2006 in LGBTQ rights

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Last updated October 27, 2024

This is a list of notable events in the history of LGBTQ rights that took place in the year 2006.

Events

January

1
- Serbia equalizes the age of consent for homosexual acts to 14, matching the legal age for heterosexual acts.^[1]
- In the U.S. state of Illinois, a new state law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation goes into effect.
- In the U.S. state of Washington, a new mayor of Spokane is sworn in to succeed James E. West, who was recalled after a political scandal involving him using his office computer to access gay websites.
24 – Republic of Ireland – Report of Oireachtas committee recommending civil unions is launched by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
25 – The Ocean County, New Jersey freeholders vote to allow county police and fire department employees to designate someone other than a spouse as a pension beneficiary. The move comes after the case of Laurel Hester, a police officer with the Ocean County prosecutor's office with terminal cancer, came to national attention when the freeholders refuse repeatedly to change the spouses-only rule.^[2]
26 – In the Czech Republic, registered partnership legislation is approved by the Senate 65–14.
27 – In the U.S. state of Washington, legislators pass a bill banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation (which is legally defined to include gender identity). It passes with a 25–23 vote in the state senate and by a 61–37 vote in the House of Representatives. State governor Christine Gregoire says she will sign the bill into law on January 31.

March

8 – The city council of Washington, D.C., bans gender identity discrimination in the private sector.
15 – The Czech Republic’s Chamber of Deputies overrides president Václav Klaus's veto of the registered partnerships bill.

April

11 – Ernie Fletcher, governor of the U.S. state of Kentucky, rescinds a 2003 executive order banning discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in the public sector.^[3]

May

27 – An attempt to stage the first-ever gay pride march in Moscow ends with violence and mass arrests, after activists took to the streets despite the ban by mayor Yuri Luzhkov.

June

5 – United States President George W. Bush renews his call for passage of the Federal Marriage Amendment.
7
- The Federal Marriage Amendment fails to pass the U.S. Senate. Of the 60 votes required to invoke the cloture motion, 49 senators voted to put the amendment to a vote and 48 voted against.
- Anti-discrimination law in the state of Washington enters into effect, after a ballot initiative to reverse it fails to collect enough signatures.^[4]
29 – The Supreme Court of the U.S. state of Arkansas confirms a lower state court judgment, ruling that it is unconstitutional to ban lesbians and gays from being foster parents.

July

1 – Registered partnerships begin in the Czech Republic, the first nation of the former Communist bloc to sanction same-sex unions.^[5]
23 – Registered partnerships begin in Slovenia.
29 – the Declaration of Montreal on LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) Human Rights is presented at the opening ceremony of the 2006 World Outgames.

September

10 – Canada's New Democratic Party becomes the world's first political party to adopt the Declaration of Montreal.
11 – Responding to pressure from the American Medical Student Association, the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association and other groups, Touro University reinstates the medical school's Gay-Straight Alliance student group.
29 – The Anglican Journal reports that Terence Finlay, retired Archbishop of Toronto and Metropolitan of Ontario, has solemnised the marriage of a lesbian couple—and that Finlay's successor, Colin Johnson, has suspended his license to conduct weddings.^[6]

October

16 – The government of Hong Kong accepts the decision of the appeals court to equalise the age of consent from 21 (for homosexual acts) to 16 (the legal age for heterosexual acts).^[7]
25 – The New Jersey Supreme Court rules in a 4–3 decision that the state constitution guarantees same-sex couples all the legal benefits of marriage, but does not explicitly legalize same-sex marriage in the state.^[8]
26 – 29 – The tenth-annual ILGA-Europe conference is held in Sofia, on the eve of Bulgaria's accession to the European Union in 2007.^[9]

November

7
- Eight states vote on amendments to ban same-sex marriage: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin. All of the bans pass except for Arizona, which defeats the measure.
- Patricia Todd, the first openly gay member of the Alabama legislature, is elected.^[10]^[11]^[12]
8 – The UK Government publishes regulations outlawing discrimination in Goods and Services covering Northern Ireland which are due to enter into force on the January 1,^[13] which prove controversial with some religious groups^[14]
9 – Mexico City's unicameral Legislative Assembly passed and approved (43–17) a bill legalizing same-sex civil unions, under the name Ley de Sociedades de Convivencia (Law for Co-existence Partnerships), which became effective in March 2007.^[15]
9 – Yogyakarta Principles was developed at a meeting of the International Commission of Jurists, the International Service for Human Rights and human rights experts from around the world at Gadjah Mada University on Java, Indonesia from 6 to 9 November 2006.
14 – The National Assembly of South Africa passes the Civil Union Bill, which will legalise same-sex marriage in South Africa, by 230 votes to 41.
23 – Days before same-sex marriage becomes legal, the Constitutional Court of South Africa rules in Gory v Kolver NO that a same-sex partner is entitled to inherit as a spouse would if the other partner dies intestate.^[16]
29 – Having been passed 36–11 by the National Council of Provinces of South Africa on the previous day, the Civil Union Act is signed into law by Acting President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.^[17] The first South African same-sex marriage is solemnised on the following day.

