Which States Champion LGBTQ+ Rights in 2025 — And Which Don’t

The landscape of LGBTQ+ rights across America continues to show stark regional divides in 2025, according to the seventh annual State LGBTQ+ Business Climate Index released by Out Leadership. Massachusetts and New York have secured the top spots as the most welcoming states, tying for first place with the strongest protections in place for LGBTQ+ individuals. Connecticut and New Jersey follow closely behind, cementing the Northeast’s reputation as a safe haven for the community.

Meanwhile, Arkansas has maintained its position as the least LGBTQ+ friendly state for the third consecutive year, with South Carolina, Louisiana, South Dakota, and Alabama rounding out the bottom five. This growing polarization reflects a troubling national trend. For the third year in a row, the national average score has declined, driven by an unprecedented wave of over 550 anti-LGBTQ+ bills and newly-elected conservative officials pushing restrictive agendas across multiple states.

The index measures each state’s climate across five key categories: Legal and Nondiscrimination Protections, Youth and Family Support, Political and Religious Attitudes, Health Access and Safety, and Work Environment and Employment.

Regional Trends Show Clear Divide

The Northeast dominates the top rankings with six of the ten highest-rated states, while the Southeast claims six of the lowest-ranked states. This geographic disparity highlights how partisan politics increasingly determines the safety and rights of LGBTQ+ Americans. Massachusetts, led by the nation’s first openly lesbian governor, Democrat Maura Healey, has implemented comprehensive protections, while New York has guaranteed gender-affirming care and LGBTQ+ refugee protections.

Kentucky and Michigan have also made the most significant gains in this year’s index, which Out Leadership attributes to “pro-equality” leadership from Democratic governors Andy Beshear and Gretchen Whitmer. Conversely, Ohio, Florida, and Utah experienced the steepest declines under Republican leadership. These shifts demonstrate how political leadership directly impacts LGBTQ+ rights and protections at the state level.

The impact of these rankings extends beyond politics into everyday lives. As one Oklahoma resident told USA Today, the hostile environment has driven him to relocate his family to North Carolina despite having rarely left his home state. “I am just trying to stay alive and keep my marriage,” said Zane Eaves, one of nearly 19,000 transgender adults in Oklahoma, which ranks 44th on the list.