1940s

Born Feb 16th, 1918 in Breslau (Wroclaw) Interned in Auschwitz on Aug 28th, 1941 Died on Feb 28th, 1942, aged 24 years
A Young Man, A son, A Human being just like you!

1950s

1950s

In the 1950s, relaxed wartime attitudes to sex had begun to tighten and homosexual acts, even if conducted in private, could lead to lengthy jail sentences. Men were persecuted by the police, hounded by the press and faced the threat of blackmail by unscrupulous sexual partners. Amid the paranoia of the Cold War, as many as 1,000 gay men were locked up in Britain's prisons every year.
In January 1954, Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, a 28-year-old aristocratic socialite, and his friend Peter Wildeblood, the newly-appointed diplomatic correspondent of The Daily Mail, were arrested after a concerted effort by the police to ensnare them for homosexual offences. The subsequent case scandalised high society, electrified the nation and was to change the course of British history.

1969

1969

The Campaign for Homosexual Equality (CHE) is founded in the UK. Membership and meetings were mainly discrete affairs but a few brave people started to publicly campaign for what today many of us take for granted:

THE RIGHT TO FAIR AND EQUAL TREATMENT!

Stonewall Riots (New York):

CHE

On the night of June 27th, 1969 police raided the Stonewall Inn, the gays, lesbians, drag queens and trans people fought back. The bar patrons threw bottles and rocks at the police. They chanted, Gay Power! At one point several police were held in the bar, for several nights crowds of supporters and protestors grew outside the Stonewall Inn. Word quickly spread around the world about the gay people who fought back against the police. The event became known as the Stonewall Rebellion or Stonewall Riots. Support from the public also grew internationally as the story unfolded. The late Miss Sylvia Rivera a transgender rights activist and founding member of both the Gay Liberation Front and the Gay Activists Alliance, is credited by many as the first to actually strike back at the police and, in doing so, spark the rebellion.

1970

1970

The first pride March took place in New York City to mark the first anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, 1000s of gays, lesbians and trans people united marching together making a flamboyant and noisy stand against harassment and unfair treatment. Ever since, gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people celebrate pride and call for basic civil rights by commemorating Stonewall. Since then every June the LGBT community unite to remember the brave men and women of Stonewall in Gay Pride protest and celebrations across the US and all over the world. In the UK the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) was formed organising the first Gay rights demonstration in the UK, protesting against police entrapment, at Highbury Fields Islington (London).

1971

1971

The UKs first Gay rally takes place in London protesting against unfair treatment in particular the unequal age of consent ending in a small rally in Trafalgar Square. Less then 500 people took part, police out numbered protestors, shops closed and the brave supporters were subjected to verbal abuse and intimidation from the police, some members of the public and even other gay people afraid of being outed. The first open gay dance in the UK, organised by the Gay Liberation Front, was held at Kensington Town Hall. Lesbians invaded the platform at the Women's Liberation Conference, Skegness, demanding recognition. The first UK gay newspaper, Gay News, was founded. It promptly started a popular contact advertisement column.

1972

1974

1972 International Times magazine is found guilty by the House of Lords of conspiracy to corrupt public morals simply because it published gay contact ads. The First pride-style parade marched through the streets of central London attended by over 700 people, there was a heavy and aggressive police presence. 1973 The first helpline for LGBT people is launched in Oxford. The first national gay rights conference was held by the Campaign For Homosexual Equality in Morecombe. 1974 The London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard is launched, within months it became a 24/7 service to meet the massive demand for the service. The first International Gay Rights Conference was held in Edinburgh.

1975

1976

1975 British Home Stores sacked openly gay trainee Tony Whitehead; a national campaign picketed and boycotted their stores demonstrating the power of the Action for Lesbian Parents was founded after three highprofile custody cases where lesbians were refused custody of their children. 1976 Tom Robinson, singer, wrote Glad to be Gay. The Pride March in London was supported by over 5,000 people a ten fold increase in just five years. The Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement were founded.

1977

1977

Lord Arran's Bill to reduce the gay age of consent to 18 was defeated in the House of Lords. Ian Paisley launched the Save Ulster From Sodomy campaign. On 4th. July Gay News was prosecuted by Mary Whitehouse for 'blasphemy' after they had printed James Kirkup's poem imagining a Roman centurion having sex with Jesus of Nazareth. In November Harvey Milk was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the first openly gay candidate elected to public office in the state of California.

