2003 in LGBT rights

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Last updated June 08, 2023

This is a list of notable events in the history of LGBT rights that took place in the year 2003.

Events

US state of California bans gender identity discrimination in the private sector.^[1]
US state of New Mexico bans discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in the private sector.^[2]
Publication of Louis Crompton's 648-page, world-spanning study Homosexuality & Civilization by Harvard University Press. ( ISBN 0-674-01197-X)

January

30 — In Belgium, legislation to allow same-sex couples to marry becomes active. Because of Belgian requirements for marriage, it will take until June before the first same-sex marriages are actually performed. The legal rights are not completely equal to opposite-sex marriage because couples lack adoption rights.

March

13 — In the United States, The Census Bureau releases figures showing that 34.3 percent of households headed by lesbian couples, and 22.3 percent of those headed by gay male couples are raising children. The report also shows that 99.3 percent of counties in the U.S. have households headed by same-sex couples.^[3]
24 — New Mexico governor Bill Richardson signs the New Mexico Hate Crimes Act, establishing enhanced penalties for hate crimes, including anti-gay hate crimes.

May

21 — Marilyn Musgrave, U.S. congresswoman from Colorado, introduces the Federal Marriage Amendment in the country's House of Representatives with 108 co-sponsors.
28 — Rick Perry, governor of the U.S. state of Texas, signs the Texas Defense of Marriage Act. The act allows Texas to deny recognition of same-sex marriages and other forms of same-sex partnerships performed in other states.
30 — Paul E. Patton, governor of the U.S. state of Kentucky, signs an executive order banning public-sector discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.^[4]

June

10 — The United States Department of Justice reverses an earlier decision banning the annual employee gay pride event.
10 — Michael Stark and Michael Leshner are wed in Ontario, becoming the first legal same-sex marriage in Canada.
18 — Canadian province of Ontario appeals court rules that civil same-sex marriages will be recognized as valid by the government, making Canada the first country in the Americas to honor legal same-sex marriage.
21 — Janet Napolitano, governor of the U.S. state of Arizona, issues an executive order banning sexual orientation discrimination in the public sector.^[5]
26 — The Supreme Court of the United States strikes down all remaining US state sodomy laws in Lawrence v. Texas .
27 — In its first application of the Lawrence precedent, the Supreme Court vacates the Kansas Supreme Court's decision in Limon v. Kansas.^[6]^[7]

July

2 — Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. adds "sexual orientation" to its corporate non-discrimination policy.
28 — Ed Rendell, governor of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, issues an executive order banning gender identity discrimination in the public sector.^[8]
30 — George W. Bush, president of the United States, says he supports "codifying marriage in the United States as being between one man and one woman."
31 — Jerrold Nadler, U.S. congressman from New York, reintroduces the Permanent Partners Immigration Act (H.R 832) in the U.S. House of Representatives.^[9] Patrick Leahy, U.S. senator from Vermont, also introduces the proposal as S. 1510 in the U.S. Senate.^[10]

August

United Nations Human Rights Committee decides the case Young v. Australia, concerning pension rights of surviving partner.^[11]

September

18 — The bill to repeal Section 28 in the remaining parts United Kingdom (England and Wales and Northern Ireland) receives Royal Assent. Section 28 had already been repealed within Scotland in 2000. The UK repeal became active on November 18.

October

27 — Statistics from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation show that 16.7 percent of hate crimes committed in the country in 2002 were due to bias against the victim's perceived sexual orientation, the highest rate in the 12 years federal records have been kept.
29 — A Human Rights Campaign study shows 60 percent of American adoption agencies accept applications from gay and lesbian couples and 40 percent claim to have placed children in homes headed by same-sex couples.

November

15 — Canadian politician Ted Nebbeling marries his partner of 32 years in what is believed to be the first same-sex marriage of a cabinet minister.
18
- In Goodridge v. Department of Public Health , the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court declares that a ban on same-sex marriage in Massachusetts is unconstitutional. It's the first such decision by a U.S. state's highest court.^[12]
- Repeal of Section 28 becomes effective in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland
20 — The United States Congress passes a resolution condemning all violations of internationally recognized human rights norms based on the real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity of an individual.
26
- In the United Kingdom, the Queen's Speech, which gives the government's program of legislation for the year ahead, includes a bill to allow Civil Partnerships for same-sex couples.
- In the United States Senate, the Federal Marriage Amendment is introduced by Wayne Allard of Colorado, Sam Brownback of Kansas, Jim Bunning of Kentucky, James Inhofe of Oklahoma, and Jeff Sessions of Alabama.

