gender Recognition
- ✔ Recognized
- Discrimination
- ✔ Illegal
- Employment Discrimination
- ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Housing Discrimination
- ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Adoption
- ✔ Legal
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- ✔ Full ban
- Military
- ✔ Legal
- Donating Blood
- ✔ Legal
- Conversion Therapy
- ✔ Banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion
According to recent survey data, Massachusetts shows to be supportive of the LGBTQ+ community in comparison to other parts of the world.
OPPOSE
SUPPORT
Perception of LGBTQ+ People
Survey results from 3 LGBTQ+ Equaldex users who lived in or visited Massachusetts.
Overall
Perceived Safety**Survey results represent personal perceptions of safety and may not be indicative of current actual conditions.
Equal Treatment
Visibility & Representation
Culture
Services
History
Homosexual activity in Massachusetts is legal.
Current status
Since Jun 26, 2003
Legal
US Supreme Court ruling issued in Lawrence v. Texas struck down all sodomy laws on the basis of privacy and liberty. The decision overturned any laws remaining in all US states which prohibited acts of sodomy.
Censorship of LGBT issues in Massachusetts is no censorship.
Current status
No censorship
No LGBT censorship in Massachusetts
Right to change legal gender in Massachusetts is legal, no restrictions.
Current status
Legal, no restrictions
under movement advancement project
Gender-affirming care in Massachusetts is legal.
Current status
Since 2022
Legal
Minors must get consent from both parents/guardian figures to get gender affirming care. Adults are able to get insurance under MassHealth for gender affirming care. Insurance explicitly states that anyone over 18 qualifies for their gender affirming care coverage.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Massachusetts is recognized.
Current status
Since Nov 13, 2019
Recognized
Massachusetts residents can self-identify as non-binary with an X gender marker on their driver's license, IDs and birth certificate.
LGBT discrimination in Massachusetts is illegal.
Current status
Illegal
People are protected from discrimination based upon both sexual orientation and gender identification.
LGBT employment discrimination in Massachusetts is sexual orientation and gender identity.
Current status
Since 2012
Sexual orientation and gender identity
State law provides for protections against employment discrimination in regards to both sexual orientation and gender identification.
LGBT housing discrimination in Massachusetts is sexual orientation and gender identity.
Current status
Sexual orientation and gender identity
This state explicitly bans housing discrimination based upon sexual orientation and gender identification.
Additionally, the Human Rights Campaign states, "The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires grantees and participants of HUD programs to comply with local and state non-discrimination laws that include sexual orientation and gender identity.
HUD also prohibits inquiries regarding the sexual orientation or gender identity of a prospective tenant or applicant for assisted housing in every state (March 2012)."
Additionally, the Human Rights Campaign states, "The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires grantees and participants of HUD programs to comply with local and state non-discrimination laws that include sexual orientation and gender identity.
HUD also prohibits inquiries regarding the sexual orientation or gender identity of a prospective tenant or applicant for assisted housing in every state (March 2012)."
Same-sex adoption in Massachusetts is legal.
Current status
Since 1993
Legal
Any person of "full age" may adopt, and second-parent adoption is also legal.
Intersex infant surgery in Massachusetts is full ban.
Current status
Since Dec 7, 2019
Full ban
On December 7th, 2019, The Massachusetts Medical Society endorsed a resolution affirming the principle that surgical procedures on intersex children should be postponed until they reach an age of autonomy, capable of making such determinations themselves. Medical and surgical interventions on intersex infants are not allowed, except during emergency circumstances where it is necessary.
Serving openly in military in Massachusetts is legal.
Current status
Since Sep 20, 2011
Legal
Don't Ask, Don't Tell is officially repealed throughout the United States, and gays and lesbians may openly serve.
Blood donations by MSMs in Massachusetts is legal.
Current status
Since May 11, 2023
Legal
The new FDA policy on blood donation eliminates deferrals and screening questions specific to men who have sex with men (MSM). Prospective donors will be asked the same set of questions regardless of their sex or sexual orientation.
Banned (less than 6-month deferral)
Blood donation centers follow the new FDA 3-month deferral guidance.
Banned (1-year deferral)
Blood donation centers followed the non-binding FDA one year deferral guidance.
Conversion therapy in Massachusetts is banned.
Current status
Since Apr 8, 2019
Banned
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker signed HR 140, a bill that bans gay conversion therapy on minors, into law on April 8, 2019.
Until Apr 8, 2019
Ambiguous
Conversion Therapy is currently legal. No law currently bans it, despite organizations such as the American Psychological Association denouncing it. Though it's not actually ambiguous (It is in fact legal), this is the best indicator of the available options.
Equal age of consent in Massachusetts is equal.
Current status
Equal
It was determined in 'E.C.O. v. Compton' that a 16 year old is able to consent to sex with an adult over online communication.
US Equality Rank
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#1 Massachusetts89
- #2 New Hampshire88
- #3 Rhode Island86
- #4 Maine86
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