Source Record
Regulating sex and sexuality: the 20th century
Why this source is used
Parliamentary living-heritage overview of the Wolfenden Committee, the 1957 report, and the path to the Sexual Offences Act 1967.
Start with the answer
Start with the answer 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. Start with the answer When was homosexuality legalised in the UK? If by legalised you mean partial decriminalisation of sex between men, England and Wales changed the law in 1967. The UK did not reach equality in one step: Scotland, Northern Ireland, age-of-consent reform and later partnership and marriage recognition followed through separate legal routes. Start with the answer How did UK age-of-consent reform change LGBTQ+ law? It moved the law from partial decriminalisation toward equal treatment by lowering and then equalising the age of consent.
Source Status
- Publisher
- UK Parliament
- Type
- government
- Reliability
- high
- Cited by
- 8 pages
Source Links
Open original source https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/transformingsociety/private-lives/relationships/overview/sexuality20thcentury/ Accessed 22 May 2026 Open archived copy https://web.archive.org/web/20260304114117/https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/transformingsociety/private-lives/relationships/overview/sexuality20thcentury/
