LGBTQ rights in Wyoming
LGBTQ rights in Wyoming | |
|---|---|
| Legal status | Legal since 1977 |
| Gender identity | State requires sex reassignment surgery to alter sex on birth certificate |
| Discrimination protections | Protections in employment for sexual orientation and gender identity (see below) |
| Family rights | |
| Recognition of relationships | Same-sex marriage since 2014 |
| Adoption | Full adoption rights since 2014 |
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of Wyoming may face some legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBTQ residents. Same-sex sexual activity has been legal in Wyoming since 1977, and same-sex marriage was legalized in the state in October 2014. Wyoming statutes do not address discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity; however, the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County established that employment discrimination against LGBTQ people is illegal under federal law. In addition, the cities of Jackson, Casper, and Laramie have enacted ordinances outlawing discrimination in housing and public accommodations that cover sexual orientation and gender identity.
Wyoming attracted international notoriety after the death of Matthew Shepard in 1998. In 2009, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act was passed by the U.S. Congress expanding the federal definition of hate crimes to include among others sexual orientation and gender identity. According to media outlets, his murder has resulted in "a shift in American culture" toward LGBT rights. A 2017 poll found a majority of Wyoming residents are in favor of same-sex marriage and an anti-discrimination law covering LGBTQ people. However, anti-gay attitudes and behaviors still persist.