Washington Among States Offering the Most Rights to Gays

In the wake of North Carolina's decision to amend its Constitution to ban same sex unions, The Guardian has created a model looking at gay rights in each state.

According to the graphic, Washington, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont and Iowa, and the District of Columbia, have the most rights afforded to gays.

Washington allows:

• same sex marriage
• hospital visitation by same sex partners or spouses
• gays to adopt, either singly or as a couple
• The City of Shoreline and Shoreline School District extend benefits to domestic partners, including those of the same-sex. 

Washington prohibits:

• employment discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation
• housing discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation
• harassment in schools based on gender identity or sexual orientation

Also, Washington 's hate crime laws include crimes committed based on gender identity or sexual orientation.

The issue of same-sex marriage in Washington is up in the air, however, because opponents have until June 6 to get enough signatures to put Referendum 74, which would affirm the recently passed law, on the November ballot.