Same-sex marriage has been legal since October 8, 2014, due to the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in Sevcik v. Sandoval.

The Northern Paiute people, for instance, recognize individuals assigned male at birth but who act, behave and live as women, known as tüdayapi.

Furthermore, under a 1961 sex offender registration law, those convicted of sodomy had to register with the local sheriff or chief of police and report any change in address.

In 1973, 1976 and 1978, the Nevada Supreme Court ruled that cunnilingus, masturbation in front of a witness and licking a penis were violations of the sodomy statute.

[4] Nevada decriminalized sodomy in 1993, ten years before the U.S. Supreme Court in Lawrence v. Texas struck down laws that criminalized private consensual sexual activity.

At hearings, two doctors linked repealing the sodomy laws with a public health measure to combat the stigma and spread of HIV.

Other supporters included Reno Rabbi Myra Soifer, former senators Helen Foley and Jean Ford, gay rights advocate Lee Plotkin, and progressive activist Bob Fulkerson.

Opponents included Janine Hansen of the Nevada Eagle Forum and Independent American Party of Nevada and Lynn Chapman who said that repealing the sodomy laws would increase the spread of HIV/AIDS and would "open the floodgate ... in legalizing, condoning and recognizing homosexuality to be on an equal footing with heterosexuality" and lead to "such things as homosexual marriage and adoption of children.

"[5] In the course of the legislative process, the words "infamous crime against nature" were replaced by "anal intercourse, cunnilingus or fellatio in public".

[6] Other amendments, including one to require sex education in schools to provide "factual information regarding the dangers of such activities" of "a homosexual lifestyle or the infamous crime against nature" were defeated.

Governor Jim Gibbons vetoed the legislation, saying he did not personally oppose rights for domestic partners but felt he needed to respect the voters' wishes on the question.

[16][17] Chief Judge Robert Jones ruled on November 29 that Nevada's denial of marriage rights to same-sex couples does not violate the Equal Protection Clause.

[21][22][23][24][25] In December 2020, the Nevada Supreme Court concluded that the state must retroactively recognize same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions before the Sevcik decision in 2014.

[29][30] In January 2014, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that it is illegal to discriminate against LGBTQ people in jury selections, holding that such dismissals "deprive individuals of the opportunity to participate in perfecting democracy and guarding our ideals of justice on account of a characteristic that has nothing to do with their fitness to serve".

In 2001, Nevada amended its hate crime law to include sexual orientation, without addressing gender identity or expression.

139, which would add "gender identity or expression" to Nevada's hate crime law, was introduced by a bipartisan group and passed the Senate on a vote of 20–1.

[46] In May 2023, Governor Joe Lombardo vetoed a bill (SB171) that passed the Nevada Legislature - to explicitly ban individuals with criminal records “convicted of hate crimes, intimidation, harassment and/or similar acts” from purchasing and possessing firearms, explosives, weapons and/or guns.

[51] In June 2021, a bill (AB115) passed the Nevada Legislature and the Governor of Nevada signed it into law effective immediately - to legally recognise more than two parents on birth certificates by a court order, allowing for example a surrogate and both intended parents to be listed or a couple and an ex-partner (regardless of marital status).

In May 2017, legislation unanimously passed the Nevada Legislature to abolish the 1988 requirement for transgender people to publish their names in newspapers before they can undergo legal changes of sex on government documents.

[65] On June 22, 2017, Governor Brian Sandoval vetoed a bill that would have required insurance companies in Nevada to cover all sex reassignment surgery costs, among other things.

[66][67] In March 2018, the state's Medicaid agency announced it would cover costs related to sex reassignment surgeries for transgender individuals.

[68] The Department of Motor Vehicles and the Office of Vital Records provide a "third gender" designation (known as "X") on driver's licenses, birth certificates and state ID cards.

[77][78][79] In August 2020, Nevada became the fourth jurisdiction in the US (after California, New York and Pennsylvania) to include sexual orientation and gender identity in its COVID-19 investigation module.

Data collection will allow health officials to cross-reference different indicators to identify what groups are most at-risk of contracting the virus.

Julia Peek, a deputy administrator at the State Public Health Department, said, "If I wanted to know how many people reported they were homeless, and also reported that they were transgender, you could make those two variables match", adding that the data will help officials make more informed decisions concerning direct resources and locate testing sites.

[77] A July 2011 Public Policy Polling survey found that a plurality of voters in the state supported same-sex marriage.

[82] An August 2012 Public Policy Polling survey found that a plurality of voters in the state supported same-sex marriage.

[85] A 2017 Public Religion Research Institute poll found that 70% of Nevada residents supported same-sex marriage, while 23% were opposed and 7% were unsure.