1950s in LGBT Rights

Number of LGBT-related laws changed over time
  • January 1
    Homosexual activity becomes illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
    Article 193 of Kuwait's Penal Code explicitly prohibits male homosexual sex for up to seven years in prison. For lesbians, there is no specific law criminalizing it, however it is still technically illegal. This is because in Kuwait you are not able to consent to sex unless you're married. So, since gay marriage is not legal in Kuwait and you can't give consent until your married, lesbian sex is illegal.
  • December 30
    Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    Article 3.1 of the Personal Status Law (1959) defines marriage as a contract between a man and a woman.
  • February 18
    Blood donations by MSMs becomes legal.
    There are no restrictions about gay sex, a healthy person is free to donate.
  • July 25
    Serving openly in military becomes ambiguous.
    there is no laws against LGBT people to serve Military
  • July 23
    Equal age of consent becomes n/a.
    Homosexual activity is outlawed in Eritrea.
  • Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (indefinite deferral).
    All Homosexual Activity is outlawed.
  • Serving openly in military becomes illegal.
    All Homosexual Activity is outlawed.
  • Same-sex marriage becomes unrecognized.
    All Homosexual Activity is outlawed.
  • Homosexual activity becomes illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
    In Eritrea, same-sex sexual activity can incur a punishment of anywhere from 10 days to 3 years in prison.
  • April 12
    Homosexual activity becomes illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
    The prescribed penalty was a fine of up to R4000 or imprisonment for up to two years, or both, a court ruling was applied retroactively however with it going into effect on October 9th 1998
  • January 1
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    In 1997, the Penal Code Amendment Act set the age of consent in Thailand at 15, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. From 1957, when homosexual sex was decriminalized, until 1997, documentation on age of consent laws is limited, but it does not suggest that the age of consent was applied unequally based on gender or sexuality.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In 1957, Thailand's new penal code went into effect. The penal code does not contain any articles that criminalize homosexuality.
  • August 2
    Homosexual activity becomes male illegal, female legal.
    The 1956 Sexual Offences Act applied to the Falkland Islands and criminalised buggery as a felony. This remained the case until 1989 although homosexuality was decriminalised in the UK in 1967.
  • January 13
    Homosexual activity becomes illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
    In 1956, the West Virginia Attorney General issued that cunnilingus violated the crimes against nature law of 1930.
  • August 15
    Censorship of LGBT issues becomes state-enforced.
    The dictatorship of Alfredo Stroessner saw brutal repression of LGBTIQ+ people, and all activism was snuffed out. A notable case was in September 1959 when 108 suspected homosexuals were taken in by authorities and interrogated after a fire broke out in Asuncion, with police blaming homosexuality and Stroessner himself encouraging hatred and violence against the LGBTIQ+ community. Several LGBTIQ+ people fled the country during this period to avoid persecution.
  • July 29
    Censorship of LGBT issues becomes state-enforced.
    In 1954, Chaco passed a law criminalising "dressing as the opposite sex" in public, criminalising the gender expression of trans people. This would be repealed in 1995.
  • July 15
    Homosexual activity becomes illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
    The Vagrants and Common Delinquents Law (Ley de Vagos y Maleantes) was modified under the regime of Francisco Franco to prohibit homosexual acts, with a penalty of imprisonment. In 1970 the Law on Danger and Social Rehabilitation (Ley Sobre Peligrosidad y Rehabilitación Social) was introduced that further enforced the prohibition and specified a prison term of up to 5 years.
  • June 26
    Homosexual activity becomes illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
    In the 1953-54 parliamentary session, the Criminal Code was amended to also criminalize homosexuality between women. The amendment took effect in the summer of 1954.
  • (date unknown)
    Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    Since at least the "Customs/Personal Law/Special Marriage Act, 1954" marriage has been referred to as between a man and a woman. Several laws since have also done this.
  • November 18
    Censorship of LGBT issues becomes imprisonment as punishment.
    Article 421 of Libya's Penal Code prohibits "indecent acts and articles" with imprisonment of up to one year or a fine of up to 50 pounds. Law No. 11, which Libya adopted in 2016, forbids actions “contrary to public morals and the provisions of Islamic law”. These laws are commonly used to detain suspected LGBTQ+ individuals.
  • Homosexual activity becomes illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
    Articles 407 and 408 of the Penal Code of 1953 criminalize homosexuality. Article 407 criminalizes “illicit sexual intercourse” with up to 5 years in prison, and Article 408 criminalizes anyone who ‘commits an indecent act with a partner with his consent’ with imprisonment.
  • August 11
    Censorship of LGBT issues becomes imprisonment as punishment.
    In 1953, Santiago del Estero added Articles 77 and 78 to its Code of Misdemeanours. Article 77 criminalises anyone who "offends public decency with clumsy acts or words" with 10 days in prison. Article 78 says that people who are "publicly exhibited with clothes of another sex" except during carnivals or other parties where doing so is permitted are included as offenders of the previous article, criminalising the expression of transgender people. Even during carnivals and parties allowing it, the choice of clothing must not be "indecorous". The laws were repealed in 2008.
  • January 16
    Censorship of LGBT issues becomes imprisonment as punishment.
    In 1953, Catamarca passed Law 1573, the Code of Misdemeanours, which included Article 101 which punished "dressing or impersonating a person of the opposing sex" with 20 days imprisonment or a fine. This was repealed in 2005.
  • Censorship of LGBT issues becomes varies by region.
    Since 1953, various provinces have passed discriminatory laws targeting LGBTIQ+ people and their expressions, starting with Catamarca. Laws would begin to be repealed in the 1990s and continued into the 21st century with Formosa being the last province to repeal such laws in 2012. During the military dictatorship from 1976 to 1983, LGBTIQ+ people faced extreme persecution with the junta harassing people for their sexual orientation or gender identity.
  • December 12
    Same-sex adoption becomes single only.
    The Adoption of Children Act in 1952 provides that married couples and unmarried people can adopt children in Eswatini, prohibiting same-sex couples from adopting but not LGBTIQ+ singles.
  • February 27
    Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in East Nusa Tenggara.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in North Maluku.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in North Sulawesi.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in Central Sulawesi.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in Southeast Sulawesi.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in West Sulawesi.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in West Sumatra.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in South Kalimantan.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in North Kalimantan.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in Central Kalimantan.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in West Kalimantan.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in East Kalimantan.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in East Java.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in Central Java.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in Lampung.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in Bengkulu.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in Gorontalo.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in Maluku.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in Riau.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in South Sulawesi.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in West Java.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in Papua.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in Jambi.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in West Papua.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in North Sumatra.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in the Riau Islands.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in West Nusa Tenggara.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in Banten.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in Yogyakarta.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in Bangka Belitung.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in South Papua.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in Central Papua.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in Papua Pengunungan.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in Papua Barat Daya.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in Jakarta.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in Aceh.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in South Sumatra.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952. This also applied in Bali.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18 as per the Indonesian Penal Code of 1952.
  • (date unknown)
    Homosexual activity becomes illegal (up to life in prison as punishment).
    In 1952, Governor Earl Warren, a year and a half before becoming chief justice of the United States, signed into law a bill changing the prison term for sodomy to "no less than one year" therefore allowing up to life in prison.
  • December 24
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In 1951, Libya gained independence from Italy. However, it did not adopt a penal code until 1953, so homosexuality was legal during the interim.
  • Equal age of consent becomes n/a.
    From 1951 until 1953, Libya did not have a penal code. As such, there was technically no legal age of consent for any sexual activities. From 1953 onward, homosexuality has been explicitly illegal, so there exists no legal age of consent for homosexual sex.
  • November 24
    Censorship of LGBT issues becomes no censorship.
    In 1951, Libya gained independence from Italy. However, it did not adopt a penal code until 1953, so there were no known laws censoring LGBTQ+ topics during the interim.
  • July 1
    Homosexual activity becomes male illegal, female legal.
    The Criminal Code of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia adopted on February 27, 1951 criminalized consensual sexual intercourse between men throughout its territory, including Serbia and its two provinces Vojvodina and Kosovo & Metohija. Article 186: for unnatural fornication between persons of the male sex, the perpetrator shall be punished with imprisonment for up to two years. The 1959 amendment reduced the prison sentence to up to one year.
  • Homosexual activity becomes male illegal, female legal.
    The Criminal Code of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia adopted on February 27, 1951 criminalized consensual sexual intercourse between men throughout its territory, including North Macedonia. Article 186: for unnatural fornication between persons of the male sex, the perpetrator shall be punished with imprisonment for up to two years. The 1959 amendment reduced the prison sentence by one year.
  • Homosexual activity becomes male illegal, female legal.
    The Criminal Code of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia adopted on February 27, 1951 criminalized consensual sexual intercourse between men throughout its territory, including Bosnia and Herzegovina. Article 186: for unnatural fornication between persons of the male sex, the perpetrator shall be punished with imprisonment for up to two years. The 1959 amendment reduced the prison sentence by one year.
  • Homosexual activity becomes male illegal, female legal.
    The Criminal Code of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia adopted on February 27, 1951 criminalized consensual sexual intercourse between men throughout its territory, including Montenegro. Article 186: for unnatural fornication between persons of the male sex, the perpetrator shall be punished with imprisonment for up to two years. The 1959 amendment reduced the prison sentence by one year.
  • Homosexual activity becomes male illegal, female legal.
    The Criminal Code of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia adopted on February 27, 1951 criminalized consensual sexual intercourse between men throughout its territory, including Slovenia. Article 186: for unnatural fornication between persons of the male sex, the perpetrator shall be punished with imprisonment for up to two years. The 1959 amendment reduced the prison sentence by one year.
  • Homosexual activity becomes male illegal, female legal.
    The Criminal Code of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia adopted on February 27, 1951 criminalized consensual sexual intercourse between men throughout its territory, including Serbia. Article 186: for unnatural fornication between persons of the male sex, the perpetrator shall be punished with imprisonment for up to two years. The 1959 amendment reduced the prison sentence by one year.
  • Homosexual activity becomes male illegal, female legal.
    The Criminal Code of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia adopted on February 27, 1951 criminalized consensual sexual intercourse between men throughout its territory including Croatia. Article 186: for unnatural fornication between persons of the male sex, the perpetrator shall be punished with imprisonment for up to two years. The 1959 amendment reduced the prison sentence by one year.
  • March 13
    Homosexual activity becomes illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
    Up to 3 years imprisonment
  • (date unknown)
    Serving openly in military becomes illegal.
    The 1951 Argentine Military Justice Code did not explicitly ban LGBTIQ+ people from serving in the military but homosexual acts in the military were penalised until 2009.
  • Equal age of consent becomes n/a.
    Homosexual activity is illegal in Brunei.
  • Same-sex adoption becomes illegal.
  • Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    Homosexuality is illegal.
  • January 1
    Homosexual activity becomes illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
    The Penal Code of Brunei (revised edition 2001), Chapter 22, Page 152 states: "Unnatural offences. 377. Whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman, or animal, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 10 years, and shall also be liable to fine. [S 12/97]"
  • (date unknown)
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Homosexual activity has been legal in Jordan since 1951, however, the Penal Code includes vague provisions around "morality" and "indecent acts" that could be used to target LGBTQ+ people. In 2014, for example, Jordan authorities arrested 10 gay men and women who were holding a reception at a party hall. A security official said it was to "prevent a disturbance of the peace" but did not elaborate. Public opinion data shows that homosexuality is widely seen as unacceptable.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    Article 347 of the Greek Criminal Code; which provides for a higher age of consent of 17, for seducing a male person if the male partner is over 18 and for lesbians and both male/female heterosexuals (regardless of close-in-age or not) and for only close-
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Homosexuality in Greece became legal in 1951 by the new Penal Code, but some discrimination in laws against homosexuals was valid until recently (article 347 of the Penal Code).
  • May 1
    Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    On May 1st, 1950, The Marriage Law of 1950 came into effect. It defined marriage in heterosexual terms. The Marriage Law of the People's Republic of China which went into effect on January 1st, 1981, replaced The Marriage Law of 1950. It defines marriage as between a man and a woman.