The rights of LGBTQ+ people in the world have come a long way in the last hundred years, but they didn’t come easy. It took the sacrifices of so many people who stood up for theirs and others’ freedom to simply be who they are.
We’ve gone from homosexuality being punishable by imprisonment or death, banned from being taught in schools, and diagnosed as a mental illness, to being celebrated in Pride parades and given equal marriage and adoption rights. Meanwhile, trans people finally have the right to legally change their identity and have started to be celebrated in their own dedicated Pride events.
Whether you’re a friend, relative, colleague, or someone who works directly with LGBTQ+ people , it’s important to recognize how hard LGBTQ+ people and their Allies have fought to get where they are today, as well as how hard they continuously work. Despite great strides forward in equality, LGBT oppression is still widespread.
Knowing about LGBT history will give you a better awareness of why LGBTQ+ people need their voices heard and the support of everyone around them. It’ll help us understand why and how we should all help to make the world a more inclusive, accepting place. We can also find out how equality and diversity can benefit our workplace.
People who identify as LGBTQ+ have struggled with oppression for centuries. In fact, one infamous anti-homosexuality law was created during the reign of Henry VIII in the 1500s, known as the ‘Buggery Act’.
The Act outlawed homosexuality making it punishable by death. Fortunately, the last legal executions were in 1835, but homosexuality wasn’t decriminalised until as recently as 1967 – and this was only partially.It’s been an uphill battle for LGBTQ+ rights over the last century. However, despite extreme oppression and discrimination, hundreds of thousands of LGBT historical figures have pushed hard for their and others’ freedom. Several important events in LGBT history have made slow but sure progress towards a better future.
Have a look at the following LGBTQ+ history facts and timeline:
1951: The first known case of sex reassignment surgery. Roberta Cowell, a trans woman, underwent reassignment surgery. She was assigned male at birth, but later had her sex legally changed to female and underwent vaginoplasty surgery.
1964: The formation of the North Western Homosexual Law Reform Committee This group worked to promote legal and social equality .
1966: The formation of the Beaumont Society. This trans-support group aimed to provide better information and awareness about transgender people and act as a self-help and social organisation for them.
1967: The Sexual Offenses Act decriminalizes sex between two men over 21 ‘in private’. However, homosexuality was still widely discriminated and the Act still lead to arrests at that time.
1969: The Stonewall riots occurred. This was one of the most significant events in LGBT history. Riots by LGBTQ+ people were sparked after police raided the Stonewall now a National Historic Landmark, a famous gay bar in New York City. Activists groups, including the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) formed as a result and the Stonewall riots are now remembered as one of the most important catalysts for modern LGBT movements worldwide.
1970: The establishment of the London Gay Liberation Front. This freedom movement was formed after seeing the effects of GLF in the US. They sought to take their own actions for LGBTQ+ rights.
1972: The GLF host the first London Pride event on the anniversary of the Stonewall riots. Around 2000 people attended. Pride events now see millions of attendees marching to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community around the world.
1978: Gilbert Baker artist and gay rights activist, designs the Pride flag. It originally had eight colours, but two were dropped to make mass-production easier. It is now a widely-recognised symbol of LGBTQ+.
1979: The Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association is founded. The group’s aim was effective understanding and treatment of gender dysphoria.
1985: Men who have sex with men (MSM) banned from donating blood. A lifetime ban was enacted due to fears amid the HIV/AIDS crisis of the ‘80s. The ban was not lifted until 2011.
1988: The introduction of Section 28 of the Local Government Act. This was a major step backwards for the promotion of LGBTQ+ rights and awareness, triggering a huge uproar and renewed momentum in LGBTQ+ activism.
1988: The formation of Stonewall UK which is now the largest LGBT organisation in Europe. It was founded by Sir Ian McKellen, Lisa Power MBE, and Lord Cashman CBE in response to Section 28 and to campaign for LGBT rights.
1990: LGBT rights group Outrage formed. In response to the murder of five gay men, a candlelit vigil was held in London and the group OutRage was created as a result. They campaigned against police mistreatment of LGBT people, as well as for other political actions.
1992: The World Health Organisation declassifies homosexuality as a mental illness. This was a huge step forward, as LGBTQ+ people had previously received controversial and often detrimental treatments to try and ‘cure’ their sexuality.
1994: The age of consent for same-sex relations between men is lowered to 18. It wasn’t until 2001 that it was lowered to 16 to be equal to the heterosexual age of consent.
1995: The formation of the trans children support group Mermaids . Their aim was and still is to offer support and guidance to trans and gender-diverse children, young people, and their families. They also work to educate and spread awareness in society.
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