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First openly gay MP
In a Times interveiw, Alan Duncan acknowledged his sexuality, making him the first openly gay MP. -
Sexual Offences Act 2003
On 1 May 2004 the Sexual Offences Act 2003 came into force. It removed all previous sex-specific legislation, including the 1967 Act, and introduced instead neutral offences. This meant that the previous conditions relating to privacy were removed, and sexual acts were viewed by the law without regard to the sex of the participants. -
Gender Recognition Act 2004
As of 4 April 2005, it has been possible for someone to change their legal gender identity. -
Civil Partnership Act comes into effect
The Act created civil partnerships, which gave same-sex couples who entered into them the same rights and responsibilities of marriage. -
First civil partnership takes place
The first civil partnerships took place in Northern Ireland on 19 December 2005, followed by Scotland on 20 December and then England and Wales on 21 December. -
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008
The Act allows for lesbians and their partners equal access to legal presumptions of parentage in cases of in vitro fertilisation or assisted/self insemination from the moment the child is born. -
Pope condemns gay equality laws in UK
Pope Benedict XVI condemns British equality legislation for running contrary to "natural law". -
Equality Act 2010
This act codified a number of previous Acts into one. These included the Equal Pay Act 1970, the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Race Relations Act 1976 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 -
Government expresses intention to begin a consultation on same-sex marriage
The coalition government expresses intention to begin consultation to allow both religious same-sex ceremonies and civil marriage for same-sex couples. -
Government announces intention to introduce same-sex marriage
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MP support and opposition for same-sex marriage
A map showing which constituencie's MPs support (pink) and oppose (green) same-sex marriage -
Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill
The Bill was introduced to the Commons by Maria Miller on the 24th January. The full debate of Bill takes place on 5th February
