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Last updated September 17, 2024

This is a list of notable events in the history of LGBT rights that took place in the year 1998.

Events

February

10 – Voters in the US state of Maine reject a law enacted in 1997 banning sexual orientation discrimination in the private sector with 51.5 percent against.^[1]

May

21 – The House of Representatives of Cyprus repeals Section 171 of the Criminal Code, which used to criminalize homosexual acts between consenting male adults.^[2]
28 - U.S. President Bill Clinton signs Executive Order 13087 to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in the competitive service of the federal civilian workforce.^[3]

September

23 – The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in Abel v. United States of America rules that the government's proffered reasons for passing "don't ask, don't tell" pass rational basis review, reversing the District Court.^[4]

October

6 – Matthew Shepard is beaten and pistol-whipped and tied to a fence and left to die in a gay bashing incident near Laramie, Wyoming.^[5]^[6]
9 - The Constitutional Court of South Africa strikes down the country's sodomy law in National Coalition for Gay and Lesbian Equality and Another v Minister of Justice and Others ; the decision applies with retroactivity to April 27, 1994, the day on which the Interim Constitution came into force.^[7]
12 – Matthew Shepard dies from his injuries.^[5]^[6]^[8]
13 – The United States Supreme Court refuses an appeal in Equality Foundation of Greater Cincinnati, et al. v. The City of Cincinnati, in which the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit had twice found the city's anti-gay Issue 3 constitutional despite the Supreme Court's ruling in Romer v. Evans that struck down a state constitutional amendment that used substantially the same language.^[9]
28 – In Canada, Glen Murray is elected as mayor of Winnipeg, Manitoba. He is the first openly gay man to be elected mayor of a major North American city.^[10]

November

3
- Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) is elected to the United States House of Representatives. She is the first open lesbian and the first non-incumbent gay candidate to be elected to federal office.^[11]
- Voters in Hawaii approve Amendment 2, giving the Hawaii State Legislature the power to restrict marriage to mixed-sex couples.^[12]
20 – In the U.S. state of Texas, John Lawrence and Tyrone Garner are fined US$125 each after being arrested for having sex in their home. They refuse to pay the fine, resulting in a challenge of the Texas sodomy law which would eventually lead to the 2003 nationwide repeal of sodomy laws in Lawrence v. Texas .^[13]
23 – The Supreme Court of the U.S. state of Georgia rules 6 to 1 to invalidate that state's sodomy law.^[14]
28 – In Allston, Massachusetts, transgender woman of color Rita Hester is murdered. The ensuing candlelight vigil a few days later was attended by 250 people and inspired the Transgender Day of Remembrance, observed each Nov 20 worldwide.^[15]

December

1 – Officials in Miami, Florida, vote 7–6 to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment and housing.^[16]
18 – The Maryland Court of Appeals rules that a parent's access to his or her children cannot be restricted due to his or her sexual orientation.^[17]
22 – In New Zealand, Minister of Immigration Tuariki Delamere announces equality for gay and lesbian couples applying for permanent residency, to take effect on March 29, 1999.

Notable deaths

October 12 – Matthew Shepard, 21, gay-bashing victim^[5]^[6]^[8]
November 28 – Rita Hester, transgender murder victim^[15]
November 30 – Simon Nkoli, South African gay-rights and anti-apartheid activist. He was one of the "first Black anti-apartheid activists to publicly identify as gay and HIV-positive".^[18]

Notes

↑ Emmet Meara (May 27, 1999). "Gay Alliance seeks 2000 vote on discrimination". Sun Journal . Retrieved May 22, 2012.
↑ Marina Yannakoudakis (October 20, 2011). "North Cyprus still criminalises gay community". Public Service Europe. Archived from the original on October 22, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
↑ "1998-05-28 Statement on Amendment to EEO Executive Order". May 28, 1998. Archived from the original on August 20, 2012. Retrieved March 6, 2012.
↑ Abel v. United States of America,97-6205( United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit September 23, 1998).
1 2 3 "Matthew Shepard murder timeline". Casper Star-Tribune Online. October 7, 2008. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
1 2 3 "Matthew Shepard Murder: A Chronology". Famous Trials. UMKC School of Law. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
↑ McNeil, Donald G. Jr. (October 10, 1998). "South Africa Strikes Down Laws on Gay Sex". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331 . Retrieved March 4, 2016.
1 2 "Matthew Shepard, victim of anti-gay hate crime, dies". History.com. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
↑ Irwin, Julie (October 14, 1998). "Law denying gay protection stands". The Cincinnati Enquirer . Retrieved January 3, 2009.
↑ The Right to Be Out: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in America's Public Schools . U of Minnesota Press. January 1, 2010. ISBN 9781452915319.
↑ Mayhead and DeVore Marshall, p. 101
↑ General Election 1998, Hawaii Office of Elections, November 3, 1998, retrieved July 6, 2010
↑ "Lawrence v Texas". Lambda Legal. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
↑ Sack, Kevin (November 24, 1998). "Georgia's High Court Voids Sodomy Law". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331 . Retrieved March 4, 2016.
1 2 Sosin, Kate (July 15, 2020). "Her Death Sparked Transgender Day of Remembrance. 22 Years Later, Still No Answers". NBC News. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
↑ Navarro, Mireya (December 2, 1998). "2 Decades On, Miami Endorses Gay Rights". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331 . Retrieved March 4, 2016.
↑ "Boswell v Boswell". American Psychological Association. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
↑ "Tseko Simon Nkoli dies". South African History Online. Retrieved March 7, 2021.

