Recognition of same-sex relationships

In 2004, voters approved a constitutional amendment, Ohio State Issue 1

Ohio State Issue 1 (2004)

Ohio State Issue 1 of 2004, is a ballot measure that amended the Ohio Constitution to make it unconstitutional for the state to recognize or perform same-sex marriages or civil unions...

, that banned same-sex marriage

Same-sex marriage

Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....

 and civil unions in the state. It passed with 62% of the vote. Domestic partnership registries were not affected, and several claims from supporters of State Issue 1 that claimed such registries conflicted with the amendment were dismissed in court. However, the measure did affect the state's domestic abuse laws; which barred charges of domestic abuse from being made if they occurred within a same-sex relationship.

Parenting

Single individuals can adopt in Ohio. Despite no explicit prohibition, courts have not allowed same-sex couples to do so. Second-parent adoptions are only available to someone recognized by the state as the spouse of the first parent.

Discrimination protections

Discrimination based on one's sexual orientation

Sexual orientation

Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...

 and gender identity

Gender identity

A gender identity is the way in which an individual self-identifies with a gender category, for example, as being either a man or a woman, or in some cases being neither, which can be distinct from biological sex. Basic gender identity is usually formed by age three and is extremely difficult to...

 is prohibited only within government employment, under the Ohio Government Order. There are no statewide protections in Ohio for sexual orientation and gender identity outside of Government employment. As of 2009, there was a bill in the Ohio Legislature to outlaw discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in certain situations, such as contracts, insurance, housing, employment, both public and private. The bill passed the Ohio House by a vote of 56-38, but stalled in the Ohio Senate.

Gender reassignment

Following a 1987 court case, In re Ladrach, Ohio does not allow persons born in the state to amend the sex information on their birth certificates after sex reassignment surgery.

Public opinion

An August 2011 Public Policy Polling

Public Policy Polling

Public Policy Polling is an American Democratic Party-affiliated polling firm based in Raleigh, North Carolina. PPP was founded in 2001 by businessman and Democratic pollster Dean Debnam, the firm's current president and chief executive officer...

 survey found that 33% of Ohio voters thought that same-sex marriage should be legal, while 53% thought it should be illegal and 14% were not sure. A separate question on the same survey found that 61% of Ohio voters supported the legal recognition of same-sex couples, with 28% supporting same-sex marriage, 33% supporting civil unions but not marriage, 36% favoring no legal recognition and 2% not sure.

A October 2011 Public Policy Polling

Public Policy Polling

Public Policy Polling is an American Democratic Party-affiliated polling firm based in Raleigh, North Carolina. PPP was founded in 2001 by businessman and Democratic pollster Dean Debnam, the firm's current president and chief executive officer...

 survey found that 32% of Ohio voters thought that same-sex marriage should be legal, while 55% thought it should be illegal and 13% were not sure. A separate question on the same survey found that 62% of Ohio voters supported the legal recognition of same-sex couples, with 27% supporting same-sex marriage, 35% supporting civil unions but not marriage, 34% favoring no legal recognition and 3% not sure.

See also

• Politics of Ohio
  Politics of Ohio
  Historically control of Ohio has oscillated between the two major parties. Republicans outnumber Democrats in Ohio government. The governor, John Kasich, is a Republican, as are all other non-judicial statewide elected officials: Lieutenant Governor of Ohio Mary Taylor, Ohio Attorney General Mike...
  
  
• LGBT rights in the United States
• Rights and responsibilities of marriages in the United States
  Rights and responsibilities of marriages in the United States
  According to the United States Government Accountability Office , there are 1,138 statutory provisions in which marital status is a factor in determining benefits, rights, and privileges...
  
  
• Equality Ohio
  Equality Ohio
  Equality Ohio is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that advocates for full equality for the LGBTQ community. It is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. It was founded in 2005 following the passage of Ohio Issue 1, which banned state recognition of same-sex relationships...