▸ 

1971 in LGBT Rights

View All Years

In 1971, there were 40 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 3 changes made and 26 in the following year. A total of 216 legal changes were made in the 1970s.

  • December 2
    LGBT employment discrimination becomes no protections.
  • LGBT housing discrimination becomes no protections.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes no protections.
  • LGBT housing discrimination becomes no protections.
    The UAE constitution, which came into effect on December 2, 1971, does not reference any protections against housing discrimination on the basis of gender or sexuality.
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes no protections.
    The UAE constitution, which came into effect on December 2, 1971, does not reference any protections against employment discrimination on the basis of gender or sexuality.
  • LGBT discrimination becomes no protections.
    The UAE constitution, which came into effect on December 2, 1971, does not reference any protections against discrimination on the basis of gender or sexuality.
  • October 1
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Legislative repeal, effective 1971.
  • September 11
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes no protections.
    Since the founding of Egypt, there hasn't been any protection for LGBTQ+ community
  • LGBT employment discrimination becomes no protections.
    Since the founding of Egypt, there hasn't been any protections for LGBTQ+ community
  • LGBT discrimination becomes no protections.
  • August 16
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In 1971, an amendment to the Penal Code decriminalised non-commercial same-sex sexual acts between adults, while at the same time introducing a new provision (Section 209), which set the age of consent for gay male sex at 18, 4 years higher than the lesbian and heterosexual age of consent, which was instead set at 14.
  • August 8
    Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    Article 25 in Afghanistans Law on Marriage (1971) states: “The marriage certificate is a document of man and woman which proves the contract of marriage.”
  • February 12
    Same-sex marriage becomes banned.
    Article 9(1) in The Law of Marriage Act defines marriage as a voluntary union of a man and a woman.
  • (date unknown)
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Åland has been part of Finland since the 20th century. In 1971, Finland decriminalised gay sex in 1971, although it was not until the 1980's that homosexuality was declassified as an illness.
  • Gender-affirming care becomes restricted.
    In 1971, Czechoslovakia legalized sterilization, which de facto meant legalizing sex reassignment surgery, however, medical records regarding transsexualism had to be obtained abroad.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    In all of Finland.
  • January 1
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Homosexuality as an act is legal in Costa Rica since 1971 penal code, in 2002 "sodomía escandalosa" an unclear minor crime was derogated. Also in 2013 some debris from these laws was finally absolutely erased.
  • (date unknown)
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    Finland decriminalised gay sex in 1971, although it was not until the 1980s that homosexuality was declassified as an illness.
  • January 1
    Serving openly in military becomes ambiguous.
    Between these time frames, the military often sent homosexual soldiers to psychiatric hospitals for shock therapy and, in some cases, sexual reassignment surgeries. Between 1967 and 1991, all white males over the age of 16 were conscripted in South Africa

LGBT Organizations Founded in 1971

  • Fenway Health FaviconFenway Health
    Massachusetts, United States
    Fenway Health advocates for and delivers innovative, equitable, accessible health care, supportive services, and transformative research and education. We center LGBTQIA+ people…