This is a list of events in 2011 that affected LGBTQ rights.
Events
January 1 — The Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010 comes into effect in Ireland, allowing same-sex couples to enter civil partnerships. 3 — Ugandan High Court Justice V.F. Kibuuka Musoke rules that Rolling Stone violated the civil rights of homosexuals when it printed their pictures on the front page with the headline "Hang Them". The court orders the newspaper to pay each of the three lead plaintiffs USh 1.5 million. 7 — The 3rd Court of Appeals in Austin, Texas, rules that the Texas Attorney General does not have standing to intervene in a same-sex divorce case. The ruling, which conflicts with a ruling issued in 2010 by the 5th Court of Appeals, means that a Texas divorce granted to two women who married in Massachusetts is legal. However, the state's ban on same-sex marriage is unaffected. 10 The Saskatchewan Court of Appeal in Canada rules that marriage commissioners in Saskatchewan cannot refuse to marry same-sex couples due to religious objections. The decision is in response to a proposed law which had two versions: One would allow any marriage commissioner to avoid performing a same-sex wedding because of his or her religion and the other version would allow commissioners to opt out of performing a same-sex ceremony only if they were commissioners before Canada enacted marriage equality in 2004. Newly sworn-in Ohio Governor John Kasich allows a previous executive order prohibiting discrimination in state employment on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity to expire. 14 — A Virginia circuit court judge reverses his earlier ruling and allows one half of a lesbian couple to change her last name legally to that of her partner. The judge had initially denied the name change, stating that since same-sex marriage is illegal in Virginia and the couple "hold themselves out as a married couple" the name change was for "fraudulent purposes". 18 — A Bristol County Court judge rules that the owners of a bed and breakfast in Cornwall, United Kingdom, violated the rights of a gay couple in a civil partnership when they refused to rent them a double room because of the owners' Christian beliefs. 24 — The Wyoming House of Representatives passes a bill that would bar the state from recognising legal same-sex marriages performed in other legal jurisdictions, changing a law that though bars same-sex marriage within Wyoming recognises legal marriages performed elsewhere. 27 — The Iowa Senate rejects a proposal for a voter initiative to amend the Iowa constitution to ban same-sex marriage. 28 The Constitutional Council of France rules that French laws which restrict marriage to unions between men and women do not violate the French Constitution. In Indiana, the Gary Community School Corporation, as part of the settlement of a lawsuit filed in 2007 by a transgender former student, announces a new anti-discrimination policy that includes specific protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity. 31 Following its passage in December 2010, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signs the Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act. This act allows all couples, regardless of gender, to enter into civil unions which provide all of the state benefits of marriage. The law is scheduled to take effect June 1. As same-sex marriage is constitutionally prohibited in the state of Nebraska, an Otoe County judge refuses to grant a divorce to two women legally married in Vermont in 2003. The judge does, however, rule on child support and visitation rights for the couple's four-year-old daughter (specifics not given). Representatives at São Tomé and Príncipe's United Nations Universal Periodic Review announce that upcoming revisions to its Criminal Code will decriminalize homosexual sex in the country. The new code would come into effect four months later.
February 1 — The United States Department of State begins issuing passport applications that ask applicants for "Mother or parent one" and "Father or parent two" instead of for "Father" and "Mother". The change, announced in December 2010, is "in recognition of different types of families". 7 — New York City adopts a new policy regarding transgender marriage license applicants specifying that once an applicant displays a proper photo identification the city clerk may not request further proof of sex. 17 — The Arkansas Supreme Court upholds a lower court ruling giving a woman visitation rights with the child of her former partner. The court rules that even though same-sex marriage is not legally recognised in Arkansas, the woman stood in loco parentis to the child. 18 Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick signs an executive order banning discrimination against state employees based on gender identity or expression.Patrick bans discrimination against transgender state workers The Alaska Board of Regents votes to add sexual orientation to its anti-discrimination policy. 23 In response to two lawsuits, Pedersen v. Office of Personnel Management and Windsor v. United States, the US Justice Department announces that it will no longer defend the constitutionality of section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act although the department will "remain parties (sic) to the cases and continue to represent the interests of the United States throughout the litigation." That section had been ruled unconstitutional in two district court cases, Massachusetts v. United States Department of Health and Human Services and Gill v. Office of Personnel Management. Hawaii governor Neil Abercrombie signs the state's civil unions bill. The law will take effect on 1 January 2012.Hawaii Civil Unions Signed Into Law 24 — A New York state appellate court rules that recognising a legal same-sex marriage performed in Canada for purposes of probate does not violate the public policy of the state of New York.
