Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Flag of Oklahoma

Admittance Order: 46th

Admitted to US: November 11th, 1907 (118 years ago)

Governor: Kevin Stitt (R)

Lt. Governor: Matt Pinnell (R)

Senators: James Lankford (R) Markwayne Mullin (R)

Representatives: 5 Republicans

Official State website

Capital: Oklahoma City

Largest city: Oklahoma City

Resource Guide: RL-OK

This article contains information that may change due to political elections and evolving sexual norms. {This article last updated:05/14/2025)

Oklahoma is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New Mexico on the west, and Colorado on the northwest. Partially in the western extreme of the Upland South, it is the 20th-most extensive and the 28th-most populous of the 50 United States. Its residents are known as Oklahomans (or colloquially "Okies"), and its capital and largest city is Oklahoma City.

The state's name is derived from the Choctaw words okla, 'people' and humma, which translates as 'red'. Oklahoma is also known informally by its nickname, "The Sooner State", in reference to the settlers who staked their claims on land before the official opening date of lands in the western Oklahoma Territory or before the Indian Appropriations Act of 1889, which increased European-American settlement in the eastern Indian Territory. Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory were merged into the State of Oklahoma when it became the 46th state to enter the union on November 16, 1907.

With ancient mountain ranges, prairie, mesas, and eastern forests, most of Oklahoma lies in the Great Plains, Cross Timbers, and the U.S. Interior Highlands, all regions prone to severe weather. Oklahoma is at a confluence of three major American cultural regions. Historically it served as a government-sanctioned territory for Native Americans removed from east of the Mississippi River, a route for cattle drives from Texas and related regions, and a destination for Southern migrant settlers. There are currently twenty-five Native American languages still spoken in Oklahoma.

A major producer of natural gas, oil, and agricultural products, Oklahoma relies on an economic base of aviation, energy, telecommunications, and biotechnology. Oklahoma City and Tulsa serve as Oklahoma's primary economic anchors, with nearly two-thirds of Oklahomans living within their metropolitan statistical areas.

Etymology

The name Oklahoma comes from the Choctaw language phrase okla, 'people', and humma, translated as 'red'. Choctaw Nation Chief Allen Wright suggested the name in 1866 during treaty negotiations with the federal government on the use of Indian Territory. He envisioned an all–American Indian state controlled by the United States Superintendent of Indian Affairs. Oklahoma later became the de facto name for Oklahoma Territory, and it was officially approved in 1890, two years after that area was opened to white settlers.

In the Chickasaw language, the state is known as Oklahomma', in Arapaho as bo'oobe' (literally meaning 'red earth'), Pawnee: Uukuhuúwa, and Cayuga: Gahnawiyoˀgeh.

Attitudes toward the LGBTQ+ community in Oklahoma

Attitudes toward the LGBTQ+ community in Oklahoma are shaped by a complex interplay of evolving public opinion, limited legal protections, and recent legislative actions.

Public Opinion

Support for LGBTQ+ rights in Oklahoma has been gradually increasing. A 2022 Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) survey found that 54% of Oklahomans favored same-sex marriage, while 44% opposed it . This marks a notable shift from earlier years, indicating a trend toward greater acceptance.

Additionally, a 2018 poll revealed that 55% of Oklahomans supported laws protecting LGBTQ+ individuals from discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations.

Legal Protections and Policies

Despite growing public support, Oklahoma lacks comprehensive statewide protections for LGBTQ+ individuals.

• Nondiscrimination Protections: Only 3% of the state's population is covered by local ordinances that fully protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, and public accommodations. An additional 27% have partial protections.
• Legislative Actions: In recent years, Oklahoma has introduced numerous bills perceived as targeting LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly transgender youth. For instance, laws have been enacted restricting transgender students' access to bathrooms that align with their gender identity and banning gender-affirming medical care for minors.

Community and Advocacy

Despite legal challenges, advocacy groups continue to support the LGBTQ+ community in Oklahoma:

• Human Rights Campaign (HRC): Actively works to protect and advance LGBTQ+ rights through legal challenges and public education.
• Rainbow Youth Project: Provides resources and support for LGBTQ+ youth, especially in the wake of incidents highlighting the vulnerabilities faced by this community.
• These organizations offer resources, support, and advocacy to counteract the negative impacts of recent legislation and to promote a more inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ individuals in Oklahoma.

Ongoing Challenges

The LGBTQ+ community in Oklahoma faces several ongoing challenges:

• Legal Restrictions: Recent laws have curtailed rights related to healthcare, education, and public accommodations for LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly affecting transgender youth.
• Social Climate: The combination of limited legal protections and recent legislative actions contributes to a social environment that can be unwelcoming or even hostile to LGBTQ+ individuals.

Access to Services: Restrictions on gender-affirming care and the absence of comprehensive nondiscrimination laws may limit access to necessary and affirming services for LGBTQ+ youth.

History of the Oklahoma Flag

The Oklahoma State Flag features a sky-blue background with a central pictorial emblem. The central emblem consists of a brown circle, representing an Osage Nation buffalo-skin shield, with seven eagle feathers hanging from the bottom. Inside the shield is a Native American Peace Pipe and an olive branch, a European symbol of peace. The two symbols are arranged to form a diagonal cross, symbolizing peace across cultures. Six golden-brown crosses are placed on the shield. The crosses represent stars in Native American cultures, which symbolize high hopes. The blue background mirrors the color used in the Choctaw Nation flag that was flown by Native American soldiers during the Civil War. Beneath the emblem is the word OKLAHOMA in bold white text. The flag was designed by Louise Fluke, who won a competition organized by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) to redesign the flag in 1924. Louise studied Oklahoma's history and created a design firmly rooted in Native American culture. This design was adopted by the Oklahoma state legislature on March 25th, 1926.

Oklahoma is the 20th largest state in the United States of America. It is situated in the south-central part of the country and is bordered by the Red River to the south. The name Oklahoma is a composite of the Choctaw words "okla" and "humma," which translates to Red People. Oklahoma is a landlocked state bordered by Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, and New Mexico. Its capital and largest city is Oklahoma City, located almost directly in the center of the state. Its other major city is Tulsa, in the northeastern part of the state. The state straddles the Cross Timbers, Great Plains, and US Interior Highland regions and is very vulnerable to extreme weather conditions.

In 1803, what is now Oklahoma was part of the Louisiana Purchase, in which the USA acquired all French territories west of the Mississippi River. It was subsequently included in what the USA referred to as the Arkansas Territory. As its state flag suggests, Oklahoma was home to many Native American tribes. One of the most significant was the Choctaw Nation, who were forced off much of their ancestral lands due to the expansion of the United States. Oklahoma became the 46th state of the United States on November 16th, 1907. The state attracts tourists for its western mountain ranges, central mesas, and eastern forests. Oklahoma is a historic and diverse state, both culturally and geographically.

External links

Wikipedia article: state name

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