1970s in LGBT Rights

Number of LGBT-related laws changed over time
  • (date unknown)
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Homosexual Activity is Legal in Trentino Alto Adige
  • January 1
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes ambiguous.
    "All Rwandans are born and remain equal in rights and freedoms. General guarantee of equality Discrimination of any kind or its propaganda based on, inter alia, ethnic origin, family or ancestry, clan, skin colour or race, sex, region, economic categories, religion or faith, opinion, fortune, cultural differences, language, economic status, physical or mental disability or any other form of discrimination are prohibited and punishable by law."
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
  • (date unknown)
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Homosexual acts were legalized prior to the federal ruling which legalized homosexuality for all federal jurisdictions in 2003.
  • Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (indefinite deferral).
    Prior to November 2011, a lifetime ban was in place for MSM
  • January 1
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Legislative repeal, effective 1980.
  • (date unknown)
    Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (indefinite deferral).
    Homosexual men in Turkey cannot donate blood. The Turkish Red Crescent considers homosexuality to be a risk factor for HIV/AIDS.
  • Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (indefinite deferral).
    .
  • October 24
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes no protections.
    Homosexuality is illegal in Iran. No protections exist.
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes no protections.
    Homosexuality is illegal in Iran, so no protections for Employment exist if you are an LGBT person.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes no protections.
    Formally, Iranian government believes every citizen to be heterosexual, stripping protection for LGBTQ+ community.
  • July 1
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Age of consent is governed by RCW 9A.44 and is equal, regardless of gender or orientation.
  • February 11
    Same-sex marriage becomes not legal.
    Definition of marriage used follows from the Islamic definition of a union between a man and women. The marriage is prohibited and same-sex sexual activity is punished as stated in the Penal code.
  • Homosexual activity becomes illegal (death penalty as punishment).
    The punishment for homosexuality is currently death for men. (Unless if there is sex between a mature person and a minor; in which can the mature person will be killed while minor will receive up to 74 lashes. Same case applies for 2 minors.) For women, the punishment is up to 100 lashes. Women with a certain number of repeat offenses can become subject to the death penalty as well.
  • January 1
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
  • Blood donations by MSMs becomes legal.
    Donating blood a is legal with no deferral after sex.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    The Age of Consent is currently legal in Cuba.
  • LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
    Under the Home Rule Act
  • (date unknown)
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Private, non-commercial sexual relations between same-sex consenting adults 16 and over have been legal in Cuba since 1979.
  • Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
    Homosexual sex is illegal. Also, sexual activity outside of marriage is illegal.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In 1979 Adolfo Suárez Government reversed the previous prohibitions on same sex activity. The 1970 Law on Danger and Social Rehabilitation remained active until 1995 but was unenforced after Spain adopted democracy.
  • September 30
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    Michigan Compiled Law 333.2831(c) allowed citizens to change the sex designation on birth certificates with an affidavit of a physician certifying that sex-reassignment surgery had been performed.
  • July 7
    Same-sex marriage becomes unrecognized.
    Homosexuality is illegal.
  • Homosexual activity becomes male illegal, female legal.
    5 to 14 years in prison. Not enforced.
  • LGBT housing discrimination becomes no protections.
    Homosexuality is illegal there.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes no protections.
    Homosexual activity is illegal in the Solomon Islands.
  • Equal age of consent becomes n/a.
    Homosexual activity is illegal in the Solomon Islands.
  • Same-sex marriage becomes not legal.
    Homosexual activity is illegal in the Solomon Islands.
  • Homosexual activity becomes illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
    Anal sex between two consenting males will be sentenced to 14 years in prison. Attempted anal sex will reult in seven years in prison. Acts of "gross indecendy" will receive five years in prison. (decriminalization pending
  • January 1
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
  • (date unknown)
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Homosexual acts were legalized prior to the federal ruling which legalized homosexuality for all federal jurisdictions in 2003.
  • January 1
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Age of consent are 15 regardless of sexual orientation.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Legislative repeal, effective 1978.
  • (date unknown)
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
  • November 4
    Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    As of 2009, the courts also ruled that transgender individuals are also permitted to serve in the military.
  • July 1
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Legislative repeal, effective 1977.
