2008 in LGBT rights
Encyclopedia
This is a list of notable events in the history of LGBT rights that took place in the year 2008.
January
- 1 — Civil unions begin in UruguayCivil unions in UruguayOn January 1, 2008, Uruguay became the first Latin American country to have a national civil union law, titled Ley de Unión Concubinaria.The bill for legalization, proposed by Senator Margarita Percovich of the Broad Front, was passed in Chamber of Deputies on 29 November 2007 after having been...
and in the U.S. state of New HampshireCivil unions in New HampshireSame-sex marriage became legal in the U.S. state of New Hampshire on January 1, 2010, replacing civil unions. On January 1, 2011, all civil unions in the state became marriages unless otherwise dissolved, annulled or previously converted to marriage.On January 1, 2008, civil unions became legal in...
.
February
- 4 — Domestic partnershipsDomestic partnership in OregonIn April and May 2007, following a previous attempt in 2005, the Oregon state legislature passed legislation to make virtually all of the rights afforded to married couples available to same-sex couples. The new status will be referred to in Oregon law as a domestic partnership, avoiding the use...
begin in U.S. state of OregonOregonOregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, after a court decides the it does not conflict with the state constitution, which forbids same-sex marriage.
March
- 1 — Both NicaraguaNicaraguaNicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
and PanamaPanamaPanama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
legalize homosexuality, with an equal age of consent, under a new penal code coming into effect. - 12 — U.S. state of Washington expands its domestic partner legislation to give over 150 additional rights of marriage to same-sex couples.
- 14 — A bill to allow registered partnerships passes in the AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n state of VictoriaVictoria (Australia)Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
by a vote of 58–21. The act becomes effective December 1.
May
- 6 — The Michigan Supreme CourtMichigan Supreme CourtThe Michigan Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is known as Michigan's "court of last resort" and consists of seven justices who are elected to eight-year terms. Candidates are nominated by political parties and are elected on a nonpartisan ballot...
rules that the state's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage also bars public sector employees from offering domestic partnership benefits. - 11 — The Australian Capital TerritoryAustralian Capital TerritoryThe Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
legalizes civil partnerships by a vote of 11–2. The act takes effect May 19. - 14 — The Council of EuropeCouncil of EuropeThe Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
's commissioner for human rights publishes his viewpoint on applying human right principles to sexual orientation and gender identity. - 15 — The California Supreme Court strikes down the state's ban on same-sex marriage, with marriages to be available in June.
- 21 — In Witt v. Department of the Air ForceWitt v. Department of the Air ForceWitt v. Department of the Air Force, 527 F.3d 806 is a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of , the now repealed law which excluded openly homosexual people from serving in the United States military, commonly known as Don't ask, don't tell . The United States Court of Appeals for...
the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth CircuitUnited States Court of Appeals for the Ninth CircuitThe United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is a U.S. federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* District of Alaska* District of Arizona...
rules that "don't ask, don't tellDon't ask, don't tell"Don't ask, don't tell" was the official United States policy on homosexuals serving in the military from December 21, 1993 to September 20, 2011. The policy prohibited military personnel from discriminating against or harassing closeted homosexual or bisexual service members or applicants, while...
" constitutes an "[attempt] to intrude upon the personal and private lives of homosexuals" and under Lawrence v. TexasLawrence v. TexasLawrence v. Texas, 539 U.S. 558 , is a landmark United States Supreme Court case. In the 6-3 ruling, the Court struck down the sodomy law in Texas and, by proxy, invalidated sodomy laws in the thirteen other states where they remained in existence, thereby making same-sex sexual activity legal in...
it is subject to heightened scrutiny, meaning that the government "must advance an important governmental interest, the intrusion must significantly further that interest, and the intrusion must be necessary to further that interest."
June
- Same-sex marriageSame-sex marriage in CaliforniaThe status of same-sex marriage in California is unique among the 50 U.S. states, in that the state formerly granted marriage licenses to same-sex couples, but has discontinued doing so...
begins in California - 11 — Same-sex marriageSame-sex marriage in NorwaySame-sex marriage became legal in Norway on January 1, 2009 when a gender neutral marriage bill was enacted after being passed by the Norwegian legislature in June 2008...
legalized in NorwayNorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
by a vote of 81–42, taking effect January 1, 2009.
July
- 31 — The Australian Capital TerritoryAustralian Capital TerritoryThe Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
will be the first place in Australia to provide same-sex partners who are parents with "parental leave" under the Parental Leave Legislation Amendment Act 2008.
