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1966 in LGBT Rights

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In 1966, there were 8 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 4 changes made and 8 in the following year. A total of 85 legal changes were made in the 1960s.

  • June 8
    Same-sex adoption becomes single only.
    Homosexuality is illegal in Algeria, and same-sex unions are unrecognized. Single people are allowed to adopt.
  • Equal age of consent becomes n/a.
    Not applicable for Algeria. Same sex activity is illegal in Algeria.
  • Homosexual activity becomes illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
    Article 333 of the Algerian penal code punishes same-sex activity with imprisonment ranging from 2 months to 2 years, along with a fine of 500 to 2000 Dinars. Article 338 pertains to "outrage to public decency," which includes "an act against nature with an individual of the same sex" and carries a harsher penalty of 6 months to 3 years imprisonment, plus a fine of 1,000 to 10,000 Dinars.
  • February 1
    Homosexual activity becomes illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
    Article 319 of the Senegal's Penal Code states "Without prejudice to the more serious penalties provided for in the preceding paragraphs or by articles 320 and 321 of this Code, whoever will have committed an improper or unnatural act with a person of the same sex will be punished by imprisonment of between one and five years and by a fine of 100,000 to 1,500,000 francs. If the act was committed with a person below the age of 21, the maximum penalty will always be applied."
  • January 22
    Censorship of LGBT issues becomes state-enforced.
    Until 1990, Namibia was part of South Africa and since 1966, South Africa had implemented widespread restrictions on LGBTIQ+ expression.
  • Censorship of LGBT issues becomes state-enforced.
    Restrictions on LGBTIQ+ expression became policy of the apartheid regime in 1966 after a raid in Forest Town where nine men were arrested for "masquerading as women" and participating in "indecent activity". This would lead to an attempted amendment to the Immorality Act of 1957, which previously only criminalised homosexuality in public, in 1968. Repression led to the emergence of the Gayle language by underground LGBTIQ+ South Africans using secret code words to allow LGBTIQ+ people to express freely without detection in public. Although LGBTIQ+ groups were persecuted in all areas, those opposed to the apartheid regime were given extensive mistreatment even from white gay groups.
  • January 14
    Censorship of LGBT issues becomes imprisonment as punishment.
    In 1966, Article 201 of the Federal Penal Code mentioned homosexuality as an "immoral practice" that was discouraged to encourage to minors. Other states would also implement similar laws until the repeal in 1998.
  • (date unknown)
    Serving openly in military becomes n/a.
    The BIOT does not have a military, with defence provided by a joint agreement between the United Kingdom and the United States.