Oklahoma Ranks 5th in the Nation for Most Hostile LGBTQ Policies

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The Movement Advancement Project, a nonprofit think-tank, released a comprehensive analysis detailing Oklahoma’s national standing in terms of LGBTQ acceptance and policy. Overall, the state scored 1.5 out of 21.5 possible points for sexual orientation policy, ranking 5th for most hostile towards LGBTQ+ people. 

The Sooner State ranked as the 4th most hostile state in terms of gender identity policies, scoring -6.75 out of 23. Combining the scores leaves us with -5.25 out of 44.5.

Oklahoma has been on the national radar following the death of Owasso High School student Nex Benedict. Benedict had experienced bullying at the hands of their peers. The day after a fight took place, Benedict passed away from an apparent overdose of Prozac and Benadryl. 

Several state and national organizations have drawn attention to a hostile environment for queer adults and youth. The Rainbow Project which sponsors a youth crisis hotline reported an increase in calls from the state following Benedict’s death. The majority of those calls describe instances of bullying among the LGBTQ+ community in Oklahoma. 

Many of those organizations point the blame at State Superintendent Ryan Walters. Walters has been an outspoken critic of gender ideology and books such as Gender Queer which touches on the topic of gender identity. Over 300 groups have called for an investigation into Walters and there are several petitions demanding he be removed from office. 

The Statistics

Movement Advancement Project looks at several key areas when determining a state’s national standing. Some of those areas include parental recognition, non-discrimination, LGBT youth, and healthcare to name a few. 

Parental Recognition

Currently, there are no policies that protect LGBTQ+ parents who are seeking to adopt or foster a child. A Senate Bill currently under consideration in the state legislature would prevent the Department of Human Services from requiring adoptive parents to support government policies conflicting with their religious beliefs. If signed into law, it could prove harmful to LGBTQ+ youth who are adopted by parents who don’t validate their gender or sexual orientation. 

Discrimination

Oklahoma scores low or even negative in all categories. In June 2020, the US Supreme Court ruled that it is legal to seek recourse against employees who discriminate based on gender or sexual orientation. It was common for states to pass similar legislation to codify these protections into law. Oklahoma is among several Republican states that have not taken such steps. 

The state also lacks laws that protect LGBTQ youth from bullying and discrimination. Likewise, there currently aren’t any policies that advocate for inclusive school curricula. 

In addition to an absence of state-sponsored protections, Oklahoma also has numerous laws on the books that actively take rights away from LGBTQ youth. The “Save Women’s Sports Act” which requires athletes to compete with those who share the same sex declared at birth. Another law requires students to use the bathroom that matches the gender marker on their birth certificate.

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Healthcare

One field that adds to a hostile environment for the LGBTQ+ community is healthcare. Those in power heavily politicize healthcare rights for trans and gender non-conforming individuals across the state. Trans youth are not allowed to receive gender-affirming care. Furthermore, if a doctor does prescribe hormone replacement therapy to a minor they could lose their medical license and face legal retribution. State employees who identify as transgender lack inclusive health benefits from their insurance providers. 

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a sexually transmitted disease. It disproportionately impacts Black men in same-sex relationships. Oklahoma currently has a law that criminalizes people with the virus who fail to disclose that information to their sexual partners. The law also makes it a crime for a person living with HIV to bite or spit on somebody, which could potentially spread the virus. Penalties are heavier for HIV-positive sex workers. 

Changing Name or Gender Marker on Legal Documents

Oklahoma has policies in place to complicate the process of changing name or gender markers. In August 2023, Governor Stitt signed an Executive Order he calls the “Women’s Bill of Rights,” in which he defined the terms “female, male, woman, girl, man, boy, and sex.” Stating that sex is something inherent to what was assigned at birth challenges gender ideology. Currently, individuals can only declare gender markers on birth certificates and similar documents as male or female.

Conversion Therapy

Only one city in Oklahoma has an ordinance banning conversion therapy. In 2021, Norman City Council passed an ordinance prohibiting the practice of the controversial therapy. This method of conversion involves any emotional or physical therapy designed to convert one’s sexual or gender orientation. Experts have disproved the therapy’s effectiveness and say that it can lead to anxiety, depression, substance abuse, homelessness, and suicide.

Roughly four million people call Oklahoma home. While this may seem small, these hostile policies jeopardize the lives of 138,000 people aged 13 and older who identify as LGBTQ+.