LGBT rights in Kansas
Encyclopedia
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in the U.S.
state of Kansas face some legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT
residents. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Kansas
. Same-sex couples and families headed by same-sex couples do not have the same protections as opposite-sex couples.
's 2003 decision in Lawrence v. Texas
rendered laws banning consensual sexual activity unenforceable, including that of Kansas. State v. Limon, the first case decided under the Lawrence precedent, invalidated a provision of the state's Romeo and Juliet law that assigned harsher sentences in statutory rape cases where the parties were of the same sex.
in April 2005 that said "Marriage shall be constituted by one man and one woman only" and banned granting the "rights or incidents" of marriage to other relationships. Similar restrictions appear in state statutes as well.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
state of Kansas face some legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
residents. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
. Same-sex couples and families headed by same-sex couples do not have the same protections as opposite-sex couples.
Sodomy laws
The U.S. Supreme CourtSupreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
's 2003 decision in Lawrence v. Texas
Lawrence v. Texas
Lawrence v. Texas, 539 U.S. 558 , is a landmark United States Supreme Court case. In the 6-3 ruling, the Court struck down the sodomy law in Texas and, by proxy, invalidated sodomy laws in the thirteen other states where they remained in existence, thereby making same-sex sexual activity legal in...
rendered laws banning consensual sexual activity unenforceable, including that of Kansas. State v. Limon, the first case decided under the Lawrence precedent, invalidated a provision of the state's Romeo and Juliet law that assigned harsher sentences in statutory rape cases where the parties were of the same sex.
Recognition of same-sex relationships
Kansas voters adopted a constitutional amendmentKansas proposed amendment 1 (2005)
Kansas Proposed Amendment 1 of 2005 is an amendment to the Kansas Constitution that makes it unconstitutional for the state to recognize or perform same-sex marriages or civil unions. The referendum was approved by 70% of the voters.The amendment states:...
in April 2005 that said "Marriage shall be constituted by one man and one woman only" and banned granting the "rights or incidents" of marriage to other relationships. Similar restrictions appear in state statutes as well.