Mississippi may be the perfect home for you despite what stereotypes may say. The state is in the south, but that doesn’t mean all of Mississippi or its citizens oppose LGBT rights. In fact, there are several cities that have created their own non-discrimination resolutions, and the views of residents regarding LGBT rights have changed over the years.
Low Cost of Living
One of the reasons Mississippi is so attractive to people looking to relocate to the south is its low cost of living. Many areas of the state, including its capital, Jackson, are very affordable and have been ranked as some of the best locations to stretch every dollar you have. If you’re in the manufacturing, food, or electrical industries, you may find it especially easy to get a good job in the state.
A History of Discrimination
Unfortunately, Mississippi does have a long history of discriminating against LGBT people. It took the Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas to remove all of the state’s sodomy laws, and it wasn’t until Obergefell v. Hodges that same-sex marriage became legal. Prior to that, a 1996 executive order by the governor prevented same-sex marriage, and a constitutional amendment passed in 2004 further restricted marriage to one man and one woman. In 2014, that amendment was declared unconstitutional, but the ruling and the subsequent ruling by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals were stayed until the Supreme Court could hear the case.
The state also once had laws in place that prevented same-sex couples from applying jointly to adopt children. In fact, by 2015, it was the only state in the country that still banned same-sex couples from adopting and fostering. However, former Governor Ronnie Musgrove is a good example of how many people of the state have come to accept LGBT citizens. He signed the law banning same-sex joint adoptions, but he later stated that he finds the ban hurts children and leaves many without a happy home, something he regrets.
In May of 2016, the ban was officially removed following a March ruling that it was unconstitutional. There were no challenges to the ruling, making Mississippi the final state to allow full adoption rights to same-sex couples.
While there are no sexual orientation or gender identity protections state-wise, there are several cities that have passed some type of non-discrimination resolution. These include Bay St. Louis, Jackson, Magnolia, Hattiesburg, Oxford, Greenville, Waveland, and Starkville.