  • June 9
    Same-sex marriage becomes unrecognized, same-sex marriage and civil unions banned.
    They also do not recognize same-sex marriages performed outside of the state.
  • June 2
    Same-sex marriage becomes not legal.
    Minnesota laws are changed to explicitly outlaw same-sex marriage through adding the words "between one man and a woman".
  • April 26
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes no protections.
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes no protections.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes no protections.
    Homosexuality is illegal hence by default there are no discrimination protection extended to LGBTQ+ community.
  • (date unknown)
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Age of consent is equal
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    As part of Yugoslavia
  • January 1
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    as part of Montenegro.
  • LGBT housing discrimination becomes ambiguous.
    Protection under the BC Human Rights Code.
  • (date unknown)
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.
    Canadian Human Rights Act (1977, cited 1985) Gender identity is not spelled out in the BC Human Rights Code. However, there are a set of strict guidelines of exempt cases for housing protections on the basis of sexual orientation.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
  • January 1
    Equal age of consent becomes unequal.
  • Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (indefinite deferral).
    Federal policy as per Food & Drug Administration
  • (date unknown)
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Homosexuality is legal in the country
  • Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (indefinite deferral).
    Date shown is when US banned gay male blood donations.
  • Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (indefinite deferral).
    MSMs were not eligible to donate blood.
  • Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (indefinite deferral).
    Date is when the United States banned gay male blood donors.
  • Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (indefinite deferral).
    United States federal law bans the donation of blood by men who have sex with men.
  • October 7
    Homosexual activity becomes illegal (death penalty as punishment).
    Article 427 states homosexuality will suffer long imprisonments (along with Adultery.) In addition, article 398 states that honour killing is encouraged.
  • July 19
    Same-sex marriage becomes unrecognized.
    Homosexuality is currently illegal.
  • Homosexual activity becomes male illegal, female legal.
    1 year in prison under crime of sodamy. Not enforced. decriminalization proposed since 2012.
  • Same-sex marriage becomes not legal.
    Same sex marriage is not legal.
  • Homosexual activity becomes illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
    Imprisonment of up to one year is the penalty of sodomy. Decriminalization pending.
  • July 1
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    WASHINGTON LAWS, 1975 1st ex.s. c 260 § 9A.92.010 Item 209 repealed Washington's Sodomy Laws: (a) Section 2. chapter 139, Laws of 1893 (b) Section 204, chapter 249, Laws of 1909 (c) Section 3, chapter 74, Laws of 1937 (d) RCW 9.79.100 Sodomy - Penalties. Item 226 repealed Washington's Vagrancy Laws: (a) Section 1, page 85, Laws of 1875, (b) Section 1271, Code of 1881 (c) Section 436, chapter 249, Laws of 1909 (d) Section 1, chapter 11, Laws of 1965 (e) Section 29, chapter 122 Laws of 1972 ex. sess. (f) RCW 9.87.010 Vagrancy. The U.S. Supreme Court further secured these protections when it ruled in LAWRENCE ET Al. v. TEXAS on June 26, 2003, that any law "making it a crime for two persons of the same sex to engage in certain intimate sexual conduct violates the Due Process Clause" of the Fourteenth Amendment.
  • June 11
    Blood donations by MSMs becomes legal.
    * \"From\" date taken from earliest recorded specific legislation on the matter. MSM is not contemplated as a criterion for exclusion. Information regarding blood donation by MSM during the Franco dictatorship is unknown, but was probably outlawed along with the practice of homosexuality. No specific legal texts from that historical time period address the issue.
  • May 1
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Legislative repeal, effective 1976.
  • March 20
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes no protections.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes no protections.
    None are in the criminal code.
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes no protections.
  • Homosexual activity becomes ambiguous.
    Not technically illegal. but certain sections of the criminal code have been used to prosecute LGBT people.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Bahrain may consider homosexuality as "immoral", although homosexual activity is not explicitly illegal. However there has been documented cases of arrests being made towards homosexual people on virtue of them being homosexuals
  • January 1
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    A Penal Code was enacted in 1976 which decriminalized same-sex activities. It also stated that the age of consent for same-sex activities would be the same as heterosexuals at 21 years old.
  • Same-sex marriage becomes unrecognized.