December

1 – An equalised age of consent law comes into force in Isle of Man, reducing the legal age for homosexual activity from 18 to 16 to match the age for heterosexual activity.
7
- The House of Commons of Canada defeats a motion put forward by the Conservative minority government to revisit the issue of same-sex marriage in Canada. After the motion fails, prime minister Stephen Harper tells reporters, "I don't see reopening this question in the future."^[18]
- The Scottish Parliament legalizes adoption by same-sex couples, by a vote of 98–11.^[19]
11 – Three LGBT organisations—ILGA-Europe, LBL, and LSVD—are granted United Nations ECOSOC consultative status after a hard fought campaign from many non-governmental organizations.^[20]
14
- The New Jersey Legislature enacts a bill to establish civil unions in that state. The measure passed 56–19 in the Assembly, and 23–12 in the Senate. It will come into effect 60 days after the governor signs it.^[21]
- In the Republic of Ireland, the Labour party introduces a civil unions bill in the Dáil, to be debated in early 2007.^[22]^[23]
19 – New Jersey bans gender identity discrimination in the private sector.^[24]
21 – New Jersey governor Jon Corzine signs the bill establishing civil unions in the state. The first civil union licenses become available on February 20, 2007.^[25]

Deaths

January 30 – Coretta Scott King, 78, American civil rights activist and advocate of gay rights
February 18 – Laurel Hester, 49, American police officer whose fight to name her domestic partner as her pension beneficiary garnered national attention^[2]
May 24 – Fritz Klein, 73, American bisexual sex researcher and psychiatrist
July 3 – Nimrod Ping, 58, British gay architect and politician
October 14 – Gerry Studds, 69, American Representative for the state of Massachusetts, first openly gay member of Congress^[26]

Related Research Articles

This is a list of notable events in the history of LGBTQ rights that took place in the year 2004.

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

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ rights in Hungary</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ) people in Hungary face legal and social challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Homosexuality is legal in Hungary for both men and women. Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and sex is banned in the country. However, households headed by same-sex couples are not eligible for all of the same legal rights available to heterosexual married couples. Registered partnership for same-sex couples was legalised in 2009, but same-sex marriage remains banned. The Hungarian government has passed legislation that restricts the civil rights of LGBT Hungarians – such as ending legal recognition of transgender Hungarians and banning LGBT content and displays for minors. This trend continues under the Fidesz government of Viktor Orbán. In June 2021, Hungary passed an anti-LGBT law on banning "homosexual and transexual propaganda" effective since 1 July. The law has been condemned by seventeen member states of the European Union. In July 2020, the European Commission started legal action against Hungary and Poland for violations of fundamental rights of LGBTQI people, stating: "Europe will never allow parts of our society to be stigmatized."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ rights in Romania</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Romania face legal challenges and discrimination not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Attitudes in Romania are generally conservative, with regard to the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender citizens. Nevertheless, the country has made significant changes in LGBT rights legislation since 2000. In the past two decades, it fully decriminalised homosexuality, introduced and enforced wide-ranging anti-discrimination laws, equalised the age of consent and introduced laws against homophobic hate crimes. Furthermore, LGBT communities have become more visible in recent years, as a result of events such as Bucharest's annual pride parade, Timișoara's Pride Week and Cluj-Napoca's Gay Film Nights festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ rights in Montenegro</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Montenegro face significant challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Both male and female same-sex sexual activity are legal in Montenegro, but households headed by same-sex couples are not eligible for the same legal protections available to opposite-sex married couples.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ rights in Latvia</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ) rights in Latvia have expanded substantially in recent years, although LGBT people still face various challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Both male and female types of same-sex sexual activity are legal in Latvia, but households headed by same-sex couples are ineligible for the same legal protections available to opposite-sex couples. Since May 2022, same-sex couples have been recognized as "family" by the Administrative District Court, which gives them some of the legal protections available to married (opposite-sex) couples; as of 2023 November, around 40 couples have been registered via this procedure. In November 2023 registered partnerships were codified into law. These partnerships are available to both same and different sex couples - since July 1, 2024 the implemented registered partnership law has the similar rights and obligations as married couples - with the exception of the title of marriage, and adoption or inheritance rights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ rights in Malta</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) rights in Malta rank among the highest in the world. Throughout the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the rights of the LGBTQ community received more awareness and same-sex sexual activity was legalized on 29 January 1973. The prohibition was already dormant by the 1890s.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ) rights are widely diverse in Europe per country. 22 of the 38 countries that have legalised same-sex marriage worldwide are situated in Europe. A further 11 European countries have legalised civil unions or other forms of recognition for same-sex couples.

