Fifty for 150: Court in 1996 shuts down anti-LGBTQ amendment that made Colorado ‘the hate state’

A voter-approved constitutional amendment that prohibited local governments in Colorado from banning discrimination based on sexual orientation prompted a national boycott and gave Colorado the infamous nickname “the hate state.” But on May 20, 1996, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Amendment 2 in the Romer v. Evans case, saying the law violated

By: Lindsey Toomer

Outlets: Colorado Newsline

Published: June 11, 2026

Words: 523

Last Updated: 1 month, 3 weeks ago

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A voter-approved constitutional amendment that prohibited local governments in Colorado from banning discrimination based on sexual orientation prompted a national boycott and gave Colorado the infamous nickname “the hate state.”

This story is part of Colorado at 150. Each Fifty for 150 story focuses on an event that helped define Colorado over 150 years of statehood. Newsline is publishing one Fifty for 150 story every weekday in reverse chronological order …

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