Massachusetts' Equality Profile
Quick Facts About Massachusetts
Massachusetts' LGBTQ Policy Tally
Overall Tally:38.5/49
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See how Massachusetts compares to the rest of the country on the Snapshot page.
Massachusetts' LGBTQ Laws and Policies
Click on each issue for more information and to see where the state fits into the national landscape.
Key
- State has this law Indicates state law or policy
- State has this law Indicates local laws or policies and/or partial law
- State does not have this law Indicates no law or policy
- Enumeration not applicable
| Relationship and Parental Recognition | Sexual Orientation | Gender Identity | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Law Exists? | Tally | Law Exists? | Tally | |
|
As a result of the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Obergefell, same-sex couples can marry nationwide and states must extend all the rights and benefits of marriage to same-sex couples. As a result, the following benefits are available to all married same-sex couples on the same basis they are available to married different-sex couples: Marriage for Same-Sex Couples
Medical Decision-Making Authority for Married Same-Sex Couples
Stepparent Adoption for Married Same-Sex Couples
Joint Adoption for Married Same-Sex Couples
|
1/1 | |||
| Second-Parent Adoption for Unmarried Couples | 1/1 | |||
| Confirmatory Adoption | 0/1 | |||
| Voluntary Acknowledgement of Parentage (VAP) | 1/1 | |||
|
Family Services Nondiscrimination Laws
Adoption Nondiscrimination Protections for LGBTQ Parents Foster Care Nondiscrimination Protections for LGBTQ Parents |
0.5/0.5 0.5/0.5 |
0.5/0.5 0.5/0.5 |
||
| Recognition for Parents Using Assisted Reproduction | 1/1 | |||
|
State Family Leave Laws
LGBTQ-Inclusive Definitions of Spouse/Partner LGBTQ-Inclusive Definitions of Children/Parents |
0.5/0.5 0.5/0.5 |
|||
| Subtotal | 6/7 | 1/1 | ||
| Relationship and Parental Recognition Total | 7/8 | |||
| State Nondiscrimination Laws | Sexual Orientation | Gender Identity | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Law Exists? | Tally | Law Exists? | Tally | |
| As a result of a June 2020 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, people in all states can seek recourse for employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity through the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and federal courts. | ||||
| Employment Nondiscrimination Laws* | 1/1 | 1/1 | ||
| Housing Nondiscrimination Laws* | 1/1 | 1/1 | ||
| Public Accommodations Nondiscrimination Laws* | 1/1 | 1/1 | ||
| Credit and Lending Nondiscrimination Laws | 1/1 | 1/1 | ||
| Nondiscrimination Policies for State Employees | 0.5/0.5 | 0.5/0.5 | ||
| Negative Law: State Bans Cities and Counties from Passing Nondiscrimination Laws | No Negative Law | 0/-1 | No Negative Law | 0/-1 |
| Negative Law: State Bans Transgender People From Using Bathrooms or Facilities Consistent With Their Gender Identity In Government-Owned Buildings | No Negative Law | 0/-1 | ||
| Negative Law: State Explicitly Defines “Sex” Throughout State Law To Exclude Transgender People | No Negative Law | 0/-1 | ||
| Subtotal | 4.5/4.5 | 4.5/4.5 | ||
| Nondiscrimination Total | 9/9 | |||
*If state lacks statewide law, tally looks at local Nondiscrimination ordinances in employment, housing, and public accommodations and provides partial points based on percent of LGBTQ population covered by local laws.
