How LGBTQ friendly are New Jersey's laws? Human Rights Campaign releases new ranking
In 2021, state legislatures across the country filed more legislation that targeted the transgender community than at any time in modern history — and yet a record number of states also were recognized for "prioritizing innovative measures to advance LGBTQ+ equality."
That's according to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the educational arm of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer civil rights organization, and the Equality Federation Institute, which released their eighth annual State Equality Index on Thursday.
The SEI is "a comprehensive report that groups states into several broad categories regarding the type of advocacy that occurs there and details statewide laws and policies that affect LGBTQ+ people and their families," the Foundation said.
New Jersey was ranked in the highest category, “Working Toward Innovative Equality,” alongside 20 other states and Washington, D.C.
That means New Jersey has "robust" non-discrimination laws concerning housing, healthcare, public accommodations and more, according to the Foundation.
“As we enter a second term with the Murphy administration, we are thrilled to continue bringing equality to New Jersey, both in the law and in people’s daily lives,” said Christian Fuscarino, executive director of Garden State Equality, in a news release.
“Thanks to a pro-equality legislature and Gov. Murphy’s commitment to LGBTQ equality, we are hopeful over the next four years we will take on issues that continue to make New Jersey one of the safest states to live as an LGBTQ individual," he said.
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Transgender legislation
Legislation regarding transgender individuals was seen in several forms in 2021, the Foundation said, including 81 bills "aimed to prevent transgender youth from playing school sports consistent with their gender identity," 43 bills "to prevent transgender youth from receiving gender-affirming healthcare," as well as bathroom bills and more. By the end of the 2021 legislative session, a record 13 bills regarding transgender youth had passed into law.
“The 2021 State Equality Index outlines and analyzes how over a dozen states across the country led an intentional, coordinated attack on the transgender community, particularly children, that has led to villainization, blatant discrimination, and ultimately, violence,” said JoDee Winterhof, Human Rights Campaign Senior Vice President of Policy and Political Affairs.
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“On the other hand, we have seen a record-breaking amount of states step-up for LGBTQ+ equality and fight to pass laws that champion inclusivity and equity in the face of sweeping discrimination." Winterhof continued. "It is clear that (while) considerable effort has been, and continues to be made, to prevent anti-LGBTQ+ legislation from becoming law, progress toward LGBTQ+ equality in the states truly cannot be stopped.”
States' SEI rankings
The SEI ranked statewide LGBTQ+ legislation and policies in areas of parenting laws and policies, religious refusal and relationship recognition laws, non-discrimination laws and policies, hate crime and criminal justice laws, youth-related laws and policies, and health and safety laws and policies. It placed each state in one of four categories:
"Working Toward Innovative Equality":
California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.
“Solidifying Equality”:
Alaska, Pennsylvania and Utah.
“Building Equality”:
Florida, Kansas, North Dakota and Wisconsin.
“High Priority to Achieve Basic Equality”:
Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia and Wyoming.
Other anti-LGBT legislation
The HRC Foundation says that anti-LGBT legislation last year also took the form of a resurgence of laws that carve new religious exemptions into existing laws that allow people to refuse to serve LGBTQ+ individuals.
Forty-four religious refusal bills were filed, including about a dozen Religious Freedom Restoration Act bills and a dozen others that would allow for religious refusals, including against LGBT patients, in medical care. South Dakota and Montana passed RFRA legislation, and Ohio passed a medical care refusal bill, the Foundation said.
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Pro-equality laws
Despite the barrage of anti-LGBT legislation, the Foundation said 44 pro-equality laws were passed, including measures that ensure utility companies allow consumers to change their names and pronouns; streamline adoption requirements for step-parents; ensure places of public accommodation have gender-neutral bathrooms; and make it easier to update birth and death certificates with correct names and gender markers.
To read the HRC Foundation’s full State Equality Index report, including detailed scorecards for every state, as well as a preview of the 2022 state legislative session, visit hrc.org/sei.
Ilana Keller is an award-winning journalist and lifelong New Jersey resident who loves Broadway and really bad puns. She highlights arts advocacy and education, theater fundraisers and more through her column, "Sightlines." Reach out on Twitter: @ilanakeller; ikeller@gannettnj.com
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: New Jersey LGBTQ laws: Human Rights Campaign releases rankings
