New legislation came into force on 1 December 2003 which for the first time provided legal protection for lesbian, gay and bisexual workers against discrimination and harassment at work.
Source: Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003, Statutory Instrument 2003/1661, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Statutory Instrument | ACAS guidance (pdf) | DTI summary (pdf)
Date: 2003-Dec
The government confirmed plans to introduce a Bill allowing gay and lesbian couples to register their partnership in law.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, 26 November 2003, columns 4-7 (Queen's Speech), TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Queen's Speech | Stonewall press release
Date: 2003-Nov
The number of people living with HIV in the United Kingdom rose from 41,700 in 2001 to 49,500 in 2002 (up 18.7 per cent).
Source: Renewing the Focus: HIV and other sexually transmitted infections in the United Kingdom in 2002, Health Protection Agency (020 8200 6868)
Links: Report (pdf) | Report (pdf links) | HPA press release | National Aids Trust press release | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Nov
The government published a report of the responses received to a consultation paper on proposals for a civil partnership scheme for same-sex couples. It provided statistics on the responses received, summarised the emerging themes from the consultation, and addressed many of the questions raised by those who responded. It said that 83 per cent of respondents were in favour of the proposals.
Source: Responses to Civil Partnership: A framework for the legal recognition of same-sex couples, Women and Equality Unit/Department of Trade and Industry (0845 001 0029)
Links: Responses (pdf) | DTI press release | Consultation document (pdf)
Date: 2003-Nov
Most provisions of the Local Government Act 2003 came into force from 18 November 2003. All 'best value' authorities in England and Wales gained a new power to charge for discretionary services. Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988, which prohibited local authorities from promoting homosexuality, was repealed. All local authorities were enabled to conduct 'advisory polls' to help them gauge their communities' views on local service delivery. New grant making powers made it easier for the government to pay grants to councils without restrictions on how they should use the money.
Source: Local Government Act 2003 (Commencement No.1and Transitional Provisions and Savings) Order 2003, Statutory Instrument 2003/2938, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Statutory Instrument | ODPM press release | Speech by Minister
Date: 2003-Nov
A survey in Wales described the prevalence of workplace discrimination, school bullying, and general victimisation experienced by the lesbian, gay and bisexual community. More than 1 in 3 respondents reported being the victim of physical violence or bullying, and 25 per cent reported having been dismissed from a job because of their sexuality.
Source: Counted Out, Stonewall Cymru (029 2023 7744)
Links: Summary (pdf) | Summary (Welsh) (pdf) | WAG press release | Citizenship 21 press release
Date: 2003-Oct
The government said that a new amendment to the Sexual Offences Bill would help the police crack down on sex offenders who tried to evade registration by not informing the police of their change of name or address. At the same time it announced that more than 300 people convicted of sex crimes would be removed from the register (this would follow the repeal of nineteenth-century laws on buggery and indecency between men, when the Sexual Offences Bill becomes law in 2004).
Source: Press release 6 October 2003, Home Office (0870 000 1585)
Links: Home Office press release | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Oct
A think-tank report suggested that the new 'civil partnerships' proposed for same-sex couples could be accorded the same tax treatment as married couples: but at the same time it urged the government to review and simplify the inconsistent assessment system currently in place for all families.
Source: Response to 'Civil Partnerships: A framework for the legal recognition of same-sex couples', Tax Law Review Committee/Institute for Fiscal Studies (020 7291 4800)
Links: IFS press release
Date: 2003-Oct
A research report identified the support needed by local health services in Scotland to better meet the needs of individuals from lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.
Source: Towards a Healthier LGBT Scotland, INCLUSION Project (Stonewall Scotland/Scottish Executive Health Department) (0141 204 0746)
Links: Report (pdf) | Citizenship 21 press release
Date: 2003-Oct
The government introduced an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill, designed to ensure that where an offence involved or was motivated by hostility based on the victim s sexual orientation (actual or presumed) the judge would be required to treat this as an aggravating factor, and to identify any extra element of the sentence given for the aggravation.
Source: The Guardian, 31 October 2003
Links: Guardian report | Stonewall press release
Date: 2003-Oct
A large-scale survey found higher levels of mental distress among the lesbian, gay and bisexual community than in heterosexual people. It also recorded a high proportion of negative reactions from mental health professionals to gay men, lesbians and bisexual people being open about their sexuality.
Source: Michael King and Eamonn McKeown, Mental Health and Social Well Being of Gay Men, Lesbians and Bisexuals in England and Wales, Mind (020 8221 9666)
Links: Summary (pdf) | Mind press release
Date: 2003-Sep
The Local Government Bill received Royal assent. The Act gave new devolved powers for local councils, financial help for small businesses and sports clubs, and incentives for councils to work with business. It also repealed the ban on local authorities 'promoting' homosexuality.
