Kentucky

Kentucky is the 15th U.S. state, admitted to the Union on June 1, 1792. Its most populous city is Louisville, and the state capitol is located in Frankfort.

LGBT Rights in Kentucky: A constitutional ban on same-sex marriage was approved by voters in November 2004, which also prohibited the recognition of same-sex relationships under any other name. Kentucky does not have statewide LGBT anti-discrimination protections, but several jurisdictions have enacted LGBT-inclusive ordinances. Kentucky statutes cover hate crimes based on sexual orientation but not gender identity. Kentucky permits adoption by individuals or married couples only.

Current challenge to Kentucky’s same-sex marriage ban: Bourke v. Beshear.

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Univ. of Kentucky says survey was intended to improve health services

Thursday, April 10, 2014

LEXINGTON, Ky. — The University of Kentucky says a campus-wide student survey that asked students whether homosexuality was a sin was intended to improve the school’s health services. [ Read more → ]

Univ. of Kentucky survey asks students if homosexuality is a mental illness

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- The University of Kentucky has issued a campus-wide student survey that asks students if they’d rather be gay or straight, whether homosexuality was a sin, and if they believed homosexuality was a mental illness. [ Read more → ]

Ky. recognition of out-of-state same-sex marriages put on hold

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A federal judge is giving Kentucky more time to officially recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states and countries. [ Read more → ]

Ky. Senate approves bill aimed at AG’s refusal to defend gay marriage ban

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- The Kentucky Senate reacted Monday to the attorney general's refusal to appeal a ruling allowing state recognition of same-sex marriages, passing a bill that would allow top legislative leaders to intervene in such situations. [ Read more → ]

Judge considers whether to issue stay in Ky. same-sex marriage ruling

Monday, March 17, 2014

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A federal judge is weighing whether to allow his order requiring Kentucky to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states and countries or put the issue on hold pending an appeal by Gov. Steve Beshear. [ Read more → ]

Ky. governor asks for delay in same-sex marriage ruling while he appeals

Friday, March 14, 2014

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear on Friday asked a federal judge to delay the effective date of his ruling allowing state recognition of same-sex marriages while he appeals the case. [ Read more → ]

Ky. governor hires private law firm to defend same-sex marriage ban

Thursday, March 13, 2014

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear signed a $100,000 contract with a private law firm from Ashland to represent him in appealing a judge's decision allowing state recognition of same-sex marriages. [ Read more → ]

Ky. child care agency says short-lived plan to hire gays resulted in lost funding

Friday, March 7, 2014

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Uncertainty over a short-lived proposal to open employment to gays at Kentucky's largest private child care agency prompted many of its supportive churches to withhold giving last year, causing a multi-million dollar shortfall. [ Read more → ]

Ky. House panel hears testimony on LGBT-inclusive anti-discrimination bill

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- A former police officer who claims he lost his job because of his sexual orientation joined gay rights advocates Wednesday in urging Kentucky lawmakers to protect LGBT citizens from discrimination in the workplace, in public places and housing. [ Read more → ]

Ky. governor to hire outside counsel to appeal same-sex marriage ruling

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear said Tuesday that the state will hire outside attorneys to appeal a decision granting legal recognition to same-sex couples married in other states and countries after the attorney general announced that he would not pursue the case further. [ Read more → ]

Ky. AG won’t appeal ruling that state recognize same-sex marriages

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Kentucky's attorney general says he won't appeal an order to recognize same-sex marriages from other states and countries and will allow a judge's order to take effect March 20. [ Read more → ]

Joan Callahan and Jennifer Leigh Crossen

Man adopted in Ky. by mother’s spouse following marriage ruling

Monday, March 3, 2014

LEXINGTON, Ky. — A Kentucky judge has finalized the adoption of a 28-year-old man by a woman who was legally married to his mother in Massachusetts, the first step-parent adoption by a member of a same-sex couple in Fayette County and possibly the state following a federal court ruling. [ Read more → ]

Judge grants Ky. 21-days to implement order recognizing same-sex marriages

Friday, February 28, 2014

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Kentucky has until March 20 to implement an order granting legal recognition to same-sex couples married in other states or countries, a federal judge ruled Friday. [ Read more → ]

Federal judge issues order requiring Ky. to recognize same-sex marriages

Thursday, February 27, 2014

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A federal judge has issued an order requiring the state of Kentucky to recognize same-sex marriages performed in states where it is legal. [ Read more → ]

Ky. seeks delay in order that it recognize same-sex marriages from other states

Thursday, February 27, 2014

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Kentucky's attorney general asked a federal judge on Thursday to delay by 90 days an order requiring the state to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states and countries. [ Read more → ]

Brett Barrouquere, APMichael De Leon (left) and Gregory Bourke.

Final order expected in Ky. same-sex marriage case

Thursday, February 27, 2014

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Attorneys for gay couples seeking formal recognition of their out-of-state marriages say a federal judge is expected to sign a final order in the case by the end of the week. [ Read more → ]

Freedom to Marry launches $1 million marriage equality campaign in U.S. South

Monday, February 24, 2014

NEW YORK – Freedom to Marry, the advocacy campaign to win marriage equality nationwide, on Monday launched a $1 million multi-state campaign to build majority support for marriage in the South. [ Read more → ]

Timothy D. Easley, APKentucky Republican Senate candidate Matt Bevin is running against Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Ky. Senate candidate: Gay marriage will lead to parents marrying their kids for tax benefits

Friday, February 21, 2014

WASHINGTON -- A Republican U.S. Senate candidate in Kentucky said that same-sex marriage could lead to a parent claiming marriage to his or her child to gain tax benefits and other privileges. [ Read more → ]

Gays angered over billboard created by ‘ex-gay’ founder of Christian ministry

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- An anti-gay billboard in Kentucky has created controversy among the gay community and its allies, and they are calling for its removal. [ Read more → ]

J. Scott Applewhite, APVin Testa of Washington waves a rainbow flag in support of gay rights outside the Supreme Court on Tuesday hoping to hear the court announce decisions in the gay marriage cases.

Battle over same-sex marriage moving rapidly to federal appeals courts

Saturday, February 15, 2014

WASHINGTON -- The overturning of Virginia's same-sex marriage ban places the legal fight over same-sex unions increasingly in the hands of federal appeals courts shaped by President Barack Obama's two election victories. [ Read more → ]

Couple sues Ky. to force it to issue same-sex marriage licenses

Friday, February 14, 2014

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A Kentucky couple sued the state Friday, seeking to force it to issue same-sex marriage licenses after a federal judge ruled earlier this week that unions performed legally in other places must be recognized by the Bluegrass State. [ Read more → ]

U.S. District Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen

Federal judge asked to note Ky. gay marriage ruling in considering Va. case

Thursday, February 13, 2014

NORFOLK, Va.- The Virginia Attorney General's Office wants a federal judge to take note of a recent ruling in Kentucky that said the state must recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. [ Read more → ]

Judge: Ky. must recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A federal judge ruled Wednesday that Kentucky must recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states, part of an unprecedented barrage of marriage equality lawsuits in states where voters have overwhelmingly opposed recognition of gay and lesbian couples. [ Read more → ]

Poll: Most Kentuckians still oppose same-sex marriage, yet gap narrows

Monday, February 10, 2014

LOUISVILLE, Ky -- Nearly a decade after 74 percent of Kentuckians voted for a constitutional amendment outlawing same-sex marriages and civil unions, a new poll finds than margin narrowing. [ Read more → ]