December

1 — In the United Kingdom, the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003 are introduced, making discrimination against lesbian, gay and bisexual employees unlawful. However, the regulations do not apply to pension rights or to employees of religious organisations.
6 — Houston, Texas, city councilmember Annise Parker defeats fellow councilmember Bruce Tatro as Houston's first lesbian city controller.
23 — Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm signs an executive order banning employment discrimination based on sexual orientation.^[13]

Deaths

January 19 — Morris Kight, 83, gay rights activist
January 22 — Sarah Pettit, 36, co-founder of Out magazine
December 10 — Bob Ross, 69, founder and publisher of the Bay Area Reporter
December 25 — Jim Osgood, 71, gay rights advocate and leader of Mattachine Midwest ^[14]

Related Research Articles

This is a list of notable events in the history of LGBT rights that took place in the year 2000.

This is a list of notable events in the history of LGBT rights that took place in the year 2005.

This is a list of notable events in the history of LGBT rights that took place in the year 2007.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in the U.S. state of New Hampshire enjoy most of the same rights as non-LGBT residents, with most advances occurring within the past two decades. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in New Hampshire, and the state began offering same-sex couples the option of forming a civil union on January 1, 2008. Civil unions offered most of the same protections as marriages with respect to state law, but not the federal benefits of marriage. Same-sex marriage in New Hampshire has been legally allowed since January 1, 2010, and one year later New Hampshire's civil unions expired, with all such unions converted to marriages. New Hampshire law has also protected against discrimination based on sexual orientation since 1998 and gender identity since 2018. Additionally, a conversion therapy ban on minors became effective in the state in January 2019.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in the U.S. state of Wyoming may face some legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT 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 LGBT 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.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons in the U.S. state of Delaware enjoy most of the same legal protections as non-LGBT persons. Same-sex sexual activity has been legal in Delaware since January 1, 1973. On January 1, 2012, civil unions became available to same-sex couples, granting them the "rights, benefits, protections, and responsibilities" of married persons. Delaware legalized same-sex marriage on July 1, 2013.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in the U.S. state of Minnesota have the same rights and responsibilities as non-LGBT people. Minnesota became the first U.S. state to outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in 1993, protecting LGBT people from discrimination in the fields of employment, housing, and public accommodations. In 2013, the state legalized same-sex marriage, after a bill allowing such marriages was passed by the Minnesota Legislature and subsequently signed into law by Governor Mark Dayton. This followed a 2012 ballot measure in which voters rejected constitutionally banning same-sex marriage.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in New Jersey have most of the same rights as non-LGBT people. LGBT persons in New Jersey enjoy strong protections from discrimination, and have had the right to marry since October 21, 2013.

This is a list of events in 2011 that affected LGBT rights.

California is seen as one of the most liberal states in the U.S. in regard to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) rights, which have received nationwide recognition since the 1970s. Same-sex sexual activity has been legal in the state since 1976. Discrimination protections regarding sexual orientation and gender identity or expression were adopted statewide in 2003. Transgender people are also permitted to change their legal gender on official documents without any medical interventions, and mental health providers are prohibited from engaging in conversion therapy on minors.