1978

1978

London's Evening News infiltrated a lesbian insemination group and published a damaging expos. Lesbians began a sit-in and demanded a right to a reply. Parliament Square, the Law Courts, and the British Medical Association were spray-painted. The International Gay (later Lesbian and Gay) Association was launched at a meeting in Coventry. Two decades later it has more than 350 member organisations in over 80 countries on every continent. On 27th. November Supervisor Harvey Milk and pro-gay liberal Mayor George Moscone were assassinated in San Francisco City, by right-wing, ex-police officer and former Supervisor, Dan White. That evening, 40000 people held a candlelight march from the city's gay Castro District to City Hall.

1978

1978

Freedom Flag
The rainbow flag is a symbol for diversity and the gay community as a whole. The colours unite to form one unit. In 1978, Gilbert Baker of San Francisco designed and sewed the fist rainbow flag for the Gay and Lesbian Pride Parade. He created a flag with pink, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. The colours stood for sexuality, life, healing, sun, nature, art, harmony, and spirit. Because hot pink was not available for mass production, it was removed from the flag. So the flag could be evenly spaced, the indigo was removed later, leaving the six colours of today.

The Flag is now an international symbol of diversity and freedom

1979

1980

1979 Gay Life, the first ever gay series was commissioned for British TV, by London Weekend Television. It was shown in London at 11.30 pm on Sundays throughout 1980-81, with an average audience rating of 350,000. One of its presenters, Michael Attwell, went on to commission BBC2's Gaytime TV. On 21st. May, because of a technicality of California law, a jury found Dan White guilty of manslaughter rather than first degree murder in the double assassination of Harvey Milk and George Moscone. Dan White was sentenced to seven years and eight months in prison. The resulting violent protest that evening came to be known as the "White Night Riot" - the first gay riot since the Stonewall Rebellion ten years earlier. 1980 Sex between men is legalised in Scotland following an amendment tabled by Robin Cook MP (LAB)

1981

1981

The Pride March in London ended in a riot and an impromptu march to Bow Street police station after the police had arrested a Brixton Faerie for wearing a plastic meat cleaver in his hat. Heaven - the first all-week gay mega-club opened in London. In September the European Commission ruled unanimously that the British government was guilty of breaching Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights by interfering with Jeff Dudgeon's private life by refusing to legalise consenting homosexual behaviour in Northern Ireland. The first black lesbian and gay groups were founded. Ken Livingstone, the new leader of the Greater London Council (GLC), promised support to the gay community, the GLC gave the first grant to a gay organisation - the London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard. (at this time Trans people were under the umbrella of gay) United by common bigotry, standing together for basic human rights, we must never forget the power and results of that unity.

1982

1982

London Switchboard held the first UK information meeting on a strange new disease, AIDS. The Terrence Higgins Trust was launched and named after the man who was thought to have been the first to have died with AIDS in the UK on 4th. July. Julian Meldrum started the first regular column on AIDS in Capital Gay. Male homosexuality is decriminalised in Northern Ireland. The first Gay Games were held in San Francisco in August and September.

1983

1983

Peter Tatchell, a Labour Party candidate, was defeated in a byelection in Bermondsey after a vicious anti-gay campaign by the tabloid newspapers and local Liberals. Simon Hughes of the Liberal Party was elected. Gay News collapsed in April; sales had plummeted after free gay newspapers had become available. Questions were asked in Parliament about 'pretty police' entrapment. Chanel 4 launched gay television series, One in Five. The BBC's Panarama broadcast the first television documentary on AIDS. The BBC's Horizon followed up with 'Killer in the Village'. United States Congressman Gerry E. Stubbs came out publicly as gay on the floor of the House of Representatives.

1984

1985

1984 Chris Smith, MP for Islington South, London, was the first MP to come out as gay while in office. The Terrence Higgins Trust held the first national AIDS conference. GALOP, the first gay policing project, was founded. Gay Times the first glossy gay lifestyle magazine began publication in May. 1985 The Greater London Council (GLC) published Changing The World, a charter for gay rights. With support from the Greater London Council (GLC), the London Lesbian and Gay Centre opened at 69 Cowcross Street, Farringdon, London, EC1. South Wales miners joined the Pride march in London in thanks for the support given by the LGBT community to their strike. Body Positive, the first HIV self-help group, was founded in London. The Black Lesbian and Gay Centre was founded.

1986

1986

AIDS was debated in the House of Commons, and a major national campaign was launched. The London Borough of Haringey Lesbian and Gay Unit wrote to all school heads in the borough urging them to promote positive images of homosexuals to their pupils. This provoked a backlash paving the way for the homophobic legislation section 28.

