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1974 in LGBT Rights

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In 1974, there were 17 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 13 changes made and 15 in the following year. A total of 216 legal changes were made in the 1970s.

  • November 1
    Homosexual 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.
  • June 15
    Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    No restrictions for lgbt serving.
  • Equal age of consent becomes equal.
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    The penal code does not mention homosexuality explicitly and thus is assumed to be legal
  • April 15
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    People v. Gibson, Colorado Supreme Court (1974)
  • January 1
    Homosexual activity becomes illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
    Penal Code (1974) and Penal Code (2018) both criminalize homosexual sex between gay men and lesbians. The maximum punishment in both penal codes is 3 years imprisonment.
  • (date unknown)
    Gender-affirming care becomes restricted.
    In 1974, Fiji legalized sterilization, which de facto meant legalizing sex reassignment surgery, however, medical records regarding transsexualism had to be obtained abroad.
  • Gender-affirming care becomes restricted.
    In 1974, Austria legalized sterilization, which de facto meant legalizing sex reassignment surgery, however, medical records regarding transsexualism had to be obtained abroad.
  • January 1
    Right 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.
  • Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    The Netherlands is responsible for defence.
  • Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    The Netherlands is responsible for defence.
  • Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    The Netherlands is responsible for defence.
  • Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    The Netherlands became the first country to allow gay soldiers to serve in the military openly.
  • January 1
    Equal 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.

LGBT Organizations Founded in 1974

  • Seta ry FaviconSeta ry
    Finland
    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…