1850s in LGBT Rights

Number of LGBT-related laws changed over time
  • January 1
    Homosexual activity becomes male illegal, female legal.
    up to 3 years in prison.
  • August 9
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    The age of consent of 18 years is equal for everyone.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    The Ottoman Empire, the predecessor of Turkey, decriminalized sodomy in 1858.
  • (date unknown)
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Homosexuality was legal from 1858 to 1929, in 1929 however, it was criminalized. It took until 2008 (when the kosovo constitution was written) to have it decriminalized.
  • January 1
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes no protections.
    In Turkey, there are currently no laws in place to prevent discrimination against LGBT individuals in the areas of work, education, housing, health care, and public accommodations.
  • March 2
    Homosexual activity becomes ambiguous.
    Section 12 of the Organic Act, which established the Territorial Government of Washington, adopted the laws of the Territory of Oregon applicable to the Territory of Washington as of March 2, 1853, which did not include any reference to sodomy. The Laws of the Territory of Washington 1875 p 85 § 1 included a vagrancy statute with a catch all definition of "disorderly persons" but did not single out homosexual activity and any arrest was set to only last so far as surety of good behavior could be ascertained. The Code of Washington 1881, enacted on December 1, 1881, p 159 § 782 stated "All offenses at common law, which are not hereinafter defined by statute are indictable and triable in the district courts of this territory." Thus it was possible to be indicted for 'crimes against nature' however p 162 § 806 criminalized "an assault with an intent to commit the infamous crime against nature" but did NOT criminalize the 'infamous crime against nature'. As such no punishment could be attached to an indictment for homosexual activity except in the case of an assault. This is the precedent that was described in Justice Stiles's opinion in STATE v. PLACE. On February 18, 1893, in STATE v. PLACE, 5 Wash. 773; 32 P. 736 (1893) the Washington Supreme Court noted the Washington State Penal Code did "not define the crime against nature known as sodomy, nor impose a penalty for its commission.” The crime against nature punishable as a felony at common law was not punishable in the state because no penalty has been fixed by statute.