Georgia (U.S. state)

	Georgia
	;
	Flag of Georgia
	Admittance Order: 4th
	Admitted to US: Januarry 2nd, 1788 (237 years ago)
	Governor: Brian Kemp (R)
	Lt. Governor: Burt Jones]] (R)
	Senators: Jon Ossoff (D) ; Raphael Warnock (D)
	Representatives: 9 Republicans; 5 Democrats
	Official State website
	Capital: Atlanta
	Largest city: Atlanta
	Resource Guide: RL-GA

	This article contains information that may change due to political elections and evolving sexual norms. {This article last updated:05/08/2025)

Georgia is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee and North Carolina; to the northeast by South Carolina; to the southeast by the Atlantic Ocean; to the south by Florida; and to the west by Alabama. Georgia is the 24th-largest state in area and 8th most populous of the 50 United States. Its 2020 population was 10,711,908, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Atlanta, a global city, is both the state's capital and its largest city. The Atlanta metropolitan area, with a population of more than 6 million people in 2020, is the 9th most populous metropolitan area in the United States and contains about 57% of Georgia's entire population.

Founded in 1732 as the Province of Georgia and first settled in 1733, Georgia became a British royal colony in 1752. It was the last and southernmost of the original Thirteen Colonies to be established. Named after King George II of Great Britain, the Georgia Colony covered the area from South Carolina south to Spanish Florida and west to French Louisiana at the Mississippi River. On January 2, 1788, Georgia became the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution. From 1802 to 1804, western Georgia was split to form the Mississippi Territory, which later was admitted as the U.S. states of Alabama and Mississippi. Georgia declared its secession from the Union on January 19, 1861, and was one of the original seven Confederate States. Following the Civil War, it was the last state to be restored to the Union, on July 15, 1870. In the post-Reconstruction era of the late 19th century, Georgia's economy was transformed as a group of prominent politicians, businessmen, and journalists, led by Henry W. Grady, espoused the "New South" philosophy of sectional reconciliation, industrialization, and white supremacy. During the mid-20th century, several Georgians, most notably Martin Luther King Jr., were prominent leaders during the civil rights movement. Atlanta was selected as host of the 1996 Summer Olympics, which marked the 100th anniversary of the modern Olympic Games. Since 1945, Georgia has seen substantial population and economic growth as part of the broader Sun Belt phenomenon. From 2007 to 2008, 14 of Georgia's counties ranked among the nation's 100 fastest-growing.

A diversity of landscapes, flora, and fauna defines Georgia. The state's northernmost regions include the Blue Ridge Mountains, part of the larger Appalachian Mountain system. The Piedmont plateau extends from the foothills of the Blue Ridge south to the Fall Line, an escarpment to the Coastal Plain defining the state's southern region. Georgia's highest point is Brasstown Bald at 4,784 feet (1,458 m) above sea level; the lowest is the Atlantic Ocean. With the exception of some high-altitude areas in the Blue Ridge, the entirety of the state has a humid subtropical climate. Georgia is the largest in land area of the states entirely east of the Mississippi River.

Entymology

Georgia was named after King George II of Great Britain

Sexual Orientation

Georgia's LGBTQ+ landscape is characterized by a vibrant and growing community, particularly in urban areas like Atlanta, juxtaposed with a challenging legal and political environment.

LGBTQ+ Demographics in Georgia

Population Share: Approximately 5.1% of Georgia's population identifies as LGBTQ+, equating to around 500,000 individuals.
Same-Sex Households: As of 2022, Georgia had over 38,600 same-sex couple households, a significant increase from more than 18,100 in 2008.
Urban Concentration: Atlanta hosts one of the most prominent LGBTQ+ communities in the Southeastern United States, featuring numerous advocacy organizations, cultural events, and social venues.

Public Attitudes Toward LGBTQ+ Rights

Anti-Discrimination Laws: A 2015 survey indicated that approximately 66% of Georgia residents favored laws protecting LGBTQ+ individuals from discrimination in jobs, public accommodations, and housing.
Same-Sex Marriage: Despite the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide, Georgia's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, approved by voters in 2004, remains on the books and could be reinstated if the Supreme Court ever overturns the Obergefell decision.

Legal and Political Landscape

Georgia's legal framework presents several challenges for the LGBTQ+ community:
Lack of Statewide Protections: Georgia does not have comprehensive statewide laws prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in employment, housing, or public accommodations.
Restrictions on Transgender Rights: Senate Bill 140, signed into law in 2023, prohibits gender-affirming surgical procedures and hormone replacement therapy for minors experiencing gender dysphoria.
Educational Content: Recent legislation has aimed to limit discussions of LGBTQ+ topics in schools. For instance, a federal lawsuit has been filed against Cobb County School District for banning LGBTQ+ books, arguing that such censorship harms teachers and gender-nonconforming students.
Adoption and Marriage Recognition: Georgia law prohibits adoption by same-sex couples and does not recognize same-sex marriages performed abroad.