Related Research Articles

This is a list of notable events in the history of LGBT rights that took place in the year 1999.

This is a list of notable events in the history of LGBT rights that took place in the year 2005.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in the United States are among the most advanced in the world, with public opinion and jurisprudence changing significantly since the late 1980s.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of Wyoming may face some legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBTQ residents. Same-sex sexual activity has been legal in Wyoming since 1977, and same-sex marriage was legalized in the state in October 2014. Wyoming statutes do not address discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity; however, the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County established that employment discrimination against LGBTQ people is illegal under federal law. In addition, the cities of Jackson, Casper, and Laramie have enacted ordinances outlawing discrimination in housing and public accommodations that cover sexual orientation and gender identity.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of Louisiana may face some legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBTQ residents. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Louisiana as a result of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas. Same-sex marriage has been recognized in the state since June 2015 as a result of the Supreme Court's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of New Jersey have the same legal rights as non-LGBTQ people. LGBT individuals in New Jersey enjoy strong protections from discrimination, and have had the same marriage rights as heterosexual people since October 21, 2013.

In the United States, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ) people have a long history, including vibrant subcultures and advocacy battles for social and religious acceptance and legal rights.

Vermont is seen as one of the most liberal states in the U.S. in regard to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) rights, with most progress in jurisprudence having occurred in the late 20th and the early 21st centuries. Vermont was one of 37 U.S. states, along with the District of Columbia, that issued marriage licenses to same-sex couples prior to the landmark Supreme Court ruling of Obergefell v. Hodges, establishing equal marriage rights for same-sex couples nationwide.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of Oregon have the same legal rights as non-LGBTQ people. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Oregon, and same-sex marriage has been legal in the state since May 2014 when a federal judge declared the state's ban on such marriages unconstitutional. Previously, same-sex couples could only access domestic partnerships, which guaranteed most of the rights of marriage. Additionally, same-sex couples are allowed to jointly adopt, and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in the areas of employment, housing and public accommodations is outlawed in the state under the Oregon Equality Act, enacted in 2008. Conversion therapy on minors is also illegal.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) rights in the U.S. state of Indiana have been shaped by both state and federal law. These evolved from harsh penalties established early in the state's history to the decriminalization of same-sex activity in 1977 and the legalization of same-sex marriage in 2014. Indiana was subject to an April 2017 federal court ruling that discrimination based on sexual orientation is tantamount to discrimination on account of "sex", as defined by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The ruling establishes sexual orientation as a protected characteristic in the workplace, forbidding unfair discrimination, although Indiana state statutes do not include sexual orientation or gender identity among its categories of discrimination.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of North Dakota may face some legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBTQ residents. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in North Dakota, and same-sex couples and families headed by same-sex couples are eligible for all of the protections available to opposite-sex married couples; same-sex marriage has been legal since June 2015 as a result of Obergefell v. Hodges. State statutes do not address discrimination on account of sexual orientation or gender identity; however, the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County established that employment discrimination against LGBTQ people is illegal under federal law.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of South Carolina may face some legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBTQ residents. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in South Carolina as a result of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas, although the state legislature has not repealed its sodomy laws. Same-sex couples and families headed by same-sex couples are eligible for all of the protections available to opposite-sex married couples. However, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity is not banned statewide.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of Nebraska may face some legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBTQ residents. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Nebraska, and same-sex marriage has been recognized since June 2015 as a result of Obergefell v. Hodges. The state prohibits discrimination on account of sexual orientation and gender identity in employment and housing following the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County and a subsequent decision of the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission. In addition, the state's largest city, Omaha, has enacted protections in public accommodations.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of Kentucky still face some legal challenges not experienced by other people. Same-sex sexual activity in Kentucky has been legally permitted since 1992, although the state legislature has not repealed its sodomy statute for same-sex couples. Same-sex marriage is legal in Kentucky under the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges. The decision, which struck down Kentucky's statutory and constitutional bans on same-sex marriages and all other same-sex marriage bans elsewhere in the country, was handed down on June 26, 2015.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of Idaho face some legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBTQ people. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Idaho, and same-sex marriage has been legal in the state since October 2014. State statutes do not address discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; however, the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County established that employment discrimination against LGBTQ people is illegal under federal law. A number of cities and counties provide further protections, namely in housing and public accommodations. A 2019 Public Religion Research Institute opinion poll showed that 71% of Idahoans supported anti-discrimination legislation protecting LGBTQ people, and a 2016 survey by the same pollster found majority support for same-sex marriage.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) rights in the U.S. state of Alaska have evolved significantly over the years. Since 1980, same-sex sexual conduct has been allowed, and same-sex couples can marry since October 2014. The state offers few legal protections against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, leaving LGBTQ people vulnerable to discrimination in housing and public accommodations; however, the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County established that employment discrimination against LGBTQ people is illegal under federal law. In addition, four Alaskan cities, Anchorage, Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan, representing about 46% of the state population, have passed discrimination protections for housing and public accommodations.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of Oklahoma face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBTQ residents. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Oklahoma as a result of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas, although the state legislature has not repealed its sodomy laws. Both same-sex marriage and adoption by same-sex couples have been permitted since October 2014. State statutes do not prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity; however, the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County established that employment discrimination against LGBTQ people is illegal. This practice may still continue, as Oklahoma is an at-will employment state and it is still legal to fire an employee without requiring the employer to disclose any reason.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of Mississippi face legal challenges and discrimination not experienced by non-LGBTQ residents. LGBT rights in Mississippi are limited in comparison to other states. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Mississippi as a result of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas. Same-sex marriage has been recognized since June 2015 in accordance with the Supreme Court's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges. State statutes do not address discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity; however, the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County established that employment discrimination against LGBTQ people is illegal under federal law. The state capital Jackson and a number of other cities provide protections in housing and public accommodations as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT rights in Guam</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in Guam have improved significantly in recent years. Same-sex sexual activity has not been criminalized since 1978, and same-sex marriage has been allowed since June 2015. The U.S. territory now has discrimination protections in employment for both sexual orientation and gender identity. Additionally, federal law has provided for hate crime coverage since 2009. Gender changes are legal in Guam, provided the applicant has undergone sex reassignment surgery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT rights in the United States Virgin Islands</span>

