In 1983, there were 27 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 16 changes made and 5 in the following year. A total of 150 legal changes were made in the 1980s.
- December 27Homosexual activity becomes legal.The 1983 Criminal Code of the Northern Mariana Islands removed all mentions of criminalisation of consensual sodomy and only penalises cases of sodomy without consent as rape, decriminalising homosexuality.
- December 10
- July 15
- July 9Censorship of LGBT issues becomes imprisonment as punishment.The Mauritanian authorities uses provisions such as “indecency” and “incitation to debauchery” in the 1983 Penal Code on those who challenge the country with LGBT social movements.
- Same-sex adoption becomes illegal.Same-sex adoption is not possible due to homosexual activities being punishable
- Same-sex marriage becomes banned.Same-sex marriage is not possible due to the laws on Homosexual activity
- Homosexual activity becomes illegal (death penalty as punishment).Illegal, public execution by stoning for men, [not enforced]; prison and fines for women Mauritanian representatives informed the United Nations that executions have effectively been suspended since 1987. On April 27, 2018, the National Assembly approved legislation replacing article 306 of the Criminal Code, mandating the death penalty for individuals convicted of "blasphemous speech" and "sacrilegious" acts. However, the death penalty for homosexual acts has not been enforced since 1986. The law removes the option, previously available under article 306, to substitute prison sentences for death penalties for certain apostasy-related offenses upon prompt repentance. Additionally, the law broadens the death penalty's reach to include "renegade acts."
- July 8Serving openly in military becomes illegal.As homosexuality is illegal, serving in the military by LGBTQ+ individuals are also illegal
- July 1Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires medical diagnosis.Trans people require a medical diagnosis in order to change their legal gender in Mississippi.
- May 5Equal age of consent becomes equal.Wisconsin's age of consent for same-sex and different-sex couple is 18. State Statute provides an exemption for people who are married between the ages of 16 and 17.
- Homosexual activity becomes legal.Wisconsin repealed its laws against sodomy in 1983. In order to secure enough votes to pass the legislation that repealed the ban on sodomy, legislators agreed to add to the bill that “the state does not condone or encourage any form of sexual conduct outside the institution of marriage.”
- (date unknown)
- January 1
- (date unknown)
- Gender-affirming care becomes legal, but restricted for minors.In 1983, transsexualism began to be professionally diagnosed in the Soviet Union, which allowed the prescription of hormone therapy.
- January 1
- (date unknown)
- Right to change legal gender becomes legal, but requires medical diagnosis.Section 8(3) of the Births, Marriages and Deaths Registration Act (1983) states: "If after registration of birth, the change in any other particular of a person not provided for in this section has occurred, he, if he is twenty-one years of age, or either of his parents or his guardian of he is under twenty-one years of age, may apply to the Registrar directly or through respective district registrar or assistant district registrar for alteration of such a particular in the births register. Thereupon the Registrar shall, if satisfied that the applicant is competent to make the application and on production of documentary proof (in case of change of sex of the child medical certificate from the medical practitioner shall be produced) and on payment of the prescribed fee, cause the said particular of the person to be altered in the original birth information form filed in his office, but without erasing the original entry, and shall instruct the registration officer of the district or sub-district in which the birth of the person was registered to make a similar inscription in his births register and duplicate birth information form filed in his office." The Act must be interpreted in accordance with the Children’s Protection and Welfar Act. Section 8(3) of the Act should be interpreted to provide for the change of sex or gender in the Register. The Act does not specify that ‘change of sex’ must happen in any specific way, nor does it require documentary proof only from a healthcare provider.
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.State law prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of "homosexuality" and "transgender status". The relevant law is Part 3A and Part 4C of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977. Federal law prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of "sexual orientation", "gender identity" and "intersex status". The relevant law is section 14 of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984.
- January 1
- (date unknown)Blood donations by MSMs becomes banned (indefinite deferral).Starting in 1983, the United States implemented a full ban on blood donations from gay men. The primary justification for the ban was the perceived high risk of HIV transmission, with health regulators identifying men who have sex with men (MSM) as a significant risk to the safety of the blood supply.
LGBT Organizations Founded in 1983
Resource Center
Resource Center is a trusted leader that empowers the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities and all people affected by HIV through improving health and…Resource Center of Dallas
Resource Center is a trusted leader that empowers the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities and all people affected by HIV through improving health and…