The NAACP of Louisiana has requested the national organization issue a travel advisory for Louisiana, on the basis of anti-Black and anti-LGBT state bills that could place both Black and LGBT people at risk.
Louisiana has negative laws towards trans people. These laws are, while horrible for residents of Louisiana, do not generally apply to most trans people traveling to Louisiana in most situations.
Louisiana does ban trans care for children, although the current law does not have criminal penalties for parents. However, it is unknown how this might have an impact on child custody.
- Louisiana non-discrimination law does not include LGBT people specifically
- State officials have directed schools to ignore Title IX regulations (as of April 25, 2024) regarding non-discrimination against trans people.
- Some municipalities have local non-discrimination laws that apply to gender identity, particularly New Orleans and Shreveport.
- Trans people are banned from access to bathrooms and sleeping facilities in some locations (prisons, K12 schools, and domestic violence shelters).
- General public accommodation access is not specifically protected by law for trans people in Louisiana.
- Louisiana does not have a drag/cross-dressing law.
See the USA TSA document.
- Trans women are required to be housed with men.
- Trans men are required to be housed with men.
- Nonbinary people are required to be housed according to sex assigned at birth
- At least one visitor (not an inmate) was told to strip and expose her genitalia while going through security to visit a prisoner at Angola Prison because her anatomy did not match her gender expression.
Non-binary people are not recognized.
Louisiana has established a legal definition of male and female in line with sex assigned at birth.
- Trans medical care is legal for adults
- Medical transition (puberty blockers, hormones, surgeries) for people under 18 is illegal.
- The trans youth medical ban is being challenged in court.
- Federal regulations protecting trans people in were blocked in Louisiana due to the Tennessee v Becerra preliminary injunction on July 3, 2024. Thus trans people do not have many of the federal protections on the basis of sex when obtaining medical care in this state.
- Trans medical care is illegal for youth in Louisiana, although penalties will apply to doctors providing the care and not to parents.
- It is unknown if transition might be used by the state to justify custody removal.
- There is no sanctuary law preventing cooperation with other jurisdictions
- Same-sex marriage (and thus all trans marriage) is recognized
- 2023 SB7 - Library Children's Book Ban
- 2023 HB648 - Trans Youth Medical Care Ban
- 2024 HB122 - Don't Say Gay Law (not yet signed by governor as of May 24, 2024)
- 2024 HB608 - Bathroom Ban
New Orleans has a visible LGBT population, but this is not the case in other parts of Louisiana, including some nearby cities of New Orleans.
"Sexually explicit" materials in libraries (electronically or in print) are restricted. This will likely be used to target LGBT material. Beyond that, nearly all discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity will be restricted in K12 schools, including in extra curricular events if 2024 HB122 is signed by the governor.
Some government officials are explicitly anti-trans. For instance, on 22 April 2024, the Superintendent of Education directed local school districts to ignore federal civil rights guidance on Title IX, in favor of anti-trans policies.
Because of the rhetoric around trans people in the political and media space, trans people should use caution, particularly in bathrooms, locker rooms, showers, etc. Random and targeted attacks may occur, and trans people who report these attacks can expect to be misgendered by officials and public institutions.