Community Responses and Initiatives

Despite legal challenges, Georgia's LGBTQ+ community remains active and resilient:

Advocacy Organizations: Groups such as Georgia Equality and the ACLU of Georgia work to promote LGBTQ+ rights through legal action, public education, and policy advocacy.
Cultural Events: Atlanta Pride (October 11-12, 2025), one of the largest Pride festivals in the Southeast, celebrates LGBTQ+ culture and raises awareness about ongoing issues facing the community.
Local Protections: Some municipalities, including Atlanta, have enacted local ordinances that provide protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

In summary, while Georgia's LGBTQ+ community is substantial and active, it faces a complex environment where public support for LGBTQ+ rights coexists with a lack of comprehensive legal protections and recent legislative actions that restrict LGBTQ+ rights.

History of the Georgia Flag

The Georgia State Flag features three alternating red and white horizontal stripes of equal width (red, white, red). A dark blue canton in the top hoist-side corner contains the Georgia State Coat of arms in gold, which is encircled by thirteen white five-point stars. Beneath the coat of arms in gold capitalized text reads, "In God We Trust." The thirteen stars signify Georgia and the other 12 original states forming the 13 colonies.

The Coat of Arms is comprised of an arch with three columns. The arch bears the word, "Constitution" and signifies the states constitution, while the columns represent each of the three branches of the state's government (legislative, executive, and judicial). On each column, the words of the state motto are emblazoned (wisdom, justice, and moderation). A Revolutionary was soldier is positioned between the second and third column, paying homage to the states' military history. The current flag of Georgia is very similar to the First Confederate Flag (Stars and Bars), except the flag features 13 stars instead of 7 and the Georgia State Seal in the center of the ring of stars. In contrast, there was no seal on the First Confederate Flag. The current design of the George State Flag was adopted by the Georgia General Assembly on May 8th, 2003.

From 1956 until 2001, the Georgia State Flag featured the Georgia State Seal on the left third of the flag upon a blue background. The right two-thirds of the flag was comprised of the Confederate flag. This flag was designed in the 1950s against the backdrop of the civil rights movement and the associated racist backlash in the United States at that time. The Supreme Court Decision of Brown vs. Board of Education was issued on May 17, 1954, which determined that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. In Georgia, there was a strong sentiment in favor of preserving segregation, and an array of laws were passed to prevent the implementation of the Supreme Court decision, including rules aimed at segregation in public places such as parks and swimming pools. It was in this environment that John Sammons Bell, chairman of the State Democratic Party and a well-known outspoken supporter of segregation, designed the 1956 state flag. The Georgia state legislators who supported segregation also supported changing the state's flag to include the Confederate Battle Flag. Public pressure mounted in 1992 and Governor Zell Miller submitted a proposal to change the flag, however, the Georgia Legislature denied the legislation. In 2001, the next Governor, Roy Barnes, tried again to replace the flag. Barnes successfully implemented a new flag, which was a compromise, featuring a blue background with the state seal and miniature versions of all of the previous Georgia Flags in a banner with the words, "Georgia's History." The new flag was widely panned as unattractive and poorly designed.

In 2002, the next Governor of Georgia, Sonny Perdue, was elected on a platform that the voters in Georgia would elect a new flag based upon a vote. Perdue followed his campaign promise and requested the State Legislature design a new flag. This design was put up to a vote by the people of Georgia, who were asked to choose between the current (2001) flag and the new (2003) flag. The latest (2003) design won overwhelmingly and has been Georgia's official state flag since 2003.

Georgia is a Southeastern State in the United States of America that shares borders with Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, and the Atlantic Ocean. Georgia is home to 500 cities. Its capital city and most populous city is Atlanta. Before Atlanta became the state's capital, four other cities were the state capital (Savannah, Augusta, Louisville, and Milledgeville). Georgia is referred to as "The Peach State" because of its reputation for producing high-quality peaches.

The first inhabitants of Georgia were "Mound Builders" who were named for the earth mounds they built for religious reasons or burial grounds over a 5,000-year period. The area became a British Colony on February 12th, 1733, after James Oglethorpe (British member of parliament) discovered the area in 1732. The name, Georgia, was chosen after Britain's King George II. In 1742, the colony was invaded by the Spanish. However, control of the territory was returned to the British in 1752 after the Spanish failed to support the colony. Georgia was one of the thirteen original colonies that took part in the Revolutionary War. Georgia became an official state of the United States of America on January 2nd, 1788.