In 1974, there were 16 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 13 changes made and 14 in the following year. A total of 186 legal changes were made in the 1970s.
- November 1Homosexual activity becomes legal.Massachusetts legalised homosexual activity through a court ruling in 1974, although dormant sodomy laws still exist in its state laws.
- Homosexual activity becomes ambiguous.Manus falls under Papua New Guinea, making homosexuality illegal under Section 212. But this has not been enforced since 2015.
- Equal age of consent becomes equal.It was determined in 'E.C.O. v. Compton' that a 16 year old is able to consent to sex with an adult over online communication.
- June 15Homosexual activity becomes legal.The penal code does not mention homosexuality explicitly and thus is assumed to be legal
- May 2Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.On May 2 1974, Marcia Alejandra became the first person in Chile to have her gender legally changed after surgery the previous year, the first such recognition in Latin America. Despite no law regulating gender recognition, in practice Chile recognised such after surgery was performed.
- April 15Homosexual activity becomes legal.People v. Gibson, Colorado Supreme Court (1974)
- January 1
- (date unknown)
- January 1Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires surgery.The Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 51 of 1974 provided the legal foundation for—ostensibly white—South Africans who had “undergone a change of sex” to alter their “sex description” in the country’s birth register.
- (date unknown)Same-sex adoption becomes legal.Alaskan State Statute provides any unmarried individual may petition for adoption; married individuals must petition together. Second parent adoption has been permitted by some lower court judges, but it is not confirmed by appellate court case law or state statute.
- JanuaryLGBT discrimination becomes varies by region.Currently, Ohio state laws protect civil servants from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Several cities and localities in Ohio have protections extended to non-civil servants with the first being Colombus in January of 1974.
- (date unknown)Serving openly in military becomes legal.The Netherlands became the first country to allow gay soldiers to serve in the military openly.
- January 1Equal age of consent becomes unequal.The age of consent for males and females engaged in heterosexual activity is 19 and 16 in a marriage. For homosexual activity, the age of consent is 18.
- (date unknown)Homosexual activity becomes illegal (imprisonment as punishment).Kentucky Revised Statutes were revised in 1974 to criminalize non-procreative sexual acts only between people of the same sex. A conviction could have led to up to 12 months in prison and a fine of up to $500.
- Homosexual activity becomes male illegal, female legal.Men can receive 3 to 14 years of imprisonment under Criminal Code 1974. The legislation lists homosexuality under "Unnatural Offenses" and "Indecent Practices Between Males."
LGBT Organizations Founded in 1974
Seta ry
A sexual equality rights organization in Finland. It's goal is a equal society where human rights and wellbeing are realised regardless of ones sexual orientation, identity or…