Section 28 was a controversial provision of the Local Government Act 1988 in England, Wales, and Scotland, which stated that a local authority “shall not intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality” or “promote the teaching in any maintained school of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship.”
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When was section 28 enacted?
This provision, which was introduced during the conservative government of Margaret Thatcher and remained in force during the government of John Major, was widely criticized by LGBTQ+ rights activists, educators, and progressive politicians. They argued that the provision contributed to a culture of discrimination and prejudice against LGBTQ+ individuals, and had a chilling effect on the ability of schools and other organizations to provide support and resources to lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals.
Section 28 was eventually repealed in Scotland in 2000, and in the rest of the UK in 2003. Its repeal was seen as a significant victory for gay rights advocates, and paved the way for greater acceptance and legal recognition of the LGBTQ+ community in the UK.
What was section 28 called in Scotland?
In Scotland, the provision known as “Section 28” was officially called Section 2A of the Local Government Act 1986, which was passed by the UK government under the leadership of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
Section 2A was identical to Section 28, which was introduced in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland by the Local Government Act 1988, during the same period of time. The provisions prohibited local authorities from “promoting homosexuality” or teaching “the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship.”
The section 2A provision was ended in Scotland before the rest of the UK, as it was repealed in 2000, two years before it was repealed in the rest of the country. The repeal of Section 28 in Scotland was seen as a significant victory for LGBTQ+ rights advocates, and paved the way for greater acceptance and legal recognition of the LGBTQ+ community in Scotland.
When was section 28 scrapped?
Section 28, a controversial provision of the Local Government Act 1988 in the United Kingdom that prohibited the promotion of homosexuality in schools and local authorities, was repealed on 18th November 2003. The repeal of Section 28 was a significant moment in the history of LGBTQ+ rights in the UK, and was widely celebrated by LGBTQ+ rights advocates and progressive politicians.
The repeal of Section 28 followed years of campaigning by LGBTQ+ rights activists, who argued that the provision contributed to a culture of discrimination and prejudice against LGBTQ+ individuals, and had a chilling effect on the ability of schools and other organizations to provide support and resources to LGBTQ+ individuals.
The repeal of Section 28 was seen as a significant step forward for LGBTQ+ rights in the UK, and paved the way for greater acceptance and legal recognition of the LGBTQ+ community. However, it is important to note that despite the repeal of Section 28, LGBTQ+ individuals in the UK still face discrimination and prejudice in many areas of life, and there is still work to be done to ensure full equality for all members of the community.
