Summary Table
| Right | Yes/No | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Same-sex sexual activity | ||
| Same-sex sexual acts legal | Since 1967 in England & Wales Since 1981 in Scotland Since 1982 in Northern Ireland |
|
| Equal age of consent | Since 2001 | |
| Same-sex relationships | ||
| Recognition of civil partnerships with all the legal consequences of marriage | Since 2005 | |
| Civil partnerships in places of worship | Since 2011 in England & Wales | |
| Civil marriage for same-sex couples | Legislation to be voted on in 2013 (England & Wales, and Scotland) | |
| Religious marriage for same-sex couples | Legislation to be voted on in 2013 (England & Wales, and Scotland) | |
| Adoption and family planning | ||
| Foster caring by same-sex couples | Since before 1998 | |
| Equal access to IVF for all couples and individuals | Since 1999 | |
| Same-sex couples as both parents on a birth certificate | Since 2009 | |
| Equal access to surrogate pregnancy for all couples and individuals | Since 2010 | |
| Commercial surrogacy for gay male couples | Illegal for heterosexual couples also | |
| Military service | ||
| LGBT people allowed to serve openly in military | Since 2000 | |
| Transgender rights | ||
| Right to change legal gender | Since 2005 | |
| Discrimination protections | ||
| Homosexuality declassified as an illness | Since 1968 | |
| Transsexualism declassified as an illness | Since 2002 | |
| Laws against hate speech based on sexual orientation or gender identity | Partial | Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 amended Part 3A of the Public Order Act 1986 to add for England and Wales, the offence of inciting hatred on the ground of sexual orientation See hate speech laws in the United Kingdom |
| Hate crimes based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity considered an aggravating circumstance | Since 27 October 2004 in Northern Ireland (Criminal Justice No. 2 (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 amendment to the Public Order (Northern Ireland) Order 1987 Part III) Since April 2005 in England and Wales (Criminal Justice Act 2003 Section 146) Since 24 March 2010 (Offences (Aggravation by Prejudice) (Scotland) Act 2009) See hate crime law in the United Kingdom |
|
| Recognition of sexual orientation and gender identity for asylum requests | Unclear | Guidelines not applied consistently Recognised in some cases since 1999, people deported to unsafe countries for appeal in other; the ruling in HJ and HT v Home Secretary means that this should not happen in the future The Government has said that it is developing a new training programme and new guidance on LGB asylum claims brought on the grounds of sexual orientation |
| Immigration equality/rights for LGBT individuals and same-sex couples | Since 2006 (The Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006) | |
| Anti-discrimination law on gender identity/expression | ||
| Anti-discrimination employment law based on sexual orientation | Since 1 December 2003 (Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003) Superseded in 1 October 2010 (Equality Act 2010) |
|
| Anti-discrimination employment law based on gender identity | Since 1 May 1999 (Sex Discrimination (Gender Reassignment) Regulations 1999 amendment to the Sex Discrimination Act 1975) Superseded in 1 October 2010 (Equality Act 2010) |
|
| Anti-discrimination law in provision of goods and services | Since 30 April 2007 (Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007) Superseded in 1 October 2010 (Equality Act 2010) |
|
| Anti-discrimination law in all other areas | Since 1 October 2010 (Equality Act 2010) | |
| LGBT pride parades/rights marches allowed | First gay marches in London in November 1970 First official UK Gay Pride Rally in London on 1 July 1972 See Pride London |
|
| LGBT groups allowed | Homosexual Law Reform Society founded on 12 May 1958 in response to the findings of the Wolfenden Report | |
| LGBT people allowed to serve openly in politics | First openly lesbian MP: Maureen Colquhoun (Labour Party, MP 1974-79) was outed in 1976 First MP to come out in office: Chris Smith (Labour, MP 1983-2005) came out in 1984 First MP to be out before office: Stephen Twigg (Labour, MP 1997-2005, 2010–present) came out in May 1997 First female MP to come out in office: Angela Eagle (Labour, MP 1992–present) came out in September 1997 See List of the first LGBT holders of political offices for more |
|
| LGBT people allowed to serve openly in police | Lesbian and Gay Police Association (LAGPA), now the Gay Police Association (GPA), was founded in 1990 | |
| LGBT sex education & relationships taught in schools | Required by the Public Sector Equality Duty (part of the Equality Act 2010), and Ofsted | |
| Blood donation | ||
| MSMs allowed to donate blood | Conditional | Since 7 November 2011 (subject to 1 year deferral from sexual activities) in England, Scotland and Wales only, not in Northern Ireland. |
Read more about this topic: LGBT Rights In The United Kingdom
Famous quotes containing the words summary and/or table:
“I have simplified my politics into an utter detestation of all existing governments; and, as it is the shortest and most agreeable and summary feeling imaginable, the first moment of an universal republic would convert me into an advocate for single and uncontradicted despotism. The fact is, riches are power, and poverty is slavery all over the earth, and one sort of establishment is no better, nor worse, for a people than another.”
—George Gordon Noel Byron (1788–1824)
“The newspaper is a Bible which we read every morning and every afternoon, standing and sitting, riding and walking. It is a Bible which every man carries in his pocket, which lies on every table and counter, and which the mail, and thousands of missionaries, are continually dispersing. It is, in short, the only book which America has printed, and which America reads. So wide is its influence.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)