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Some History of LGBT Related Laws

History of LGBT-Related Laws


Taken From WikiPedia


Throughout history and across cultures, the regulation of sexuality reflects broader cultural norms.


Most of the history of sexuality is unrecorded. Even recorded norms do not always shed full light on actual practices, as it is sometimes the case that historical accounts are written by foreigners with cryptic political agendas.


In the earlier centuries of ancient Rome (particularly during the Roman Republic) and prior to its Christianization, the Lex Scantinia forbade homosexual acts. In later centuries during, men of status were free to have sexual intercourse, heterosexual or homosexual, with anyone of a lower social status, provided that they remained dominant during such interaction. During the reign of Caligula, prostitution was legalized and taxed, and homosexual prostitution was seen openly in conjunction with heterosexual prostitution. The Warren Cup is a rare example of a Roman artefact that depicts homosexuality that was not destroyed by Christian authorities, although it was suppressed. A fresco from the public baths of the once buried city of Pompeii depicts a homosexual and bisexual sex act involving two adult men and one adult woman. The Etruscan civilization left behind the Tomb of the Diver, which depicts homosexual men in the afterlife.


In feudal Japan, homosexuality was recognized, between equals (bi-do), in terms of pederasty (wakashudo), and in terms of prostitution. The Samurai period was one in which homosexuality was seen as particularly positive. In Japan, the younger partner in a pederastic relationship was expected to make the first move; the opposite was true in ancient Greece. Homosexuality was later briefly criminalized due to Westernization.


The berdache two-spirit class in some Native American tribes are examples of ways in which some cultures integrated homosexuals into their society by viewing them, not with the homosexual and heterosexual dichotomy of most of the modern world, but as twin beings, possessing aspects of both sexes.


The ancient Law of Moses (the Torah) forbids men lying with men (intercourse) in Leviticus 18 and gives a story of attempted homosexual rape in Genesis in the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, the cities being soon destroyed after that. The death penalty was prescribed.


Similar prohibitions are found across Indo-European cultures in Lex Scantinia in Ancient Rome and nith in protohistoric Germanic culture, or the Middle Assyrian Law Codes dating 1075 BC.


Laws prohibiting homosexuality were also passed in communist China. (The People's Republic of China neither adopted an Abrahamic religion nor was colonized, except for Hong Kong and Macau which were colonized with Victorian era social mores and maintain separate legal system from the rest of the PRC.) Homosexuality was not decriminalized there until 1997. Prior to 1997, homosexual in mainland China was found guilty included in a general definition under the vague vocabulary of hooliganism, there are no specifically anti-homosexual laws.


In modern times eight countries have no official heterosexist discrimination. They are Argentina, Belgium, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, South Africa, and Spain. This full non-discrimination includes the rights of marriage and adoption. Two additional countries have marriage rights for same-sex couples, namely Portugal and Canada, but in Portugal this right does not include same-sex adoption, and in Canada it varies by jurisdiction (it is legal everywhere except in Nunavut and Yukon). The Canadian Blood Services’ policy indefinitely defers any man who has sex with another man, even once, since 1977. LGBT people in the USA face different laws for certain medical procedures than other groups. For example, gay men have been prohibited from giving blood since 1983, and George W. Bush's FDA guidelines barred them from being sperm donors as of 2005, even though all donated sperm is screened for sexually-transmitted diseases and even the most promiscuous heterosexual men are not barred from donating.


Appreciation to AGM for his contribution.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Homophobic attack mars Australian gay marriage rally

Homophobic attack mars Australian gay marriage rally

A rally aiming to put pressure on politicians to change the policy over gay marriage in Melbourne has been marred by a homophobic attack on a party candidate on Saturday.
Jonny Payne
news.PinkPaper.com
Monday, 22 November 2010
20 November 2010
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A rally aiming to put pressure on politicians to change the policy over gay marriage in Melbourne has been marred by a homophobic attack on a party candidate on Saturday.

The attack was carried out on Martin Leahy, a Sex Party candidate, during the parade through central Melbourne, according to the Sydney Star Observer. 

The newspaper reports how Mr. Leahy was head butted and hit in the face during an altercation with two men – thought to be in their late teens – who were not involved in the demonstration.

Mr. Leahy, who suffered cuts to his nose, said: “I told them to leave it alone and that’s when they turned on me”, after the attackers were heard using homophobic language.

More than a thousand people took to the streets in the rally calling for equal rights on same-sex marriage, with the aim of persuading the public not to vote for parties that oppose gay marriage in a state election later this month.

Comedian Josh Thomas joined a number of politicians and celebrities at the rally, and he told ABC News: “I just don’t understand people that are against it – I don’t understand their points, If you don’t want to get married to a gay person that’s fine, but why would you want to stop other people from being normal? It makes no sense.”

Another attendee of the march, Bronwyn Pike, the current Education, Skills and Workforce Participation Minister for Victoria, told the broadcaster: “I support gay marriage, there are lots of people within the Labor Party who support gay marriage, many of them are standing with me today. 

“I think this is a journey that’s unstoppable and I think we will see full marriage equality in this country in the not too distant future.”

Earlier this month, Brian Walters, who is standing as a Green candidate for Melbourne in the state election this month told The Age newspaper he would introduce a private member’s bill to allow lesbian and gay weddings if he won the seat.
Posted by Gideon at 12:52 AM

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