Society and the law

• Traditional view of same-sex relationships:

  The practice of homosexuality, even in private, was illegal and until the early nineteenth century, was punishable by death
• Traditional view of same-sex relationships:

  Gay people often lived in fear of ridicule, assault and public exposure
• 1967: homosexual acts carried out in private between consenting adults were decriminalised
• 2005: laws permitting both civil partnerships and same-sex adoption came into force
• 2010 Equality Act: made discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation a crime and this has led to a number of prosecutions
• 2014: the first same-sex marriages took place. These marriages were civil ceremonies; religious bodies were permitted not to perform them if they did not wish to
• Homophobia is still seen in the words and actions of some individuals and groups