This is a list of notable events in the history of LGBTQ rights that took place in the year 2007.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of New Hampshire enjoy the same rights as non-LGBTQ people, with most advances in LGBT rights occurring in the state within the past two decades. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in New Hampshire, and the state began offering same-sex couples the option of forming a civil union on January 1, 2008. Civil unions offered most of the same protections as marriages with respect to state law, but not the federal benefits of marriage. Same-sex marriage in New Hampshire has been legally allowed since January 1, 2010, and one year later New Hampshire's civil unions expired, with all such unions converted to marriages. New Hampshire law has also protected against discrimination based on sexual orientation since 1998 and gender identity since 2018. Additionally, a conversion therapy ban on minors became effective in the state in January 2019. In effect since January 1, 2024, the archaic common-law "gay panic defence" was formally abolished; by legislation implemented within August 2023.

Equality Maryland (EQMD) was a non-profit organization formerly headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland, now based in Baltimore. It was at the time, the largest organization in Maryland whose activities focused on advocacy and education with regard to LGBT social and political movements. Its mission included: the passage of laws prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender expression, and gender identity; the expansion of Maryland's hate-crimes statute; the increase of domestic partner benefits; the legal recognition of same-sex marriage in Maryland and laws banning the practice of conversion therapy on minors. In 2016, the organization merged with FreeState Legal Project, to form FreeState Justice.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of Michigan enjoy the same rights as non-LGBTQ people. Michigan in June 2024 was ranked "the most welcoming U.S. state for LGBT individuals". Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Michigan under the U.S. Supreme Court case Lawrence v. Texas, although the state legislature has not repealed its sodomy law. Same-sex marriage was legalised in accordance with 2015's Obergefell v. Hodges decision. Discrimination on the basis of both sexual orientation and gender identity is unlawful since July 2022, was re-affirmed by the Michigan Supreme Court - under and by a 1976 statewide law, that explicitly bans discrimination "on the basis of sex". The Michigan Civil Rights Commission have also ensured that members of the LGBT community are not discriminated against and are protected in the eyes of the law since 2018 and also legally upheld by the Michigan Supreme Court in 2022. In March 2023, a bill passed the Michigan Legislature by a majority vote - to formally codify both "sexual orientation and gender identity" anti-discrimination protections embedded within Michigan legislation. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the bill on March 16, 2023. In 2024, Michigan repealed “the last ban on commercial surrogacy within the US” - for individuals and couples and reformed the parentage laws, that acknowledges same sex couples and their families with children.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of Delaware enjoy the same legal protections as non-LGBTQ people. Same-sex sexual activity has been legal in Delaware since January 1, 1973. On January 1, 2012, civil unions became available to same-sex couples, granting them the "rights, benefits, protections, and responsibilities" of married persons. Delaware legalized same-sex marriage on July 1, 2013.

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.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of Georgia enjoy most of the same rights as non-LGBTQ people. LGBTQ rights in the state have been a recent occurrence, with most improvements occurring from the 2010s onward. Same-sex sexual activity has been legal since 1998, although the state legislature has not repealed its sodomy law. Same-sex marriage has been legal in the state since 2015, in accordance with Obergefell v. Hodges. In addition, the state's largest city Atlanta, has a vibrant LGBTQ community and holds the biggest Pride parade in the Southeast. The state's hate crime laws, effective since June 26, 2020, explicitly include sexual orientation.

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.

