LGBTQ+ Equality Gap Widens as State Rankings Deepen Divide
The divide between the best and worst states for LGBTQ+ Americans has never been wider, according to the eighth annual State LGBTQ+ Business Climate Index released Monday by Out Leadership. The national average score fell for the fourth consecutive year, dropping five points to 60.87 out of 100, as a surge in anti-LGBTQ+ legislation reshapes the landscape of civil rights across the United States.
Massachusetts ranks first with a score of 93.23, while Arkansas ranks last at 28.06 — a gap of 62 points, up from 55 points in 2019. The index, shared exclusively with USA TODAY, evaluates all 50 states across five categories: legal and nondiscrimination protections, youth and family support, political and religious attitudes, health access and safety, and work environment and employment.
A ‘Genuine Regression’ in LGBTQ+ Rights
“When we started this index eight years ago, the goal was to show Americans the issues that were still live but invisible — HIV criminalization, conversion therapy, where state legislators actually stood — because once marriage equality passed, a lot of people assumed the work was done. It wasn’t,” said Todd Sears, founder and CEO of Out Leadership. “What we’ve documented since is a genuine regression.”
The index added 12 new indicators this year to capture the impact of bathroom access restrictions, pronoun and name-use prohibitions, and restrictions on adult gender-affirming care. The ACLU tracked 530 anti-LGBTQ+ bills in state legislatures during the 2026 session as of May 29, including measures targeting healthcare access, school sports, curriculum, and drag performances.
Twenty-six states now fall below 60 on the 100-point scale. The 10 highest-ranked states have held steady or improved, but the lowest-ranked states have dropped significantly, and the middle ground is quickly disappearing, according to Sears.
Top and Bottom States
The five highest-ranking states are all in the Northeast or Midwest: Massachusetts (93.23), New York (92.2), Connecticut (91.46), New Jersey (90.94), and Illinois (90.92). California rose in the rankings for its pro-LGBTQ+ policy leadership, while Illinois gained ground for protections around gender-affirming care access.
At the bottom, Arkansas (28.06) ranks last, followed by Tennessee (31.25), Idaho (32.23), South Carolina (33.22), and Florida (33.25). Bathroom bans, healthcare restrictions, and other state measures pummeled Florida’s ranking, while Texas slipped because of anti-trans legislation. Even some LGBTQ+-friendly states like Maine declined — not because they passed unfriendly laws, but because the new indicators rewarded states that enacted proactive protections.
“Something Americans had come to take for granted, that LGBTQ+ people exist and deserve civil rights, has been thrown back into question,” Sears said.
Reversal of a Decades-Long Trend
The findings align with academic research documenting a reversal in anti-gay bias. A study by Tessa Charlesworth, assistant professor at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, and Harvard psychologist Mahzarin Banaji found that anti-gay bias declined steadily from 2007 to 2020 and was on track to disappear altogether. Then, in the early 2020s, the trend reversed. Anti-gay bias jumped 10 points from 2021 to 2024.
“Geography certainly plays a role in the overall amount of bias toward gay, lesbian and trans people,” Charlesworth told USA TODAY. “There are systematic patterns across places that shape where is more tolerant and accepting versus more hostile.”
Nearly two-thirds of states have seen an increase in implicit bias toward gay people since 2020, and three-quarters have seen an increase in explicit bias, according to Charlesworth’s research. Gallup data confirms that acceptance of LGBTQ+ people — at an all-time high four years ago — has fallen every year since.
Economic Consequences and Talent Flight
Sears warned that the corporate world is beginning to feel the economic impact. “Over the next 12 to 18 months, companies are going to feel this, and many already are. There’s a talent flight underway,” he said. “LGBTQ people are leaving anti-LGBTQ states, families of trans, nonbinary, and gay young people are relocating, and employees are going back into the closet.”
The report comes amid a broader corporate pullback from LGBTQ+ support. Many companies have shrunk Pride Month budgets, displayed fewer rainbow flags, and downplayed solidarity amid the “go woke go broke” backlash following controversies involving Target and Bud Light.
What to Watch
With 9% of U.S. adults — more than 23 million people — identifying as LGBTQ+, according to Gallup, the stakes of the growing geographic polarization are enormous. Surveys show many LGBTQ+ residents in low-ranking states have considered relocating or have already left. The 2026 midterm elections could reshape the trajectory of state-level legislation, while the corporate response to talent retention concerns may determine whether the current trend of declining support continues or reverses.
As Sears put it: “The math shows it. Half of America is increasingly unfriendly to the LGBTQ+ population.”