The age of consent

In 1967 when gay (male) sex was partly decriminalised, the age of consent for gay men was set at 21, whilst for heterosexuals it was 16.

This was almost setting heterosexuals and homosexuals apart as if there was something not quite right with gay men.

There was no mention of an age of consent for lesbians, nor any legislation criminalising same sex relationships between women, as if they didn’t exist.

The age of consent for gay men was lowered in time to 18, but that still left an inequality. Campaigning took place between 1993 and 2001, when the age of consent was equalised and finally lowered to 16 for gay men and lesbians.