14 August 1885
Criminal Law Amendment Act – 'Gross Indecency'
Discrimination Legal UK
Extended criminalisation to all male homosexual acts, whether or not they involved penetration, under the vague charge of 'gross indecency'—famously used against Oscar Wilde.
Impact & Significance
Drastically broadened the scope of persecution, enabling prosecutions based on innuendo and further embedding anti-gay sentiment into British law.
Reference Record
- Date
- 14 August 1885
- Era
- 1800s
- Sources
- 1
This timeline entry is being migrated into the reference platform. Source metadata and editorial review status will be strengthened as each topic is upgraded.
Questions This Event Helps Answer
Q What was Section 28? Section 28 was a provision of the Local Government Act 1988 that restricted local authorities from promoting homosexuality or teaching that same-sex relationships were acceptable as family relationships. Q When was homosexuality decriminalised in the UK? The Sexual Offences Act 1967 partially decriminalised consensual sex between men in England and Wales, but UK-wide reform happened in stages and equality was not achieved by that Act alone. Q How did UK law criminalise homosexuality before 1967? Before 1967, English and Welsh law criminalised male same-sex intimacy through buggery and gross indecency offences, with punishments ranging from execution to imprisonment. Q How did international law change LGBTQ+ rights? International law changed LGBTQ+ rights by challenging criminalisation, creating partnership recognition, protecting sexual orientation in constitutions and opening marriage equality.