Source: Local Government Act 2003, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Act | ODPM press release (1) | ODPM press release (2) | ODPM press release (3) | WAG press release | Stonewall press release
Date: 2003-Sep
Researchers found that older gay men, lesbians and bisexual people often felt isolated from society, partly because gay and lesbian community groups were 'excessively youth-orientated'. Among gay men, lesbians and bisexual people aged 50 and over, only one third believed health professionals were positive towards them; fewer still thought doctors were generally knowledgeable about non-heterosexual lifestyles. Most of those questioned claimed that health and care service providers failed to address their specific needs.
Source: Brian Heaphy et al., The Social and Policy Implications of Non-Heterosexual Ageing, Economic and Social Research Council (01793 413000)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | ESRC press release | Help the Aged press release
Date: 2003-Sep
Researchers reviewed previous research on homophobic harassment in England, Scotland, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland; analysed all homophobic incidents recorded by the Northern Ireland police service from July 2000 to December 2002; and surveyed the lesbian, gay and bisexual communities in Northern Ireland to determine their experiences of homophobic harassment and violence.
Source: Neil Jarman and Alex Tennant, An Acceptable Prejudice? Homophobic violence and harassment in Northern Ireland, Institute for Conflict Research (028 9074 2682)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2003-Sep
A gay rights group said it rejected the government s proposal to create a civil partnership register for lesbian and gay couples. It argued that the proposed scheme would be a form of apartheid, which would entrench inequality and unnecessarily perpetuate discrimination.
Source: Press release 30 September 2003, OutRage! (020 8240 0222)
Links: OutRage! press release
Date: 2003-Sep
A report looked at the multiple identities of young lesbians, gay men and bisexual people in Northern Ireland, and at how these affected their access to healthcare. The young people concerned were often exposed to prejudice and to physical and emotional violence, and were made to feel 'invisible and isolated'.
Source: Christine Loudes, Learning to Grow Up: Multiple identities of young lesbians, gay men and bisexual people in Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (028 9024 3987)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2003-Jul
A canon in the Church of England, Jeffrey John, refused his appointment as Bishop of Reading (the first such appointment for an openly gay man) - allegedly following pressure from the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Source: The Guardian, 7.7.03
Links: Guardian report
Date: 2003-Jul
Draft regulations were published which would (from December 2003) outlaw discrimination in employment on the grounds of sexual orientation, religion or belief. A committee of MPs said that the regulations should not be approved until further scrutiny, because of doubts over the legality of provisions allowing discrimination against gay people by religious employers. However, the regulations were subsequently approved by MPs.
Source: The Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003, Statutory Instrument 2003/1661, TSO (0870 600 5522) | The Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003, Statutory Instrument 2003/1660,TSO | Twenty-First Report (Session 2002-03), HC 96-xxi and HL 116, Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments (House of Commons and House of Lords), TSO | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 25.6.03, columns 1177-1180, TSO
Links: Sex orientation regulations | Religion/belief regulations | Joint Committee report | Hansard | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Jun
The government began consultation on proposals for a new legal status for same-sex couples. Under a new civil partnership scheme, registered partners in England and Wales would gain legal recognition for their relationship and a comprehensive range of rights and responsibilities. Family lawyers said that the same rights should be extended to co-habiting heterosexual couples.
Source: Civil Partnership: Framework for the legal recognition of same-sex couples, Women and Equality Unit/Department of Trade and Industry (0845 001 0029) | Press release 30.6.03, Solicitors Family Law Association (01689 850227)
Links: Consultation document (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | DTI press release | SFLA press release | Stonewall press release | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Jun
Research identified a scarcity of support groups for gay, lesbian and other non-heterosexual Muslims.
Source: Andrew Yip, A Minority within a Minority: British non-heterosexual Muslims, Economic and Social Research Council (01793 413000)
Links: ESRC Press Release
Date: 2003-Apr
A study found that a significant number of young gay men appear to be highly anxious and depressed, expressing high levels of self-hatred and low self-esteem. While they are aware of health warnings, the majority have had unprotected sex and few know their current HIV/AIDS status.
Source: Debra Bekerian, Correlates of Unsafe Sexual Behaviour in Young Gay Males, Economic and Social Research Council (01793 413000)
Links: ESRC press release
Date: 2003-Mar
The government said that it would support an appropriate amendment to the Local Government Bill to repeal Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 (which makes it unlawful for local authorities to promote homosexuality).
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Debate 7.1.03, columns 45-140, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard | Stonewall press release
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 30/3, Digest 119, paragraph 11.6
Date: 2003-Jan
A private member's Bill was introduced aimed at ensuring that all public sector pension schemes allow gay partners to receive survivor benefits, should one partner die.
Source: Public Sector Pensions (Unmarried Couples) Bill, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 21.1.03, columns 185-187, TSO
Links: Hansard | Stonewall press release
Date: 2003-Jan