August
- 19 — ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
approves the first nationwide gay rights measure, extending to same-sex couples the right to claim their deceased partners' pensions. - 21 — The Coquille Indian TribeCoquille Indian TribeThe Coquille Indian Tribe is the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs-recognized Native American tribal entity of the Coquille people, who have traditionally lived on the southern Oregon Coast.-Treaty with the United States:...
in OregonOregonOregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
legalizes same-sex marriage. The state of Oregon does not recognize same-sex marriage but as a tribe recognized as a sovereign nation by the United States government the Coquille people are not bound by the state constitution.
September
- 30 — EcuadorEcuadorEcuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
legalizes same-sex civil unions with the passage of its new constitution.
October
- 10 — ConnecticutConnecticutConnecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
overturns a state ban on same-sex marriage and becomes the third U.S. state to legalize marriage for same-sex couples, following MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
November
- 4
- California voters ban same-sex marriage with Proposition 8California Proposition 8 (2008)Proposition 8 was a ballot proposition and constitutional amendment passed in the November 2008 state elections...
, becoming the first U.S. state to do so after marriages had been legalized for same-sex couples. The amendment to California's constitution passed by a margin of 52% to 47% and overturned the state supreme court's ruling in May in favor of same-sex marriage. - Arkansas voters pass Act 1, which effectively bans adoption by same-sex couples, by a margin of 54% to 41%.
- Arizona and Florida voters pass constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage.
- 5 — Strauss v. Horton, a legal challenge to Proposition 8California Proposition 8 (2008)Proposition 8 was a ballot proposition and constitutional amendment passed in the November 2008 state elections...
, is filed. - 20 — The Supreme Court of CaliforniaSupreme Court of CaliforniaThe Supreme Court of California is the highest state court in California. It is headquartered in San Francisco and regularly holds sessions in Los Angeles and Sacramento. Its decisions are binding on all other California state courts.-Composition:...
agrees to hear arguments for a possible overturn of Proposition 8. - 24 — A lower court in the U.S. state of FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
declares that the state's ban on adoption by gay couples is unconstitutional. - 26 — In Geldenhuys v National Director of Public ProsecutionsGeldenhuys v National Director of Public ProsecutionsGeldenhuys v National Director of Public Prosecutions and Others is a decision of the Constitutional Court of South Africa which struck down as unconstitutional provisions in the Sexual Offences Act, 1957 which set an age of consent of 19 for homosexual sex but only 16 for heterosexual sex...
the Constitutional Court of South AfricaConstitutional Court of South AfricaThe Constitutional Court of South Africa was established in 1994 by South Africa's first democratic constitution: the Interim Constitution of 1993. In terms of the 1996 Constitution the Constitutional Court established in 1994 continues to hold office. The court began its first sessions in February...
rules that an inequality between the ages of consentAge of consentWhile the phrase age of consent typically does not appear in legal statutes, when used in relation to sexual activity, the age of consent is the minimum age at which a person is considered to be legally competent to consent to sexual acts. The European Union calls it the legal age for sexual...
for heterosexual and homosexual intercourse is unconstitutional. The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act equalised the age of consent in 2007, but the court's ruling had retroactive effect, applying from the adoption of the Interim Constitution in 1994.
December
- 15 — The Constitutional Court of HungaryHungaryHungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
declares a previously passed registered partnershipRecognition of same-sex unions in HungaryHungary provides registered partnerships to same-sex couples since 1 July 2009. This institution offers nearly all the benefits of marriage. The unregistered cohabitation of same-sex couples was recognised and placed on equal footing with the unregistered cohabitation of different-sex couples in...
law—which would be available to both opposite-sex and same-sex couples—unconstitutional, on grounds that it duplicated the institution of marriage for opposite-sex couples. The court ruled that a registered partnership law that only included same-sex couples would be constitutional, and opined that the legislature had a duty to introduce such a law. Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány instructed the Minister of Justice to prepare a new bill that would conform to the Court's decision. - 23 — The Hungarian government announces that it will propose a new registered partnership law in line with the Constitutional Court's decision, to be presented to the parliament as early as February 2009.
- 30 — The ACLUAmerican Civil Liberties UnionThe American Civil Liberties Union is a U.S. non-profit organization whose stated mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." It works through litigation, legislation, and...
sues the state of ArkansasArkansasArkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, arguing that the state ban of same-sex adoptions is unconstitutional.
Deaths
- January 27 — Alan G. RogersAlan G. RogersAlan Greg Rogers was an ordained pastor, a U.S. Army Major and Intelligence Officer, a civil rights activist in the gay, lesbian and bisexual military community and the first known gay combat fatality of Operation Iraqi Freedom...