| Religious Exemption Laws | Sexual Orientation | Gender Identity | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Law Exists? | Tally | Law Exists? | Tally | |
| Negative Law: Broad "RFRA" or Religious Exemption Law | No Negative Law | 0/-0.5 | No Negative Law | 0/-0.5 |
| Negative Law: Targeted Religious Exemption for Child Welfare Services | No Negative Law | 0/-1 | No Negative Law | 0/-1 |
| Negative Law: Targeted Religious Exemption for Medical Professionals | No Negative Law | 0/-1 | No Negative Law | 0/-1 |
|
Negative Law: Targeted Wedding Services
Private Wedding Services State and Local Officials Providing Marriage Licenses |
No Negative Law
No Negative Law |
0/-0.5
0/-0.5 |
||
| Subtotal | 0/-3.5 | 0/-2.5 | ||
| Religious Exemption Laws Total | 0/-6 | |||
| Healthcare Laws and Policies | Sexual Orientation | Gender Identity | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Law Exists? | Tally | Law Exists? | Tally | |
| Private Health Insurance Nondiscrimination Laws | 0/1 | 1/1 | ||
| Negative Law: Ban on Best Practice Medical Care for Transgender Youth | No Negative Law | 0/-1 | ||
| "Shield" Laws Protecting Access to Transgender Health Care | 1/1 | |||
| Health Insurance Providers Banned from Excluding Coverage for Transgender-Specific Care | 1/1 | |||
| State Medicaid Policy Related to Coverage for Transgender People | 1/1 | |||
| Transgender Inclusive Health Benefits for State Employees | 0.5/0.5 | |||
|
Data Collection
LGBTQ Adults LGBTQ Youth |
0.5/0.5 0.5/0.5 |
0.5/0.5 0.5/0.5 |
||
| Fertility Treatment Coverage in Private Insurance | 0.75/1 | 0.75/1 | ||
| Fertility Treatment Coverage in Medicaid | 0/0.5 | 0/0.5 | ||
| Fertility Preservation Coverage in Private Insurance | 1/1 | |||
| Fertility Preservation Coverage in Medicaid | 0/0.5 | |||
| Subtotal | 1.75/3.5 | 7.25/8.5 | ||
| Healthcare Total | 9/12 | |||
| Criminal Justice Laws and Policies | Sexual Orientation | Gender Identity | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Law Exists? | Tally | Law Exists? | Tally | |
| Hate Crime Law Covering LGBTQ People | 1/1 | 1/1 | ||
| Ban on Panic Defense | 0/1 | 0/1 | ||
| Jury Service Nondiscrimination | 1/1 | 0/1 | ||
| Negative Law: HIV Criminalization Law | No Negative Law | 0/-1 | No Negative Law | 0/-1 |
| Negative Law: Restrictions on Drag Performances | No Negative Law | 0/-1 | No Negative Law | 0/-1 |
| Subtotal | 2/3 | 1/3 | ||
| Criminal Justice Total | 3/6 | |||
| Ability for Transgender People to Correct Name and Gender Marker on Identity Documents |
Sexual Orientation | Gender Identity | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Law Exists? | Tally | Law Exists? | Tally | |
| Changing Gender Marker on Driver's Licenses | 1/1 | |||
| Changing Gender Marker on Birth Certificates | 1/1 | |||
|
Gender Neutral Options
"X" Option on Driver's Licenses "X" Option on Birth Certificates |
0.5/0.5 0/0.5 |
|||
| Name Change Process | 0/1 | |||
| Subtotal | 2.5/4 | |||
| Identity Documents Total | 2.5/4 | |||
| Grand Totals | Sexual Orientation Policy Tally |
Gender Identity Policy Tally |
Overall Tally |
|---|---|---|---|
| Totals | 18.25/23 | 20.25/26 | 38.5/49 |
| Ratings | HIGH | HIGH | HIGH |
Local Nondiscrimination Ordinances
Sexual Orientation
100%
of population
fully protected
%
of population only
partially
protected
- State
Protections - County
Protections - City
Protections - No
Protections - Protections
Banned
Legend
County map only shows areas with full protections for sexual orientation (i.e., discrimination prohibited in private employment, housing, and public accommodations)
Gender Identity
100%
of population
fully protected
%
of population only
partially
protected
- State
Protections - County
Protections - City
Protections - No
Protections - Protections
Banned
Legend
County map only shows areas with full protections for gender identity (i.e., discrimination prohibited in private employment, housing, and public accommodations)
This data was collected in collaboration with the Equality Federation and MassEquality and is maintained by MAP.
Local Conversion Therapy Ordinances
Conversion Therapy Bans
100%
of population
protected
- State
Protections - County
Protections - City
Protections - No
Protections - Protections
Banned
Legend
City and County Numbers:
0 counties out of 0 have an ordinance prohibiting conversion therapy for minors.
0 cities have an ordinance prohibiting conversion therapy for minors.