    No such laws outlawing or criminalizing gay couples.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    age of consent is set at 21.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Age of consent for same sex acts is 21
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Legislative repeal, effective 1976.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
  • (date unknown)
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Age of consent is 15 regardless of sexual orientation; 18 for special cases between two individuals where one is in custody of the other, or who gives consent in the presence of the other's "abusing superior age or experience."
  • November 25
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
    since 2017
  • LGBT discrimination becomes no protections.
    No protections.
  • November 15
    Homosexual activity becomes illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
    Upto 3 years
  • June 20
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
  • February 14
    Same-sex marriage becomes not legal.
    The Cuban Constitution does not ban same sex marriage, but other statutory laws do prohibit it. Article 2 of the Family Code defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman - an amendment drafted in 2018 would have changed this but was rejected. Further consultation on changes to the Family Code are ongoing in 2022.
  • (date unknown)
    Censorship of LGBT Issues becomes state-enforced.
    AL HB385 (2021), signed by Governor Kay Ivey in April of 2021, amended Section 16-40A-2, Code of Alabama 1975 to strike an emphasis in the state's public sex education that "in a factual manner and from a public health perspective, homosexuality is not a lifestyle acceptable to the general public and that homosexual conduct is a criminal offense under the laws of the state." In 2003 the US Supreme Court under LAWRENCE V. TEXAS made unconstitutional state anti-sodomy laws. Regardless, teachers in Alabama still had to emphasize that homosexuality was illegal.
  • January 1
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
  • (date unknown)
    Homosexual activity becomes ambiguous.
    Mozambique's penal code included a clause against against individuals "who habitually engage in vices against nature," however, there had been no known prosecutions under the clause.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
  • January 1
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    The Age of consent in Kentucky is 16 years old.
  • November 1
    Homosexual activity becomes ambiguous.
    Manus falls under Papua New Guinea, making homosexuality illegal under Section 212. But this has not been enforced since 2015.
  • June 15
    Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    No restrictions for lgbt serving.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    The penal code does not mention homosexuality explicitly and thus is assumed to be legal
  • April 15
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    People v. Gibson, Colorado Supreme Court (1974)
  • February 16
    Homosexual activity becomes illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
    According to Article 33 of the Omani Penal Code: "The following are deemed as disgracing crimes: [...] Homosexual and lesbian intercourses." Article 223, "Homosexual and Lesbian Intercourses" states: "Any one who commits erotic acts with a person of the same sex shall be sentenced to imprisonment from six months to three years. The suspects of homosexual or lesbian intercourse shall be prosecuted without a prior complaint, if the act results in a public scandal. The suspects of lesbian intercourse among ascendants, descendants or sisters shall only be prosecuted upon a complaint from a relative or a relative by marriage forth-degree removed."
  • January 1
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    The Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 51 of 1974 provided the legal foundation for—ostensibly white—South Africans who had “undergone a change of sex” to alter their “sex description” in the country’s birth register.
  • (date unknown)
    Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    Alaskan State Statute provides any unmarried individual may petition for adoption; married individuals must petition together. Second parent adoption has been permitted by some lower court judges, but it is not confirmed by appellate court case law or state statute.
  • Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    The Netherlands is responsible for defence.
  • Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    The Netherlands is responsible for defence.
  • Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    The Netherlands is responsible for defence.
  • Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    The Netherlands became the first country to allow gay soldiers to serve in the military openly.
  • 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 respectively. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18.
  • Homosexual activity becomes illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
    Kentucky Revised Statutes were revised in 1974 to criminalize non-procreative sexual acts only between people of the same sex. A conviction could have led to up to 12 months in prison and a fine of up to $500.
  • December 21
    Same-sex marriage becomes unrecognized.
    Article 242 of the family law states explicitly that marriage is between a man and a woman who has cohabited for more than 3 years. The recent movement of "accidental passage" of same sex marriage has not taken effect or exercised.
  • April 12
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes varies by region.
    Gender identity only.
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes varies by region.
    Gender identity only.
  • Equal age of consent becomes n/a.
    Age of consent is not applicable because homosexuality is illegal in Pakistan.
  • January 29
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In 1973, homosexuality was decriminalized in Malta by the Prime Minister, Dom Mintoff.
