Thousands of Men to Be Pardoned for Gay Sex, Once a Crime in Britain

[Whitman]

LONDON — The men were convicted — tens of thousands of them — of crimes like buggery, gross indecency and loitering with intent. They had been arrested in bars, coffee houses, bars and public bathrooms, and sometimes in the privacy of their homes and with their partners. In many cases, their only offense was seeking intimacy with another man.

 

Decades after homosexuality was decriminalized in Britain, the government announced on Thursday (10-20-16) that it would posthumously pardon thousands of gay and bisexual men.

 

...George Chauncey, a history professor at Yale University, said he was not aware of any similar blanket pardon being offered in the United States for sodomy, degenerate disorderly conduct or other charges commonly used against men caught trying to pick up other men. The closest, he said, is the Obama administration’s policy, since 2011, of allowing military veterans who were discharged for homosexuality to apply to have their discharge reclassified as “honorable” rather than “undesirable.” But those decisions are made on a case-by-case basis.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/21/world/europe/britain-will-posthumously-pardon-thousands-of-gay-and-bisexual-men.html?_r=0

[Whitman]

UPDATE, 10-21-16: 'Turing Bill' for gay pardons fails in Parliament

A bill that would have wiped clean the criminal records of thousands of gay men has fallen at its first parliamentary hurdle. There were emotional scenes with one MP fighting back tears during his speech [and] shouts of "shame" and "shameful" from angry MPs as the seconds ticked down and proceedings came to an end.

 

More: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-37707030

[Kenny]

UPDATE, 10-21-16: 'Turing Bill' for gay pardons fails in Parliament

 

A bill that would have wiped clean the criminal records of thousands of gay men has fallen at its first parliamentary hurdle. There were emotional scenes with one MP fighting back tears during his speech [and] shouts of "shame" and "shameful" from angry MPs as the seconds ticked down and proceedings came to an end.

 

More: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-37707030

Justice minister Sam Gyimah is deeply concerned about all the homo-rapists and homo-pedophiles that might be mistakenly pardoned, proving once again how deep homophobia goes. Ugh.

[Boink]

I agree with 93 year old George Montague. He's says to accept a pardon implies you've done something wrong. He'd rather have an apology.

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-37713078

[mike carey]

I agree with 93 year old George Montague. He's says to accept a pardon implies you've done something wrong. He'd rather have an apology.

What a great guy, I hope I am as engaged and passionate as he is if I live to that age! He was interviewed on Radio National Breakfast today, http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/breakfast/britain-turing-bill-for-gay-pardons-fails-in-parliament/7958586, [bTW the interviewer is gay]. He says that he likes the approach that many Australian states are taking of expunging the convictions of people convicted under anti-gay laws in the past (rather than 'pardons'). I love the way that he plans, as an old queen, to send the Queen Christmas cards to advocate for reform.

[+ sniper]

Justice minister Sam Gyimah is deeply concerned about all the homo-rapists and homo-pedophiles that might be mistakenly pardoned, proving once again how deep homophobia goes. Ugh.

 

Sodomy laws have historically pulled double duty as a way to prosecute rapists and child molestors without forcing the victim to be grilled on the stand. There probably is a nonzero number of real predators on the list. I think they need to speed up the process of clearing people off the list, but I do think some caution is warranted.