This information design explores the landscape of LGBTQ+ marriage and family life across the United States, combining demographic data, public opinion, and legal context to show how uneven access and security remain. The maps illustrate where same-sex marriages are most prevalent, how state policies around adoption and foster care shape family-building opportunities, and which states would ban marriage equality if federal protections were overturned. Supporting charts highlight key disparities between LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ parents, shifting public attitudes toward marriage and parenthood, and the state-by-state adoption of marriage equality leading up to Obergefell v. Hodges. Together, these visuals reveal a clear tension between growing social support for LGBTQ+ families and the persistent legal vulnerabilities that continue to shape where and how these families can safely form and thrive.

Data sources:
Human Rights Campaign - State Equality Index 2024
The Movement Advancement Project - MARRIAGE & RELATIONSHIP RECOGNITION LAWS
Pew Research - "Rising Number of U.S. Households Are Headed by Married Same-Sex Couples"
Gallup - "Same-Sex Relations, Marriage Still Supported by Most in U.S."