The establishment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in the U.S. state of Vermont is a recent occurrence, with most progress having taken place in the late 20th and the early 21st centuries. Vermont was one of 37 U.S. states, along with the District of Columbia, that issued marriage licenses to same-sex couples until the landmark Supreme Court ruling of Obergefell v. Hodges, establishing equal marriage rights for same-sex couples nationwide.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in the U.S. state of Hawaii enjoy the same rights as non-LGBT people. Same-sex sexual activity has been legal since 1973; Hawaii being one of the first six states to legalize it. In 1993, a ruling by the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court made Hawaii the first state to consider legalizing same-sex marriage. Following the approval of the Hawaii Marriage Equality Act in November 2013, same-sex couples have been allowed to marry on the islands. Additionally, Hawaii law prohibits discrimination on the basis of both sexual orientation and gender identity, and the use of conversion therapy on minors has been banned since July 2018. Gay and lesbian couples enjoy the same rights, benefits and treatment as opposite-sex couples, including the right to marry and adopt.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in the U.S. state of Wisconsin have many of the same rights and responsibilities as heterosexuals; however, the transgender community may face some legal issues not experienced by cisgender residents, due in part to discrimination based on gender identity not being included in Wisconsin's anti-discrimination laws, nor is it covered in the state's hate crime law. Same-sex marriage has been legal in Wisconsin since October 6, 2014, when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to consider an appeal in the case of Wolf v. Walker. Discrimination based on sexual orientation is banned statewide in Wisconsin, and sexual orientation is a protected class in the state's hate crime laws. It approved such protections in 1982, making it the first state in the United States to do so.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in the U.S. state of Oregon have the same rights and responsibilities as non-LGBT people. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Oregon, and same-sex marriage has been legal in the state since May 2014 when a federal judge declared the state's ban on such marriages unconstitutional. Previously, same-sex couples could only access domestic partnerships, which guaranteed most of the rights of marriage. Additionally, same-sex couples are allowed to jointly adopt, and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in the areas of employment, housing and public accommodations is outlawed in the state under the Oregon Equality Act, enacted in 2008. Conversion therapy on minors is also illegal.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in the U.S. state of North Carolina may face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents, or LGBT residents of other states with more liberal laws.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in the United States state of Virginia enjoy the same rights as non-LGBT persons. LGBT rights in the state are a recent occurrence, with most improvements in LGBT rights occurring in the 2000s and 2010s. Same-sex marriage has been legal in Virginia since October 6, 2014, when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to consider an appeal in the case of Bostic v. Rainey. Effective since July 1, 2020, there is a statewide law protecting LGBT persons from discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, and credit. The state's hate crime laws effective since July 1, 2020, now explicitly include both sexual orientation and gender identity.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in the U.S. state of New Mexico enjoy the same rights as non-LGBT people. New Mexico has seen prominent advances in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in recent decades. Same-sex sexual activity has been legal since 1975. Same-sex marriage is legal statewide in New Mexico, as is adoption and access to fertility treatments for lesbian couples. Same-sex couples now enjoy the same rights as heterosexual married couples. Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity is banned statewide in the areas of employment, housing and public accommodations. Additionally, conversion therapy on minors is prohibited in the state.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Kansas may face some legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Kansas, and the state has prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing and public accommodations since 2020.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in the U.S. state of Alaska may face some legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT Alaskans. Since 1980, same-sex sexual conduct has been allowed, and same-sex couples can marry since October 2014. The state offers few legal protections against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, leaving LGBT people vulnerable to discrimination in housing and public accommodations; however, the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County established that employment discrimination against LGBT people is illegal under federal law. In addition, four Alaskan cities, Anchorage, Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan, representing about 46% of the state population, have passed discrimination protections for housing and public accommodations.

LGBT employment discrimination in the United States is illegal under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity is encompassed by the law's prohibition of employment discrimination on the basis of sex. Prior to the landmark cases Bostock v. Clayton County and R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes Inc. v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (2020), employment protections for LGBT people were patchwork; several states and localities explicitly prohibit harassment and bias in employment decisions on the basis of sexual orientation and/or gender identity, although some only cover public employees. Prior to the Bostock decision, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) interpreted Title VII to cover LGBT employees; the EEOC determined that transgender employees were protected under Title VII in 2012, and extended the protection to encompass sexual orientation in 2015.

