Seventy-four percent of gay, lesbian or bisexual individuals have been the victims of discrimination based on their sexual orientation. Thousands of individuals report employment discrimination based on sexual orientation in states that forbid such discrimination. Gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals also experience discrimination in such areas as applying to a college, university or other school; renting an apartment or buying a house; and getting health care or health insurance.
In 33 states, individuals can legally be fired from their jobs, or denied access to housing, educational institutions, credit, and public accommodations simply because they are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender (GLBT). There are no federal laws that explicitly prohibit discrimination against GLBT individuals. Only 17 states (CA, CT, HI, IL, ME, MD, MA, MN, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, RI, VT, WA, WI) and the District of Columbia prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. Without anti-discrimination laws, GLBT people have no legal recourse when landlords deny housing or employers fire or refuse to hire them.