1974 in LGBTQ rights

This is a list of notable events in the history of LGBT rights that took place in the year 1974.

Events

• The city of Boulder, Colorado enacts an anti-discrimination ordinance that bars discrimination based on sexual preference. Following public outcry, the city council places a repeal measure up for a public vote, which results in the repeal of the ordinance. ^{[1] [2]}
• Dublin, Ireland ^[3] and Oslo, Norway ^[4] both hold gay pride demonstrations or something similar. ^[5]
• The Netherlands allowed LGBT individuals to serve in the military. ^[6]

January

• 1 - Ohio repealed its sodomy and solicitation laws. ^[7]
• 11 — L'Association homophile de Montréal holds first meeting. ^{[8] [9]}
• 15 — New York City theatre magazine After Dark bans the use of the word "gay" in advertisements.^{[ citation needed ]}
• 19 — The Gay Women's Collective holds two-day lesbian conference at Montreal's women's centre. ^[10]

February

• 11 — Richard North and Chris Vogel become first couple known to be married by the Unitarian Universalist Church. The Government of Canada refuses to recognize their marriage. ^[11]

April

• 2 - Kathy Kozachenko is the first openly gay person to be elected to political office in the U.S., having been elected to the Ann Arbor City Council in Michigan. ^{[12] [13]}

October

• 16 - In both South Africa and Namibia, a person can legally change their gender but surgery is required. ^[7]

November

• 5 — Elaine Noble becomes the first openly gay or lesbian individual to be elected to a state legislature in the U.S. when she is elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives. ^[14]

December

• 9 — Allan Spear, a state senator in the U.S. state of Minnesota, comes out as gay. ^[15]

See also

• LGBTQ portal

• Timeline of LGBT history — timeline of events from 12,000 BCE to present
• LGBT rights by country or territory — current legal status around the world
• LGBT social movements

References

1. Phelps, Timothy (1995-10-08). "Gay issues split Colorado cities". Eugene Register-Guard. Newsday. p. 8A. Retrieved 2009-08-30.
2. Taylor, Carol (2008-11-14). "Taylor: Mayor controversial for support of gay rights". Colorado Daily. Colorado Daily. Archived from the original on 2014-08-10. Retrieved 2014-07-20.
3. O'Brien, Shane (June 1, 2024). "A history of Pride and LGBTQ+ protests in Ireland". Irish Central. Archived from the original on June 6, 2025. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
4. "Det startet med et voldsomt opprør i USA for snart 50 år siden. Nå ventes 250.000 til lørdagens parade". www.aftenposten.no (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 2020-06-24.
5. Arnett, George (June 25, 2016). "How LGBT Pride marches spread around the world". The Guardian. Archived from the original on June 26, 2016. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
6. "Countries that allow transgender members in the military". July 26, 2017. Archived from the original on March 27, 2020.
7. "1974 in LGBT Rights". Equaldex. Archived from the original on July 4, 2025. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
8. Sanlo, Ronni (January 11, 2018). "Today in LGBT History - January 11". Ronni Sanlo. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
9. Roberge, Jean-Francois (January 2008). "INFLUENCE DE LA PRESSE ÉCRITE SUR L'ÉMANCIPATION DE LA COMMUNAUTÉ GAIE MONTRÉALAISE AU XXE SIÈCLE" (PDF) (in French). Universite du Quebec a Montreal. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 14, 2025. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
10. McLeod, Donald W. (1996). Lesbian and gay liberation in Canada : a selected annotated chronology, 1964-1975. Toronto: ECW Press/Homewood Books. p. 152. ISBN   1550222732.
11. Frum, Barbara (21 February 1974). "Gay Winnipeg couple marries". As It Happens. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
12. Compton, Julie (April 2, 2020). "Meet the lesbian who made political history years before Harvey Milk". NBC News. Archived from the original on July 16, 2025. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
13. "It happened at Michigan - breaking barriers and making gay rights history". University of Michigan. October 30, 2023. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
14. Gianoulis, Tina (2005-10-13). "Noble, Elaine". glbtq: An Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Culture. Archived from the original on October 30, 2007. Retrieved March 6, 2012.
15. Spear, Allan H. (2010). "Entering the Senate and leaving the closet". Crossing the barriers : the autobiography of Allan H. Spear . Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. pp.  259–307. ISBN   9780816670406.