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Same-sex couples live in every state in the country — and each state has its own organizations working toward gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality. To connect with the movement for fairness in your area, contact your state GLBT organizations and elected officials.

State Overview

Gay and lesbian couples live in 99.3 percent of all counties across America, according to the Human Rights Campaign's analysis of the 2000 Census statistics. Here are the numbers for Tennessee.

Increase in households of same-sex partners in Tennessee:
Year Men Women Total Increase
1990 699 641 1,340 -
2000 5,090 5,099 10,189 660%

Households of same-sex partners in Tennessee, urban vs. rural:
Year Urban Total Rural Total Percent Urban Percent Rural
1990 1,216 124 91% 9%
2000 7,564 2,625 74% 26%

Please note that HRC estimates that the Census 2000 figures could undercount gay and lesbian families by as much as 62 percent. For more information, see Census 2000.

State Officials

Governors, state legislators, city council members and other elected officials create the laws that govern gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues at the state and local levels. Contact your elected officials and urge them to support fair-minded legislation.

View state officials information

State Elections

It’s crucial that all fair-minded voters stay up-to-speed on upcoming state elections so they can support candidates who support gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality. Find out about races in your state and learn how you can cast your vote for equality.

View election data