, 40, AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Army major, first publicly openly gay combat fatality of the Iraq War - February 12 — Lawrence KingE.O. Green School shootingThe E.O. Green School shooting was the February 12, 2008, killing of Lawrence "Larry" Fobes King who was a 15-year-old gay student at E.O. Green Junior High School in Oxnard, California, United States...
, 15, AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
murder victimMurderMurder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide... - May 22 — Paul PatrickPaul PatrickPaul Patrick was an English teacher and leading lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights activist...
, 58, BritishUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
LGBT rights activist - August 2 — Michael CauserMurder of Michael CauserMichael Causer was a gay teenager living in Liverpool, England, who came to national attention in the United Kingdom when he was seriously assaulted because of his sexual orientation in the early hours on the morning of 25 July 2008 after a small house party.He later died in the Walton Centre for...
, 18, BritishUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
murder victimMurderMurder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide... - August 19 — Leo AbseLeo AbseLeopold Abse was a Welsh lawyer, politician and gay rights campaigner. He was a Welsh Labour Member of Parliament for nearly 30 years, and was noted for promoting private member's bills to decriminalise male homosexual relations and liberalise the divorce laws...
, 91, BritishUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
politicianPoliticianA politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, noted for reforming laws on homosexuality and divorce - August 27 — Del MartinDel Martin and Phyllis LyonDorothy Louise Taliaferro "Del" Martin and Phyllis Ann Lyon were an American lesbian couple known as feminist and gay-rights activists...
, 87, AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
LGBT rights activist, married in first wedding performed after California legalized same-sex marriage in 2008Same-sex marriage in CaliforniaThe status of same-sex marriage in California is unique among the 50 U.S. states, in that the state formerly granted marriage licenses to same-sex couples, but has discontinued doing so... - September 14 — John BurnsideJohn Burnside (inventor)John Lyon Burnside III was the inventor of the teleidoscope, the darkfield kaleidoscope and the Symmetricon, and, because he rediscovered the math behind kaleidoscope optics, for decades, every maker of optically correct kaleidoscopes sold in the US paid him royalties...
, 91, AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
LGBT rights activist and partner of Harry HayHarry HayHenry "Harry" Hay, Jr. was a labor advocate, teacher and early leader in the American LGBT rights movement. He is known for his roles in helping to found several gay organizations, including the Mattachine Society, the first sustained gay rights group in the United States.Hay was exposed early in... - September 26 — Paul NewmanPaul NewmanPaul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, professional racing driver and auto racing enthusiast...
, 83, AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and advocate of gay rights - October 11 — Allan SpearAllan SpearAllan Henry Spear was an American politician and educator from Minnesota who served almost thirty years in the Minnesota Senate, including nearly a decade as President of the Senate.-Biography:...
, 71, AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
openly gay politicianPoliticianA politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making... - November 6 — Phil ReedPhil ReedPhil Reed was a New York City Council Member from 1998 to 2005, when term limits forced him out of office. He represented Council District 8, encompassing Manhattan neighborhoods of East Harlem and Manhattan Valley, and a portion of the South Bronx, as well as Randall's Island / Wards Island and...
, 59, AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
first openly gay African AmericanAfrican AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
New York City council memberNew York City CouncilThe New York City Council is the lawmaking body of the City of New York. It has 51 members from 51 council districts throughout the five boroughs. The Council serves as a check against the mayor in a "strong" mayor-council government model. The council monitors performance of city agencies and... - December 17 — Jennifer GaleJennifer GaleJennifer Lauren Gale was an American perennial political candidate in Texas. Gale was a native of Wisconsin and a Democrat. Jennifer claimed to be a veteran of the United States Marine Corps...
, 47, AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
transgenderTransgenderTransgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
politicianPoliticianA politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making... - December 25 — Eartha KittEartha KittEartha Mae Kitt was an American singer, actress, and cabaret star. She was perhaps best known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 hit recordings of "C'est Si Bon" and the enduring Christmas novelty smash "Santa Baby." Orson Welles once called her the "most exciting woman in the...
, 81, AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer, actress, and advocate of gay rights
See also
- Timeline of LGBT historyTimeline of LGBT historyThe following is a timeline of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender related history.-9660 to 5000 BC:* Mesolithic rock art in Sicily depicts phallic male figures in pairs that have been interpreted variously, including as depictions of homosexual intercourse.-7000 to 1700 BC:*Among the sexual...
— timeline of events from 12,000 BCE to present - LGBT rights by country or territory — current legal status around the world
- LGBT social movementsLGBT social movementsLesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender social movements share inter-related goals of social acceptance of sexual and gender minorities. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their allies have a long history of campaigning for what is generally called LGBT rights, also called gay...