References

↑ "Assemblyman Mark Leno's Gender Identity Bill Signed By Governor Davis". Archived from the original on June 12, 2007. Retrieved June 13, 2007.
↑ "Farmington NM Gay Men". Archived from the original on October 31, 2007. Retrieved June 13, 2007.
↑ "HRC Applauds U.S. Census Bureau as It Releases First Report on Same-Sex Partners and Their Families". Archived from the original on January 3, 2006. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
↑ Hunt, Jerome (June 2012). "A State-by-State Examination of Nondiscrimination Laws and Policies" (PDF). Center for American Progress Action Fund: 46. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
↑ http://www.azsos.gov/aar/2003/37/governor.pdf Archived June 15, 2007, at the Wayback Machine (Adobe Acrobat format)
↑ Limon v. Kansas ,[openjurist.org/539/us/955/limon-v-kansas-02-583 539US955](Supreme Court of the United StatesJune 27, 2003).
↑ "Gay rights case voids 17-year term for teen". The St. Petersburg Times. St. Petersburg, Florida: The Washington Post. June 28, 2003. p. 10A. Retrieved July 1, 2010.^{[ permanent dead link ]}
↑ OA: 2003–10 Equal Employment Opportunity
↑ Nadler, Jerrold (March 6, 2003). "H.R.832 - 108th Congress (2003-2004): Permanent Partners Immigration Act of 2003". www.congress.gov. Archived from the original on July 30, 2019. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
↑ Leahy, Patrick J. (July 31, 2003). "S.1510 - 108th Congress (2003-2004): Permanent Partners Immigration Act of 2003". www.congress.gov. Archived from the original on July 30, 2019. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
↑ "University of Minnesota Human Rights Library". hrlibrary.umn.edu. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
↑ LAVOIE, DENISE (November 16, 2013). "A Decade After Massachusetts' Landmark Gay Marriage Ruling, The Gains Are Clear". Huffington Post. Retrieved November 17, 2013.
↑ http://www.qrd.org/qrd/www/legal/lgln/01.2004.pdf (Adobe Acrobat format)
↑ "Transitions". The Advocate . February 17, 2004. p. 17.

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[1] "Assemblyman Mark Leno's Gender Identity Bill Signed By Governor Davis". Archived from the original on June 12, 2007. Retrieved June 13, 2007.

[2] "Farmington NM Gay Men". Archived from the original on October 31, 2007. Retrieved June 13, 2007.

[3] "HRC Applauds U.S. Census Bureau as It Releases First Report on Same-Sex Partners and Their Families". Archived from the original on January 3, 2006. Retrieved April 6, 2019.

[4] Hunt, Jerome (June 2012). "A State-by-State Examination of Nondiscrimination Laws and Policies" (PDF). Center for American Progress Action Fund: 46. Retrieved February 23, 2021.

[5] ttp://www.azsos.gov/aar/2003/37/governor.pdf Archived June 15, 2007, at the Wayback Machine (Adobe Acrobat format)

[6] Limon v. Kansas ,[openjurist.org/539/us/955/limon-v-kansas-02-583 539US955](Supreme Court of the United StatesJune 27, 2003).

[7] "Gay rights case voids 17-year term for teen". The St. Petersburg Times. St. Petersburg, Florida: The Washington Post. June 28, 2003. p. 10A. Retrieved July 1, 2010.^{[ permanent dead link ]}

[8] OA: 2003–10 Equal Employment Opportunity

[9] Nadler, Jerrold (March 6, 2003). "H.R.832 - 108th Congress (2003-2004): Permanent Partners Immigration Act of 2003". www.congress.gov. Archived from the original on July 30, 2019. Retrieved July 30, 2019.

[10] Leahy, Patrick J. (July 31, 2003). "S.1510 - 108th Congress (2003-2004): Permanent Partners Immigration Act of 2003". www.congress.gov. Archived from the original on July 30, 2019. Retrieved July 30, 2019.

[11] "University of Minnesota Human Rights Library". hrlibrary.umn.edu. Retrieved July 8, 2019.

[DLavoie-Gains-12] LAVOIE, DENISE (November 16, 2013). "A Decade After Massachusetts' Landmark Gay Marriage Ruling, The Gains Are Clear". Huffington Post. Retrieved November 17, 2013.

[13] ttp://www.qrd.org/qrd/www/legal/lgln/01.2004.pdf (Adobe Acrobat format)

[14] "Transitions". The Advocate . February 17, 2004. p. 17.

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