The Pink Paper was founded.

1987

1987

The British Government delivered a leaflet on AIDS, with the London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard telephone number, to every household in the country. Switchboard telephones broke down due to the demand for the service. Clause 28 of the Local Government Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 7th. December. The last national lesbian and gay conference collapsed under factional in-fighting. James Anderson, Chief Constable of Manchester Police, condemned gays as living in a cesspit of their own making'.

1988

1988

Section 28, preventing the 'promotion' of homosexuality by local authorities, came into force on 24th. May, with help from the Local Government minister Michael Howard (cons). It has never been tested in court. 10000 protested in London, and 15000 in Manchester. Lesbians abseiled in the House of Lords. Lesbians also got into BBC1's newsroom while Sue Lawley was reading the Six O'Clock News and she reported to viewers that 'we have been somewhat invaded'. The Norwegian foreign minister protested about Section 28 to the British foreign minister. There were also protests in Amsterdam and New York. The first British national conference for lesbians and gay men with disabilities was held. The City College of San Francisco created the first gay and lesbian studies department at an American institution of higher education.

1989

1990

1989 ActUp (AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power) London was founded. The Stonewall lobby Group was launched by out gay actors Michael Cashman (Colin in Eastenders) and Sir Ian McKellen in response to Section 28. Denmark was the first country in the world to give legal recognition to same-sex partnerships. Eigil and Axel Axgil were the first couple to register. 1990 The direct action group OutRage! was set up in May after a west London queer bashing murder of actor Michael Boothe

1991

1991

Stonewall and the International Lesbian and Gay Association were given the first European Community grant to survey gay rights across the Community. OutRage! held a kiss-in at Picadilly, London, and one man climbed the Eros statue. LAGPA: Lesbian and Gay Police Association was formed. Washington, D.C. held its first Black Lesbian and Gay Pride celebration. Derek Jarman was canonised by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence as St. Derek of Dungeness of the Order of Celluloid Knights. on 22nd. September.

1992

1993

1992 The UK Order of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence was founded by Mother Ethel Dreads a Flashback, a missionary sister from Sydney. London hosted the first Euro Pride. The Terrence Higgins Trust withdrew its warning of lesbian-to-lesbian HIV transmission. Gay Men Fighting AIDS (GMFA) was founded. 1993 Stonewall focused on the age of consent supporting the appeal made by gay men under 21 to the European Court for equality.

1994

1994

Derek Jarman died two days before the age of consent debate in the House of Commons. The House of Commons voted to reduce the gay male age of consent to 18. The crowds outside were bitterly disappointed that it had not been reduced to 16 and a riot ensued in the precincts of Parliament for the first time for 150 years. Crowds rampaged to the G.A.Y. disco and owner Jeremy Joseph gave them free entry. Stonewall and Euan Sutherland immediately launched an appeal to the European Court for under 18s. The first ever safer sex television advertisements directed at gay men were shown on Channel 4 in August. The two advertisements were made by Gay Men Fighting AIDS and included two men kissing. OutRage! 'outed' eight bishops, and provoked debate within the Church of England.

1995

1995

Gay Times was on sale in the high street stores owned by the John Menzies newsagents chain for the first time in May.

London Pride was attended by almost 200,000 held in Victoria Park in the East End. The clean-up cost soared to 53,000.
Rank Outsiders and Stonewall launched a major campaign on the ban on gays in the military. Gaytime TV was launched and one million tuned in every week. Capital Gay folded with its last issue on 31st. June. Freedom FM ran the first ever UK lesbian and gay 'restricted service license' radio broadcasts in London. Programming chief, Jacquie Lawrence, allocated a 3m Channel 4 television budget to lesbian and gay programming.

1996

1996

The Lesbian and Gay Pride changed its name to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride and was held on 6th. July, with the festival on Clapham Common. The change of name fuelled debate within the LGBT community which is ongoing today. Channel 4 television began filming a major docudrama around the newly-opened Glasgow Gay and Lesbian centre. Robert Runcie, ex-Archbishop of Canterbury, admitted to having ordained known gay men. The first Summer Rites free festival was held in Kennington Park on 4th. August with 30000 attending. Official outing on 9th. August of the first openly-gay character, Sean Myerson (Gareth Armstrong), in BBC Radio 4's soap, The Archers, the world's longest-running radio soap.

