So apparently it is Pride Month. And so the BBC have published a story about the history of gay rights in the UK. Unfortunately, it is ignorant of the facts in many places.

Law changed in 1967 (in England & Wales)

Eventually, the law was changed in 1967, which allowed two men to be in a relationship together without the fear of being arrested.

Even though this happened, there were still many laws in place at the time which meant that gay people did not have the same rights as people who were not gay.

More gay men were arrested after 1967 for things which they would not have been arrested for if their partner had been a woman.

Pride month begins

The law was changed in England and Wales in 1967. Scotland and Northern Ireland had to wait longer. 1982 in the case of people in Northern Ireland and that only because of the case of Dudgeon v United Kingdom.

Section 28 fail

1988 – A law called Section 28 was introduced which meant that teachers were not allowed to ‘promote’ gay relationships in schools. Many people argued that this prevented teachers from talking about gay relationships. It wasn’t until 2003 that this was overturned.

Once again, this was only in England and Wales. Fortunately, section 28 never applied in Northern Ireland.

Finally they get it right

2013 – Gay marriage was made legal in England and Wales, and later in Scotland. In Northern Ireland, gay marriage is not legal.

Well done this bit is right. But it is always annoying when British prime ministers say that they have brought gay marriage the UK or that they support LGBT rights around the world but don’t change the law on equal marriage in a part of their own country.

I wish that the BBC were not so England-centric. it is time for them to get it right all of the time.