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1964 in LGBT Rights

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In 1964, there were 9 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 5 changes made and 1 in the following year. A total of 106 legal changes were made in the 1960s.

  • November 17
    Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.
    A medical diagnosis required, and individuals need to sue their parents in order to have their birth certificate changed. Under Polish law reassignment surgery can only take place after a person's gender has been legally changed.
  • June 10
    Same-sex marriage becomes unrecognized.
    only allows straight couples to get married
  • Homosexual activity becomes illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
    Fine; up to seven years imprisonment. Although same-sex sexual acts remain illegal, their prosecution is rare according to a 2004 publication.
  • May 18
    Serving openly in military becomes illegal.
    Until 1986, "sexual deviance" was a reason for exclusion for military service. At that time, some men claimed to be homosexual to avoid the draft.
  • April 25
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes no protections.
    In Syria, there are currently no laws in place to prevent discrimination against LGBT individuals. Same-sex sexual activity is illegal.
  • April 3
    Homosexual activity becomes illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
    Article 409 of the Somalian Penal Code of 1964, says that sexual intercourse with a partner of the same sex is punishable with an imprisonment of 3 months up to 3 years.
  • February 25
    Same-sex adoption becomes single only.
    General rules regarding adoption are set out in the Family and Guardianship Code, in articles 114 to 127. Formally, there is no prohibition against adopting a child by a single person.
  • January 1
    Censorship of LGBT issues becomes other punishment.
    Article 402 of the Penal Code (1964) of Somalia prohibits the commission of any “obscene act” while Article 403 prohibits the sale, distribution, and exhibition of any “obscene object”. Article 404 deems acts and objectives as “obscene” where they, in the general opinion, are “offensive to modesty”. Article 409, which criminalises same-sex intimacy, is part of the same chapter on “offences against modesty” in the legislation.
  • Same-sex marriage becomes unrecognized.
    There were not originally any laws in place regarding same-sex unions, until Zimbabwe updated its constitution in 2013.

LGBT Organizations Founded in 1964