The Labouchere Amendment

The Labouchere Amendment, introduced in 1857 in the UK, changed the legal status of certain sexual acts between men, particularly by repealing the previous provisions of the Criminal Law Amendment Act. It specifically targeted consensual homosexual acts, allowing for criminal prosecution. The Amendment is often associated with the famous trial of Oscar Wilde. It contributed to the social stigma and legal consequences faced by LGBTQ+ individuals at the time. Over the years, attitudes shifted, leading to the eventual decriminalization of homosexual acts in the UK, recognizing the importance of individual rights and personal freedoms.