England Allows Adult Homosexual Activity (Press, 15 March 1985)

On 15 March 1985, a New Zealand Press Association correspondent reported on the legal status of homosexuality in England and Wales, highlighting the contrast with New Zealand's ongoing discussions about legalising homosexual activity. The legalisation in England and Wales occurred 18 years earlier, in 1967, when the Sexual Offences Act was enacted. This legislation permitted homosexual acts between consenting adult males over the age of 21, although it was restricted to private settings. Public acts and interactions involving more than two individuals remained illegal. Consequently, significant limitations persisted, most notably in the Armed Forces and the Merchant Navy, where homosexual activity continued to face prohibition. Before the 1967 reform, homosexual acts were criminalised, with severe penalties, including life imprisonment for some offences. Over the years, Scotland and Northern Ireland gradually followed suit with their reform efforts. By 1971, Scottish authorities adopted a non-prosecution policy for consenting adult homosexual activity, which was eventually formalised in 1980 when Scottish law was aligned with the changes seen in England and Wales. Conversely, challenges in Northern Ireland proved more profound, where significant opposition from both Protestant and Catholic communities thwarted reform efforts for many years. A 1977 commission's recommendations for liberalisation met with fierce backlash, notably from Rev. Ian Paisley, who spearheaded a "Save Ulster from Sodomy campaign." The path to change in Northern Ireland was notably influenced by police actions against gay rights activists in 1976. Following these events, one detained activist appealed to the European Court of Human Rights, which ruled in 1981 that the police infringement violated the individual's privacy rights. This landmark decision catalysed the amendment of Northern Ireland's laws, granting homosexuals similar rights as their counterparts in the rest of the UK. Despite these advancements, activists, coordinated largely by the Campaign for Homosexuality, continued to advocate for further equality. Their demands included lowering the age of consent to 16, lifting the military ban on homosexuals, and abolishing the restrictions on the number of individuals engaging in homosexual activities simultaneously. The ongoing struggle for equal rights for homosexuals underscored the broader societal debates surrounding homosexuality in both the UK and New Zealand during this era.

The text on this page is created, in the most part, using Generative AI and so may contain errors or omissions. It is supplied to you without guarantee or warranty of correctness. If you find an error or would like to make a content suggestion please get in contact

The text on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand