1956 in LGBT Rights

In 1956, there were 2 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were changes made and 9 in the following year. A total of 84 legal changes were made in the 1950s.

  • 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.