March 1 — The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit rules that Indian Prairie School District 204 may not bar students from wearing shirts with anti-LGBT slogans finding that a "school that permits advocacy of the rights of homosexual students cannot be allowed to stifle criticism of homosexuality." The district had argued that it barred a shirt reading "Be Happy, Not Gay" on the grounds that it violated the rights of students toward whom the derogatory comment was directed.Judge: Anti-gay shirts worn by Neuqua Valley students OK 2 — The Wyoming Senate defeats a bill that would have prevented the state from recognising same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions. 7 — Citing the 1971 Minnesota Supreme Court ruling in Baker v. Nelson and the local defense of marriage act, Hennepin County District Judge Mary Dufresne dismisses a lawsuit brought by marriage equality advocacy group Marry Me Minnesota which contended that the ban on same-sex marriage violates the rights of same-sex couples to due process, equal protection, religious freedom and freedom of association.Benson v. Alverson 9 — Along party lines, the United States House of Representatives Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group votes to defend the constitutionality of Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act after the Obama administration announced it would not support the bill. The Advisory Group vote sidesteps a full House vote on the question.House Republicans Vote to Defend DOMA in Court on Party Line 3-2 Vote 16 — Upon its second reading, the Liechtenstein Parliament passes a bill legalising registered civil partnership. The law will take effect on 1 September 2011. Landtag einhellig für Partnerschaftsgesetz 21 — The Cook County Jail in Chicago implements a new policy for housing transgender prisoners, allowing for them to be housed based on their gender identity rather than birth sex. 24 Canada announces a pilot programme to provide $100,000 in living assistance funds to refugees facing persecution because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Roman Catholic-operated Marquette University announces that it will offer domestic partnership benefits to employees beginning in 2012. 28 — United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announces that it will no longer deny applications for green cards on the part of bi-national same-sex married couples but will put those cases on hold pending resolution of the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act.The Advocate: Andrew Harmon, "Immigration Breakthrough?." March 27, 2011 , accessed March 29, 2011 30 USCIS later reverses its ruling and announces that it will continue to deny green cards to bi-national applicants in same-sex marriages.Official: No Hold on Gay Immigration Cases The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit dismisses the complaint of a Wal-Mart employee fired in 2005 for anti-gay harassment of another employee. The court rules that Wal-Mart did not violate the fired employee's religious freedom. Wal-Mart's anti-harassment policy includes "sexual orientation" as a category. 31 — The Constitutional Court of Korea rules in a 5–4 decision that the Korean military ban on homosexual conduct is constitutional and does not discriminate against homosexual military personnel.S. Korea court upholds military ban on gay behaviour
April 5 — The Nashville, Tennessee Metro Council passes a measure requiring businesses with contracts with the city to promise not to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. 7 — The Arkansas Supreme Court upholds a 2010 lower court ruling that a 2008 voter-approved ban on adoption by unmarried cohabiting couples is unconstitutional.ArkansasMatters.com: Chris Geidner, "Ark. Supreme Court Agrees Adoption Law is Unconstitutional," April 7, 2011, accessed April 7, 2011 11 — The Maine Human Rights Commission finds that a rental agency that repeatedly delayed an application from a transgender applicant illegally discriminated against her based on her gender identity.Kennebec Journal: Betty Adams, "Panel backs claim of discrimination by transgender renter," April 12, 2011 , accessed April 13, 2011 12 — The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit rules that a Louisiana registrar's refusal to list the names of both same-sex adoptive parents on a birth certificate does not violate their child's right to equal protection nor does the Full Faith and Credit Clause, which requires each state to recognize the legal proceedings of the other states, require Louisiana to "confer particular benefits on unmarried adoptive parents contrary to its law."NOLA: "Gay dads lose appeal in Louisiana birth certificate case," April 12, 2011 , accessed April 13, 2011 13 — Rear Admiral Mark L. Tidd, Chief of Chaplains of the United States Navy, issues a two-page "guidance" memo stating that following final repeal of the don't ask, don't tell policy, same-sex couples would be allowed to marry in Naval facilities with Naval chaplains officiating in those states in which same-sex marriage is legal. 18 The National Assembly of Hungary adopts a new constitution that among other things explicitly restricts same-sex marriage. However, same-sex couples may obtain the same legal protections through registering as domestic partners. If signed as expected by President Pál Schmitt it will go into effect on January 1, 2012. Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signs into law a bill that requires adoption agencies in the state to "give primary consideration to adoptive placement with a married man and woman." Agencies may place a child with a legally single person if it is in the child's best interest or if there is no married couple applying for adoption. Same-sex marriage is not legally recognized in Arizona.