Number of LGBT-related laws changed over time
- January 1Equal age of consent becomes unequal.The age of consent in Suriname is 16 for heterosexuals, and 18 for homosexuals.
- July 1
- (date unknown)Equal age of consent becomes equal.
- January 1Homosexual activity becomes male illegal, female legal.7-14 years in prison. Not enforced. the president of Jamaica just said he has not problem with gays serving in government. Decriminalization pending.
- (date unknown)Homosexual activity becomes male illegal, female legal.Female same-sex encounters are not explicitly outlawed. However, all individuals (male/female) are prohibited from buggery (anal sex) with another individual. Punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment with or without hard labor. (Clause 76 of source) All male-male sexual encounters are prohibited under law. Punishment of up to 7 years imprisonment with or without hard labor. (Clause 77 or source). Decriminalization pending.
- January 1Homosexual activity becomes illegal (imprisonment as punishment).The Indian Penal Code was enacted by the Imperial Legislative Council, the legislature during British direct rule in India. Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code criminalized same-sex sexual acts and carried a penalty of up to 10 years imprisonment.
- November 1Homosexual activity becomes illegal (up to life in prison as punishment).The Offences Against the Person Act 1861 lowered the maximum penalty to life imprisonment. Subsequent laws, such as The Labouchere Amendment (Section 11 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885) redefined the offence and allowed for other punishments, for example Oscar Wilde was sentenced to two years hard labour in 1895, and in 1952 Alan Turing was chemically castrated. Female homosexuality and sexual acts were not addressed in the law, and therefore, they technically would have been legal, though the law often applied the law towards women.
- January 1Homosexual activity becomes illegal (imprisonment as punishment).Under colonial era statutes, homosexuality is illegal in Myanmar with up to 20 years in prison. Torture and vigilante executions are also common.
- (date unknown)
- Homosexual activity becomes male illegal, female legal.Male homosexuality is technically punishable with life imprisonment but is rarely enforced.
- October 6Same-sex marriage becomes banned.Homosexuality is illegal in Bangladesh, so same-sex relationships are illegal as well.
- Homosexual activity becomes illegal (up to life in prison as punishment).Section 377 of the penal code states that "unnatural intersources" with any men women or animal is punishable for up to life in prison.
- May 12Homosexual activity becomes male illegal, female legal.
- January 1