Assisted reproduction technology and artificial insemination, in vitro fertilisation

In the 6th April 2009 the Human and Embryology Act 2008 was created, the act allowed
lesbian couples that are not in a civil partnership to share the same roles and responsibility
for a child that was born as a result of IVF, not just the birth mother only, also the same date
lesbian couples were to have both of their names placed on the same birth certificate.

Civil unions, partners

Before the civil partnership act the greater London authority had a London partnerships
register for straight and gay married couples there were not married, the register allowed
there partnership to be registered but one of the partners had to live in London and pay a fee
of £85, other cities soon followed such as Manchester city, Birmingham city and Liverpool
city.

Courts and tribunals

A High Court judge claimed that gay people had the same rights as heterosexuals and were
to be treated as “nearest relatives” when their partners were sent for treatment under the
mental health act.

Discrimination
Gay Anglican Priests are also allowed to register their relationships through Britain’s new
civil partnerships act, this was backed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, but they are still
banned from consummating their relationships.

National
An Equality Bill was passed that imposed quality duty on public and private bodies, this
meant that consideration of needs to be taken into places for people who use a service this
is due to take place in Autumn 2010, the bill was mentioned in the queens speech in
December 2008.

Employment
On the 2nd December 2003, the anti-discrimination laws were extended so that they covered
discrimination over employment and training based on someone’s sexual orientation. This
meant that unless the employer could prove having a gay or lesbian worker would be against
the companies’ religious beliefs, discrimination based on sexual orientation was unfair.
The word homosexual was replaced and got rid of in a move by the government to promote
equality in places of work.

Good and Services

In March 2007 a vote was taken in the House of Lords that gave support of new goods and
services protection. The made in unlawful to discriminate based on someone’s sexual
orientation when supplying goods or services, this meant that more services such as
fostering, hospitals and health clinics were now more easily usable for gays and lesbians,
the law came in to place on the 20th April 2007

Insurance
In 2003 the association of British insurers was trying to prevent insurers from making
assumptions about applicants ‘risk of HIV/Aids or sexuality as a result of their occupation.
Police
New guidelines were published by the Police complaints commission in 2003 that dealt with
the dealing of allegations of discriminatory behaviour or homophobia.

Schools
In 2003a vote was taken in the House of Lords remove section 28 of the local government
act that banned schools from teaching or promoting homosexuality in schools.

Hate Crimes
On the 8th May 2008 a chapter in the criminal justice and immigration bill meant that hatred
towards someone based on their sexual orientation was now an offence, as before there
was no hate crime law in Britain.

Homosexuality and Sodomy

Homosexuality was not legalised until 1967 at the age of 21.
In 2003 the government said that any gay man that had wrongly been placed on the sex
offenders register will be removed. At present gay men who are convicted or cautioned due
to offences of gross indecency where one participant is aged 16 to 18, are made to register
as a sex offender.

Inheritance
A court of Appeal ruling now means that homosexuals have the same eights as straight
people when it comes to taking over tenancies of a spouse that has died.

Marriage
The UK has no law permitting same sex couples to marry, this was clarified by the
Matrimonial Act 1973, which stated that marriage partners have to be male and female.

Military
In February 2005 the Royal Navy was the first section of the British Military that said they
would welcome gay and lesbian personnel into family quarters once they have registered
their partnership.
They were also granted the same rights when it came to claiming for the loss of a partner in
conflict.