The establishment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) rights in the U.S. state of Connecticut is a recent phenomenon, with most advances in LGBT rights taking place in the late 20th century and early 21st century. Connecticut was the second U.S. state to enact two major pieces of pro-LGBT legislation; the repeal of the sodomy law in 1971 and the legalization of same-sex marriage in 2008. State law bans unfair discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing and public accommodations, and both conversion therapy and the gay panic defense are outlawed in the state.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of Hawaii enjoy the same rights as non-LGBTQ people. Same-sex sexual activity has been legal since 1973; Hawaii being one of the first six states to legalize it. In 1993, a ruling by the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court made Hawaii the first state to consider legalizing same-sex marriage. Following the approval of the Hawaii Marriage Equality Act in November 2013, same-sex couples have been allowed to marry on the islands. Additionally, Hawaii law prohibits discrimination on the basis of both sexual orientation and gender identity, and the use of conversion therapy on minors has been banned since July 2018. Gay and lesbian couples enjoy the same rights, benefits and treatment as opposite-sex couples, including the right to marry and adopt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ rights in Jersey</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ) rights in the British Crown dependency of Jersey have evolved significantly since the early 1990s. Same-sex sexual activity was decriminalised in 1990. Since then, LGBTQ people have been given many more rights equal to that of heterosexuals, such as an equal age of consent (2006), the right to change legal gender for transgender people (2010), the right to enter into civil partnerships (2012), the right to adopt children (2012) and very broad anti-discrimination and legal protections on the basis of "sexual orientation, gender reassignment and intersex status" (2015). Jersey is the only British territory that explicitly includes "intersex status" within anti-discrimination laws. Same-sex marriage has been legal in Jersey since 1 July 2018.

This is a list of notable events in the history of LGBTQ rights that took place in the year 2015.

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[1] "LGBTI in Serbia".

[hesterobit-2] 1 2 Wilson, Michael (February 20, 2006). "Lieutenant Who Won Pension Rights for Her Domestic Partner Dies at 49". The New York Times. Retrieved September 26, 2018.

[3] "National Stonewall Democrats". Archived from the original on May 10, 2007. Retrieved June 13, 2007.

[4] "Eyman stumbles with gay-rights challenge". June 6, 2006. Retrieved September 26, 2018.

[5] "Prague Post". Prague Post. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved September 26, 2018.

[6] Anglican Journal: Archbishop disciplined for performing same-sex marriage Archived June 20, 2009, at the Wayback Machine

[7] "Gay News From 365Gay.com". Archived from the original on October 19, 2006. Retrieved December 10, 2006.

[8] "Stateline". www.stateline.org. Retrieved September 26, 2018.

[9] "10th ILGA-Europe annual conference: birthday cake in family circle / Sofia 2006 / Annual conference / About us / Europe / ilga – ILGA Europe". Archived from the original on August 4, 2012. Retrieved December 10, 2006.

[10] Halterman, Mike. "Rep. Patricia Todd Speaks Out". Vol. 1, no. 2. Out on the Town Magazine. Retrieved December 20, 2010.

[nytimes-11] Dewan, Shaila (August 25, 2006). "Issues of Race and Sex Stir Up Alabama Election". The New York Times. Retrieved August 17, 2007.

[12] "At last, a ban fails". www.gaypeopleschronicle.com. Retrieved September 26, 2018.

[13] "The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006". www.opsi.gov.uk. Retrieved September 26, 2018.

[14] "Microsoft Word - Progress Report, SO Regs _CRC_.doc" (PDF). publications.parliament.uk. February 28, 2007. Retrieved August 28, 2022.

[15] Erich Adolfo Moncada Cota (November 19, 2006). "Mexico City Approves Same Sex Unions". Archived from the original on November 20, 2009. Retrieved December 9, 2009.

[16] "Gay partners can now inherit". News24. November 23, 2006. Retrieved November 26, 2011.

[17] "SA same-sex marriage law signed". BBC News. November 30, 2006. Retrieved August 30, 2011.

[18] "

[19] "Scotland rejects adoption prejudice". December 7, 2006. Retrieved September 26, 2018.

[20] "ILGA | Historic recognition of LGBT organisations at the United Nations: one of ILGA's regions and two of its members granted consultative status". Archived from the original on December 14, 2006. Retrieved January 2, 2007.

[21] Mansnerus, Laura (December 14, 2006). "New Jersey Legislature Votes to Allow Civil Unions". The New York Times. Retrieved September 26, 2018.

[22] The Labour Party – Press releases Archived February 8, 2007, at the Wayback Machine

[23] The Labour Party – Current campaigns Archived March 12, 2007, at the Wayback Machine

[24] Jackson Lewis – New Jersey Adds "Gender Identity and Expression" as a Protected Category Under State Civil Rights Law Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine

[25] "ABC7 Eyewitness News - WABC-TV New York". ABC7 New York. Archived from the original on March 18, 2007. Retrieved September 26, 2018.

[26] Studds, first openly gay person elected to Congress, dead at 69 Archived November 13, 2006, at the Wayback Machine , CNN, October 14, 2006.

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