In the U.S. Virgin Islands, Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights have evolved substantially in recent years. Same-sex sexual activity has been legal since 1985. The region also provides explicit legal protections against discrimination for LGBTQ residents since December 2022. Following the Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges on June 26, 2015, which found the denial of marriage rights to same-sex couples unconstitutional, same-sex marriage became legal in the islands.

References

Mayhead, Molly A. and Brenda DeVore Marshall (2005). Women's Political Discourse: A 21st-century Perspective. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 0-7425-2909-6.

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[1] Emmet Meara (May 27, 1999). "Gay Alliance seeks 2000 vote on discrimination". Sun Journal . Retrieved May 22, 2012.

[2] Marina Yannakoudakis (October 20, 2011). "North Cyprus still criminalises gay community". Public Service Europe. Archived from the original on October 22, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2012.

[3] "1998-05-28 Statement on Amendment to EEO Executive Order". May 28, 1998. Archived from the original on August 20, 2012. Retrieved March 6, 2012.

[4] Abel v. United States of America,97-6205( United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit September 23, 1998).

[Shepard-5] 1 2 3 "Matthew Shepard murder timeline". Casper Star-Tribune Online. October 7, 2008. Retrieved March 4, 2016.

[murder-6] 1 2 3 "Matthew Shepard Murder: A Chronology". Famous Trials. UMKC School of Law. Retrieved March 7, 2021.

[7] McNeil, Donald G. Jr. (October 10, 1998). "South Africa Strikes Down Laws on Gay Sex". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331 . Retrieved March 4, 2016.

[Matthew-8] 1 2 "Matthew Shepard, victim of anti-gay hate crime, dies". History.com. Retrieved March 7, 2021.

[9] Irwin, Julie (October 14, 1998). "Law denying gay protection stands". The Cincinnati Enquirer . Retrieved January 3, 2009.

[10] The Right to Be Out: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in America's Public Schools . U of Minnesota Press. January 1, 2010. ISBN 9781452915319.

[11] Mayhead and DeVore Marshall, p. 101

[HAWAIIGOV1998-12] General Election 1998, Hawaii Office of Elections, November 3, 1998, retrieved July 6, 2010

[13] "Lawrence v Texas". Lambda Legal. Retrieved March 7, 2021.

[14] Sack, Kevin (November 24, 1998). "Georgia's High Court Voids Sodomy Law". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331 . Retrieved March 4, 2016.

[Rita-15] 1 2 Sosin, Kate (July 15, 2020). "Her Death Sparked Transgender Day of Remembrance. 22 Years Later, Still No Answers". NBC News. Retrieved March 7, 2021.

[16] Navarro, Mireya (December 2, 1998). "2 Decades On, Miami Endorses Gay Rights". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331 . Retrieved March 4, 2016.

[17] "Boswell v Boswell". American Psychological Association. Retrieved March 7, 2021.

[Simon-18] "Tseko Simon Nkoli dies". South African History Online. Retrieved March 7, 2021.

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