The Student Room Group

50 years since homosexuality was decriminalized

Today marks the 50 year that homosexuality was decriminalized and the Sexual Offences Act 1967 was created. Although it only only decriminalised homosexual acts in private between two men, both of whom had to have attained the age of 21, it was the first big step in the strides for equality.

You can watch a video of Peter Price explaining his experience being sent away for "gay cure".

Can you believe that homosexuality has only been legal for 50 years? What more can be done to encourage further strides to quality? Are you doing or have you done anything to celebrate pride this year?

:nyan:
(edited 6 years ago)

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Should never been a criminal offence, sad that there is still homophobia though, people need to be punished for himophobia more severly
Shocking that it's such a recent development, but still a fantastic step forward. We've come leaps and bounds since then, and I hope that trend continues.

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Reply 3
Thats just in the UK, you kiss someone of the same gender in Saudi Arabia and you lose your head. Literally. They still got decapitation. The west also has started making progress only recently. Some US states like Texas had homosexuality criminalized just 14 years ago until Lawrence v Texas
Reply 4
Original post by dot.cotton
50 years since the uk went completely down the pan.


looooool!!! ✌🏾👍🏾👌🏾
Original post by Dot.Cotton
50 years since the UK went completely down the pan.


Yes, I'm sure reduced persecution of gay people is what caused that, and not the many political and societal issues in the world.

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Original post by Dot.Cotton
50 years since the UK went completely down the pan.


Did you get rejected by a gay person...?
knew about this cos it was part of the course in A2 history
i do think it is kind of overestimated though tbh, ok yes it was an important piece of legislation and the right step just because the law changed doesn't necessarily mean that attitudes did. Again it's the question of was it the government or the public that pushed through this legislation. Additionally just because it was decriminalised didn't technically make it legal and same sex relations still had to be in 'private' which meant noone else in the same building, so a man couldn't have a relationship with another man in a block of flats for example
good that attitudes have come a long way though although people should never take that for granted as history shows that things can swing from liberal to regressive. Furthermore in many countries it is still illegal, hence why the pride theme this year is international love :nyan:
Reply 8
How did they catch people being gay because they do it on the street? How can they see if you are gay in your house?
Homophobia is still rampant, this site and even thread being perfect examples.

We need a zero tolerance approach to homophobia :moon:
It's so weird to think it's still such a recent development. It shouldn't take so long for these steps to be taken, like decriminalisation and the legalisation of same sex marriage. I'm glad attitudes are changing but there's a long way to go, especially in other parts of the world
Original post by &eco
How did they catch people being gay because they do it on the street? How can they see if you are gay in your house?


If you were suspected of it for whatever reason then people could report you
Reply 12
Original post by chelseadagg3r
If you were suspected of it for whatever reason then people could report you


Did they used to kill them?
Tbh, 1967 is not that outrageous compared to other parts of the world where you would still get the death penalty for being gay!!
Homophobia still remains a problem though, even in the West.
Reply 14
Something to be proud of, although i bet it makes all the muslims triggered and bitter :biggrin:
We still have a long way to go, especially outside of the west. But, in the end, love wins!!
Original post by &eco
Did they used to kill them?


Not directly, but there were suicides from the 'gay cure treatments' and many were chemically castrated, sometimes offered as an alternative to prison - a notable example of this being Alan Turing
Reply 17
It's a milestone for the LGBT community (or whatever the term was 50 years ago), and I strongly support that.
I suppose the only reason it was illegal, was due to a lack of understanding, and because it undermined the "traditional family values".
Original post by Loopy91
Tbh, 1967 is not that outrageous compared to other parts of the world where you would still get the death penalty for being gay!!
Homophobia still remains a problem though, even in the West.


Plus, 50 years ago is bloody ages for most people on here XD

I'm not sure what more the law can do that would have anywhere near the impact, the rest is up to society and time. I guess it could prohibit forms asking people to disclose their sexuality (although they tend to ask for gender, ethnicity and marital status) so that any rejection due to those would be after the face to face meeting which is easier to keep track of.
Original post by ThomH97
Plus, 50 years ago is bloody ages for most people on here XD

I'm not sure what more the law can do that would have anywhere near the impact, the rest is up to society and time. I guess it could prohibit forms asking people to disclose their sexuality (although they tend to ask for gender, ethnicity and marital status) so that any rejection due to those would be after the face to face meeting which is easier to keep track of.


They ask these questions for statistical purposes, and employers don't have that data until they hire I think.

It would look good for a company to have lots of LGBT, non white, disabled (insert some other minority) people because it would make them look progressive.

Attitudes will change with time, especially around the world too.

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