 In March, the British scouting movement adopted an equal opportunities policy which aimed to protect both leaders and young recruits from harassment because of their 'sexual status'. On 1st. May the British general election gave out-gay Ben Bradshaw victory in Exeter, and out-gay Stephen Twigg took ex-cabinet minister, Michael Portillo's Enfield-Southgate seat. On 3rd. May Chris Smith became Britain's first out-gay cabinet minister when he was appointed as National Heritage Secretary. The British top-secret Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) told The Pink Paper (23rd. May) that it had relaxed its regulations relating to its employment of gays and lesbians on 16th. January. Subsequently MI6, which deals with spies abroad, said that it had also changed its policy, but MI5, the internal secret security service, denied a change. On 3rd. September Labour MP Angela Eagle was the first British MP to come out voluntarily as a lesbian. Recognition by the British government of same-sex couple in the immigration rules came into effect on 13th. October.

1997

1997

1998

1998

On 2nd. May, Britain's first professional soccer player Justin Fashanu came out as gay. (Later committing suicide) Join the fight to Kick homophobia out of football! In June, two more British Labour MPs, David Borrow and Gordon Marsden, came out as gay. In June Gregory Woods was appointed as the first Professor of Lesbian and Gay Studies in the UK. On 22nd. June the British House of Commons voted by an overwhelming majority to support Ann Keens amendment to equalise the age of consent for gay men at 16 in a debate on the Crime and Disorder Bill.

1998

1998

On 4th. July the London Pride March went ahead despite the cancellation of the Pride Festival. On 21st. July Waheed Alli took his place in the House of Lords as the first openly gay life peer to be appointed in Britain. On 22nd. July the British House of Lords defeated the clause to lower the age of consent to 16 for gay men. On 7th. November Nick Brown MP was the first British Cabinet minister to come out publicly as gay while in post. On 31st. November a statue of Oscar Wilde was unveiled in central London.

1999

1999

At 6.37 pm on Friday 30th. April, a bomb exploded in the Admiral Duncan pub in Old Compton Street, Soho, London. This attack was the third of a series of bombs targeted at minorities by a lone bigoted extremist David Copeland. Three people were killed as a result of the bomb many more were seriously injured. Public outrage further fuelled the campaign for acceptance and equality.

1999

1999

It is reported that 80 pupils at a Leeds Grammar School, who signed a petition organised by James Hudson, 18, forced their head teacher to apologies for offensive homophobic remarks he made in assembly. On 30th. January British Conservative Member of the European Parliament, Tom Spencer, was forced by the media to say that that he was gay. In February the German government honoured lesbian and gay Nazi victims. On 9th. September The Times published an article in which the ex-government minister Michael Portillo is quoted as saying that he had 'homosexual experiences' in his youth. The European Court of Human Rights says that the ban on gays in the armed forces is illegal. The Sex Discrimination Act was amended to protect transsexual people from discrimination in employment and vocational training

2000

2000

At last after 30 years of protesting and lobbying the age of consent for gay men is finally reduced to 16 - a key milestone in the fight for equality. 1000s celebrated in the streets, gay bars across the country had spontaneous parties. With threats of fines and sanctions being imposed by the Court of European Human Rights the Government were forced to lift the ban on gays serving in the military. Another massive victory for Stonewall and Rank Outsiders. (The support group
for LGBT members of the armed forces)

2000

2000

The Scottish version of Section 28 is repealed despite one of the most viciously homophobic campaigns seen in the UK When the campaign to remove the Scottish Equivalent of Section 28 began, few could have seen the vicious campaign which would ensue, primarily run by Brian Souter, the millionaire owner of the Stagecoach bus company. Putting his own money into the campaign, with billboards, newsletters etc, the campaign had supporters in the Scottish press and church (notably in the form of Cardinal Winning), all using their space to regurgitate myths and homophobic lies about the gay community. Shares in Stagecoach plummeted and their email servers were crippled by an onslaught of protest messages. Another success for direct action! The Equality Network and others worked tirelessly to counter these stories and eventually won the day. However, it was a bruising battle and one which, in some ways probably made the repeal of Section 28 in the rest of the UK a relatively easy and uncontroversial move.

2002

2002

On April 16th 2002 around 100 trans people took to the streets of London to campaign against proposed new restrictions to accessing gender reassignment services and trans health care. We had only ever taken to the streets once before and that was in 1997 when Press For Change delivered their petition to Downing Street and then somehow made their way through the streets to Parliament where they werent allowed to make their protest. But on this occasion we managed to get our message across.

