THE SEXUAL OFFENCES ACT
The Sexual Offences act enabled two 21+ consensual men to engage in homosexuality in private.
The Sexual Offences Act, 1967, was an Act of Parliament in the UK. It was initially set in place and followed in England and Wales. The Sexual Offences Act of 1967 permitted homosexual acts as long as they were between two consensual males over the age of 21 and it was conducted in private. The law stretched to Scotland by 1980 and then to Northern Ireland by 1982. It was introduced by Leo Abse and Lord Arran. It was one of the first acts set in place which advocated for the LGBTQ+ community, however the act in itself was considered very restrictive in comparison to the displays of affection permitted between heterosexual couples.
For centuries, homosexuality between men had been illegal and many were prosecuted and punished. This new act was a revolutionary movement, and although it was far from perfect and did not define equality, it was a massive step forward. The law was passed due to tireless fighting for equality from many individuals. The act was very limited, and did not even get close to reaching the levels of equality we still fight for today, however it paved the way for more progressive outlooks on homosexuality and the acceptance of LGBTQ+ activism.
It inspired a wave of LGBTQ+ activism which appeared in the early 1970s, allowing the LGBTQ+ community to come together in a fight for love.
"I don't remember feeling overwhelmed with a feeling of liberation in 1967. I just felt that at least a little bit of justice had been done. In some respects at least, I was no longer regarded as a criminal." - Colin Livett
The age of consent for 21 was later reduced to 18 in 1994 and then later reduced to sixteen, the same age for heterosexuals, in 2000. The entire Sexual Offences Act was reformed into the Sexual Offences Act of 2003, meaning that many of the conditions of the Sexual Offences Act 1967 are no longer in place.