  • January 1
    Saba,
    Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    Since they are defended by the Dutch.
  • Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    Defended by Dutch.
  • Right to change legal gender becomes legal, surgery not required.
  • (date unknown)
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
  • January 1
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Legislative repeal, effective 1973.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Legislative repeal, effective 1973.
  • (date unknown)
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    A court ruling in Indonesia in December 2009 stipulated that Indonesians who have undergone gender re-assignment surgery must be allowed to change their gender on identity documents.
  • December 2
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes no protections.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes no protections.
  • October 11
    Same-sex marriage becomes foreign same-sex marriages recognized only.
    Court ruling pending on legalization of gay unions, Marriage.
  • LGBT housing discrimination becomes no protections.
    Proposed discrimination protections.
  • Same-sex marriage becomes not legal.
    Article 58 of the 1972 constitution defines marriage as a different-sex union.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes no protections.
    There are no provision explicitly protecting LGBT people
  • July 1
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    Changes of gender were only legally recognised if the individual had undergone sterilisation.
  • June 17
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
  • June 2
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes no protections.
    Homosexuality is illegal there.
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes no protections.
    No protections because homosexuality is still illegal.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes no protections.
  • April 21
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Norway fully repealed Section 213 of the Norwegian Penal Code, legalizing homosexual activity.
  • April 5
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    the Soviet 1972 law allowing legal sex change after undergoing sex reassignment surgery was never repealed
  • Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    after the sex reassignment surgery that took place in September 17, 1970, a transgender man changed his legal gender and name. Six months after change legal gender, he became a husband.
  • Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    the Soviet 1972 law allowing legal sex change after undergoing sex reassignment surgery was never repealed
  • Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    the Soviet 1972 law allowing legal sex change after undergoing sex reassignment surgery was never repealed
  • Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    the Soviet 1972 law allowing legal sex change after undergoing sex reassignment surgery was never repealed
  • March 1
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Nobody lives in Bouvet Island,however Norwegian law has equal consent (16) for both straight and homosexual couples.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Nobody lives here, but still legal according to Norwegian Laws.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Under Norway rules.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    Age of consent equal at 16 years of age.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Under Norway rules.
  • December 2
    LGBT discrimination becomes no protections.
    LGBT Arabs are showing themselves online for the first time.
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes no protections.
  • LGBT housing discrimination becomes no protections.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes no protections.
  • LGBT housing discrimination becomes no protections.
    The UAE constitution, which came into effect on December 2, 1971, does not reference any protections against housing discrimination on the basis of gender or sexuality.
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes no protections.
    The UAE constitution, which came into effect on December 2, 1971, does not reference any protections against employment discrimination on the basis of gender or sexuality.
  • October 1
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Legislative repeal, effective 1971.
  • September 11
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes no protections.
    Since the founding of Egypt, there hasn't been any protection for LGBTQ+ community
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes no protections.
    Since the founding of Egypt, there hasn't been any protections for LGBTQ+ community
  • LGBT discrimination becomes no protections.
  • August 16
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
  • August 8
    Same-sex marriage becomes not legal.
    Same-sex marriage is not legal in Afghanistan.
  • February 12
    Same-sex marriage becomes not legal.
    Marriage is defined as a union between a man and a woman. Also, Homosexuality is illegal.
  • (date unknown)
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • January 1
    Saba,
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
  • (date unknown)
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    It was not until 1980s that homosexuality was not treated as an illness
  • January 1
    Serving openly in military becomes ambiguous.
    Between these time frames, the military often sent homosexual soldiers to psychiatric hospitals for shock therapy and, in some cases, sexual reassignment surgeries. Between 1967 and 1991, all white males over the age of 16 were conscripted in South Africa
  • January 1
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    Prior to 2022, Gender change was legal and easier to access
  • Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    Requires surgery and sterilization. Not enforced. Changes pending. Missing non binary options on documents.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Consensual same-sex acts were legalized in 1945 after the end of WW2 by the Polish Penal Code. Since 2019 several municipalities have declared themselves to be "LGBT-free zones", while this has no legal standing it does adversely affect LGBT people by opening them up to hate crime. In 1970 homosexuality was completely decriminalized by removing the provision on homosexual prostitution from the penal code.