2002

2002

In November 2002, the Adoption and Children Act passed into law and for the first time allowed unmarried couples, including same-sex couples, to apply for joint adoption. Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Moldova, Romania and Western Australia all equalise their age of consent

2003

2003

AT LAST the only homophobic law to have been introduced in Europe in the last century was repealed. Introduced by the Tories in 1988 sparking protest across the country and our European neighbours. New Labour kept their manifesto promise, having seen the power of the fight in Scotland the Government had little choice but to remove this vile legislation. The impact of section 28 will be with us for some time come, gay people still fear repercussions of coming out. Homophobic bullying in schools increased as a direct result of section 28. Governors, heads and teachers used section 28 as a shield for their own homophobia.

We must never allow such legislation to be introduced again, continuing to protect and enhance the freedoms which have been hard fought for.

2003

2003

Lesbians and Gay men in the UK gain protective legislation in the field of employment
As a result of an E.U. directive the British Government introduced the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003 to protect people against discrimination based on their sexual orientation. The regulations cover victimisation, harassment and discrimination against an individual. They also cover all sexual orientations including heterosexuals, as well as people who are discriminated against because of their perceived/presumed sexual orientation or because of people with whom they associate (e.g. someone may be discriminated against because a friend or family member is lesbian or gay). This legislation did not cover the provision of goods and services and also exempted certain employers such as religious organisations. Effectively allowing some employers to continue to hire or fire purely on the grounds of sexuality.

The fight is far from over.. We can not accept part EQUALITY!

2003

2003 Sir Ian and Michael Cashman Marching with the Stonewall Group which they founded in 1989. Pride marches have been instrumental in securing the freedoms many now take for granted.

London Pride 2003

By standing together our voice is louder!

2004

2004

Trans people in the UK can legally change their birth certificates to their corrected gender The Gender Recognition Act allows trans people to change the sex on their birth certificate to their correct (post-operative) gender. Once this has been granted the person will become entitled to the same benefits as befits anyone of that gender. While not perfect (for example, if a male and female are legally married, but the male is trans and has corrective surgery to become a female, then the couple must have their marriage annulled, to avoid them becoming a same-sex legal marriage), the bill is a huge step forward for trans people in Britain, giving those granted state recognition and benefits. The Trans flag

2004

2004

Civil Partnerships become legal for same-sex couples in the UK For the first time same sax partnerships are now equal in LAW. This includes, property ownership, pensions, wills, taxation, and benefits.

1000s have already tied the knot adding millions to the power of the pink pound.

2005

2005

The first LGBT history month was held with events and exhibitions being held across the UK. WE HAVE A HISTORY to be PROUD of. The Equal Opportunities Commission celebrates its 30th Birthday Disability Discrimination Act amended to place a duty on public bodies to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people.

South Africa's Supreme Court rules that it is unconstitutional to ban gay marriages, thus legalising same-sex marriage. Same sex marriage is legalised in Spain and Canada (together with adoption)

2006

2006

The Gay Games VII was held in Chicago with 11,500 participants and over 1 million spectators. Cindy Lauper, dressed as the Statue of Liberty wrapped in the rainbow flag and carrying a torch. Ending the set by telling the crowd to 'stand tall and together pass the flame on.

Cologne Germany will host the next Gay Games in 2010 again over 1 million are expected to fill the city.

2007

2007

The Equality Act 2006 comes into force for the UK adding protection from discrimination of the provision goods and services on the grounds of sexual orientation
Plymouth joins London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds, Newcastle, Liverpool, Southampton, Portsmouth, Brighton and many other towns and Cities across the UK that proudly host Pride events.

We no longer have to be invisible

Discrimination is so OVER!

Pride

Pride London has had a Pride March every year since 1971. The marches have been strong and often angry protest demanding equality, the right to live our lives without persecution or harassment. (Basic human rights) The numbers taking part steadily increased reaching 200,000 at the height of the campaigns for an equal age of consent, the repeal of section 28 and the lifting of the ban on gays in the Military. Public support has been won in London it is anticipated that 1.5 million people will line this years parade which will follow the exact same route of the first full PRIDE march 35 years ago in 1972.

Pride

Pride Brighton Pride Brighton has the highest percentage of LGBT residents in the UK. The council are proud of this and continue to actively promote the City as one of the most gay friendly in the country. Brighton Pride is one of highlights of the UK Pride Celebrations.