| 1102 |
The Council of London took measures to ensure that the public,
quite tolerant of homosexuality at the time, knew that it was sinful.
This marked a significant shift in church's previously indifferent
attitude towards homosexuality. |
| |
|
| 1327 |
King Edward II of England, a well known homosexual, is sodomized
to death with a red-hot poker. His lover's genitals are cut off before
he was beheaded. |
| |
|
| 1533 |
Buggery becomes a Capital Crime in England and Wales. |
| |
|
| 1710 |
An anonymous author warned that masturbation, or onanism as it
was then called, threatened men's moral and physical health. |
| |
|
| 1726 |
London's constables shut down about twenty Molly Houses in a
series of raids. These taverns were frequented by working class
sodomites. |
| |
|
| 1772 |
Captain Robert James is executed for sodomy, although the more
usual penalty at this time is the pillory. |
| |
|
| 1806 |
This year sees more executions for sodomy than for murder. |
| |
|
| 1828 |
Parliament updated its laws to make buggery easier to prove.
Previously, to secure a buggery conviction, they had to prove that both
anal penetration and ejaculation had taken place. The new 'Offenses
Against the Person Act' said that penetration was sufficient proof. |
| |
|
| 1836 |
This year sees the last known execution for homosexuality in
Britain. |
| |
|
| 1857 |
In the paper 'The Functions and Disorders of the Reproductive
Organs' the respected English physician, William Acton, described the
diagnosis and treatment of male sexual diseases. Acton warned that the
loss of semen is dangerous to health, whether from wet dreams,
masturbation, or spermatorrhea (an entirely imaginary disease in which
men lose their sperm involuntarily). |
| |
|
| 1861 |
England liberalises its laws and reduces the sentence for buggery
from death to imprisonment from 10 years to life. |
| |
|
| 1869 |
German writer Karl Maria Kertbeny coined the term "homosexual" as
part of a broader system for the classification of sexual types. The
term will cross the English Channel in a few years. |
| |
|
| 1885 |
Gross Indecency, defined as any sexual touching between men, is
made illegal for the first time in English history. |
| |
|
| 1886 |
The Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1885, which outlaws sexual
relations between men (but not women) is given Royal Assent by Queen
Victoria. |
| |
|
| 1891 |
The term "homosexual" is introduced into the English language by
J. A. Symonds in his book 'A Problem in Modern Ethics'. |
| |
|
| 1895 |
Oscar Wilde is convicted of Gross Indecency and is sentenced to
the maximum two years imprisonment with hard labour. |
| |
|
| 1901 |
Oscar Wilde dies in a Paris hotel with Alfred 'Bosie' Douglas by
his side. |
| |
|
| 1958 |
The Homosexual Law Reform Society is founded in the United
Kingdom. |
| |
|
| 1967 |
The Sexual Offences Act 1967 decriminalises male homosexual
behaviour in England and Wales, so long as only two men are involved,
both are aged 21 or older, neither is mentally retarded, neither is a
member of the armed forces or the merchant marine, and neither is a
resident of a jurisdiction where male homosexual behaviour is illegal
(e.g., Scotland or Northern Ireland). |
| |
|
| 1980 |
Homosexuality is finally decriminalised in Scotland. |
| |
|
| 1982 |
Homosexuality is finally decriminalised in Northern Ireland. |
| |
|
| 1984 |
Chris Smith becomes the first openly out gay member of
parliament. He declared : "My name is Chris Smith. I'm the Labour MP for
Islington South and Finsbury, and I'm gay." |
| |
|
| 1988 |
Section 28 passes into law in England and Wales; Scotland brings
in almost identical legislation under Clause 2A. Section 28 stated that
a local authority "shall not intentionally promote homosexuality or
publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality" or
"promote the teaching in any maintained school of the acceptability of
homosexuality as a pretended family relationship". |
| |
|
| 1990 |
OutRage! forms in UK |
| |
|
| 1992 |
The World Health Organization removes homosexuality from its
International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health
Problems |
| |
|
| 1994 |
The homosexual age of consent in the UK is lowered from 21 to 18. |
| |
|
| 1997 |
The UK extends immigration rights to same-sex couples akin to
marriage. |
| |
|
| 2000 |
Clause 2A is repealed in Scotland. The age of consent is
equalised to 16 in England, Scotland and Wales, and to 17 in Northern
Ireland. |
| |
|
| 2003 |
Section 28 is repealed in England and Wales. |
| |
|
| 2005 |
Civil Partnerships between same sex couples are introduced in the
UK. |
Tales
From A Stream