page_title: LGBT rights in Oregon
section_title: Discrimination protections
hierarchical_section_title: LGBT rights in Oregon / Discrimination protections
caption_attribution_description: English: Pride parade, Portland, Oregon (2015)
context_page_description: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the U.S. state of Oregon have the same rights and responsibilities as heterosexuals. 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.
  Oregon is frequently referred to as one of the United States' most LGBT-friendly states, and is home to an active LGBT community with multiple bars, clubs, venues, events and other establishments. Elected in 2016, Governor Kate Brown is the nation's first openly bisexual governor.
context_section_description: Since January 1, 2008, Oregon has banned unfair discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The protections were added by the Oregon Equality Act, signed into law by Governor Ted Kulongoski on May 9, 2007.
  Moreover, the state's anti-bullying law prohibits bullying on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, familial status, source of income and disability. The law also explicitly includes cyberbullying and harassment, and applies to all public schools.
  In October 2019, Governor Kate Brown signed an executive order to add gender identity to a 1987 policy that prohibits state agencies from engaging in unlawful discrimination (in hiring, the provision of public services, or any government-related interactions). The order had already included sexual orientation. Agencies will also be required a include a third gender option ("X") as a sex descriptor.
caption: Participants at the Portland Pride parade, 2015
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