Page 18 - Spring 2015

2012
It took a bit of fighting, but finally in February
2012, Proposition 8 was struck down when a federal
appeals court ruled that the ban violated the rights of
couples living in California. Two out of three judges
voted against the proposition, which effectively
meant that ANY attempt to block gay marriage was
unconstitutional.
The result left the goal open for campaigners to
strike down the Defense of Marriage Act once and
for all. On July 31, 2012, Judge Vanessa Bryant
ruled that “having considered the purported rational
bases proffered by both BLAG and Congress and
concluded that such objectives bear no rational
relationship to Section 3 of DOMA as a legislative
scheme, the Court finds that no conceivable rational
basis exists for the provision. The provision therefore
violates the equal protection principles incorporated
in the Fifth Amendment to the United States
Constitution.”
2013
In the summer of 2013, same-sex couples in the
UK at last won the right to marry. Opinion polls
had shown a general support for the introduction of
marriage rights for same-sex couples for many years.
While Civil Partnership had given couples many of
the rights afforded to married couples, it was still a
separate piece of legislation, which had the effect
of making their relationships seem ‘second place’ to
hetrosexual marriage.
In Russia though, the tide was still turning away
from gay rights. The 2013 amendment, which added
“propaganda of non-traditional sexual relationships”
as a class of harmful content under the law was,
according to the Government of Russia, intended
to protect children from being exposed to content
that portrays homosexuality as being a “behavioural
norm”. Madonna made a clear stand against the
laws in all of her shows in Russia. She was personally
threatened with jail by Vladimir Putin. She was sued
for millions by anti-gay activists but in the end the
court ruled in favour of Madonna.
2014
In Nigeria, persecution of LGBTs was reaching
new levels. Homosexual acts were already illegal in
the country, but the President Goodluck Jonathan
passed new laws which enhanced the sentences and
also made it illegal simply for homosexuals to hold
a meeting. Nigerian LGBTs who were able to leave
the country generally did so. While Europe and
America were becoming more and more tolerant,
it seemed the African nations were, and still are,
heading in a very different direction.
Back in the UK, an important piece of the gay rights
puzzle fell into place when the Scottish Parliament
overwhelmingly voted in favour of allowing same-sex
marriages in the country. Amendments which were
made to protect groups and individuals opposed
to the moves were rejected and instead, religious
organisations could ‘opt in’ to perform ceremonies if
they wished.
The last decade has seen triumph and disaster.
Overwhelmingly, the positive moves forward have
come from increasing visibility and legal recognition
of LGB relationships around the world. But sadly,
there have also been teen suicides, attempts to
block partnership legislation and in many African
countries, a crack-down on homosexuality. As we
reach ten years of LGBT History Month, it becomes
clear that education is still key in the fight against
discrimination. There is still much to do!
spring 2015
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