<<< This Coalition for Homosexual Law Reform poster was designed by Malcolm McAlister. It reads 'Support the Bill; equality for all lesbians and gays. Public meeting, Opera House, 15 August 1985'.hey guys, this is about the homosexual law reform in Nz. Its interesting to read, shows how Nz is now fairly relaxed about this idea..
'Go back into the sewers where you come from' was the advice of one New Zealand politician to homosexuals. The comment summed up one side of the bitter public and political debate that swept New Zealand in the mid 1980s during the homosexual law reform campaign. On the other side of the issue, gays and lesbians were urged to 'come out now ... be visible ... be blatant.
The Homosexual Law Reform Act, which was signed by the governor-general on 11 July 1986 and came into effect on 8 August that year, decriminalised sexual relations between men aged 16 and over. No longer would men having consensual sex with each other be liable to prosecution and a term of imprisonment. Sex between women was not illegal, but many lesbians suffered the same social discrimination as gay men and were staunch supporters of the reform movement.
The campaign to reform the law moved beyond the gay community to wider issues of human rights and discrimination. Extreme viewpoints ensured a lengthy and passionate debate. The outcome would mean that gays and lesbians could be out and about, or the New Zealand family would crumble and AIDS would spread through the community.
for more info, go to http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/culture/homosexual-law-reform/homosexual-law-reform
3 comments:
Thats quite sad to read that back in the 1980's homosexuals could go to jail for being themselves and having a relationship. Why should they be punished and held back from experiencing love. Everyone should be free to do as they pleased. What makes me made is that people get away with rapes and murders, yet if your gay you couldve ended up in jail??? what the hell?
Hi Maryam!
I really surprise that there is the homosexual low in New Zealand, and looking forward to the progress of your blog more and more.
Good luck for your research and discussion!
Yeah of course there should be laws for gay and homosexual people, they are still human beings and deserve to be treated the same as anyone else!!!!
But there not and I find it so sad!!!
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