1998 in LGBTQ rights

none July 2011 1998 LGBT rights This is a list of notable events in the history of LGBT rights that took place in the year 1998. Events February 10 – Voters in the US state of Maine reject a law enacted in 1997 banning sexual orientation discrimination in the private sector with 51.5 percent against.Gay Alliance seeks 2000 vote on discrimination Emmet Meara https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gcMgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pGoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1456,4939057&dq=maine+sexual+orientation+discrimination+1997&hl=en Sun Journal May 27, 1999 May 22, 2012 May 21 – The House of Representatives of Cyprus repeals Section 171 of the Criminal Code, which used to criminalize homosexual acts between consenting male adults.North Cyprus still criminalises gay community Marina Yannakoudakis http://www.publicserviceeurope.com/article/1014/north-cyprus-still-criminalises-gay-community Public Service Europe October 20, 2011 May 23, 2012 October 22, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20111022043125/http://www.publicserviceeurope.com/article/1014/north-cyprus-still-criminalises-gay-community dead 28 - U.S. President Bill Clinton signs Executive Order 13087 to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in the competitive service of the federal civilian workforce.http://clinton6.nara.gov/1998/05/1998-05-28-statement-on-amendment-to-eeo-executive-order.html 1998-05-28 Statement on Amendment to EEO Executive Order March 6, 2012 May 28, 1998 https://web.archive.org/web/20120820143222/http://clinton6.nara.gov/1998/05/1998-05-28-statement-on-amendment-to-eeo-executive-order.html August 20, 2012 dead mdy-all September 23 – The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in Abel v. United States of America rules that the government's proffered reasons for passing "don't ask, don't tell" pass rational basis review, reversing the District Court. Abel v. United States of America 97-6205 United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit September 23, 1998 October 6 – Matthew Shepard is beaten and pistol-whipped and tied to a fence and left to die in a gay bashing incident near Laramie, Wyoming. http://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/matthew-shepard-murder-timeline/article_3b785e53-2560-58c7-83ab-ec20d14e926c.html Matthew Shepard murder timeline Casper Star-Tribune Online October 7, 2008 2016-03-04https://famous-trials.com/mattshepard/2496-matthew-shepard-murder-a-chronology Matthew Shepard Murder: A Chronology UMKC School of Law Famous Trials March 7, 2021 9 - The Constitutional Court of South Africa strikes down the country's sodomy law in National Coalition for Gay and Lesbian Equality and Another v Minister of Justice and Others; the decision applies with retroactivity to April 27, 1994, the day on which the Interim Constitution came into force.https://www.nytimes.com/1998/10/10/world/south-africa-strikes-down-laws-on-gay-sex.html South Africa Strikes Down Laws on Gay Sex McNeil Donald G. Jr. 1998-10-10 The New York Times 0362-4331 2016-03-04 12 – Matthew Shepard dies from his injuries.https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-victim-of-an-anti-gay-assault-dies Matthew Shepard, victim of anti-gay hate crime, dies History.com March 7, 2021 13 – The United States Supreme Court refuses an appeal in Equality Foundation of Greater Cincinnati, et al. v. The City of Cincinnati, in which the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit had twice found the city's anti-gay Issue 3 constitutional despite the Supreme Court's ruling in Romer v. Evans that struck down a state constitutional amendment that used substantially the same language.Julie Irwin Law denying gay protection stands October 14, 1998 http://www.enquirer.com/editions/1998/10/14/loc_gayrights14.html The Cincinnati Enquirer January 3, 2009 28 – In Canada, Glen Murray is elected as mayor of Winnipeg, Manitoba. He is the first openly gay man to be elected mayor of a major North American city.https://archive.org/details/righttobeoutsexu0000bieg registration The Right to Be Out: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in America's Public Schools 2010-01-01 U of Minnesota Press 9781452915319 en November 3 Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) is elected to the United States House of Representatives. She is the first open lesbian and the first non-incumbent gay candidate to be elected to federal office.Mayhead and DeVore Marshall, p. 101 Voters in Hawaii approve Amendment 2, giving the Hawaii State Legislature the power to restrict marriage to mixed-sex couples.Hawaii Office of Elections General Election 1998 http://hawaii.gov/elections/results/1998/general/98swgen.htm November 3, 1998 July 6, 2010 20 – In the U.S. state of Texas, John Lawrence and Tyrone Garner are fined US$125 each after being arrested for having sex in their home. They refuse to pay the fine, resulting in a challenge of the Texas sodomy law which would eventually lead to the 2003 nationwide repeal of sodomy laws in Lawrence v. Texas.https://www.lambdalegal.org/in-court/cases/lawrence-v-texas Lawrence v Texas Lambda Legal March 7, 2021 23 – The Supreme Court of the U.S. state of Georgia rules 6 to 1 to invalidate that state's sodomy law.https://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/24/us/georgia-s-high-court-voids-sodomy-law.html Georgia's High Court Voids Sodomy Law Sack Kevin 1998-11-24 The New York Times 0362-4331 2016-03-04 28 – In Allston, Massachusetts, transgender woman of color Rita Hester is murdered. The ensuing candlelight vigil a few days later was attended by 250 people and inspired the Transgender Day of Remembrance, observed each Nov 20 worldwide.https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/her-death-sparked-transgender-day-remembrance-22-years-later-still-n1233809 Her Death Sparked Transgender Day of Remembrance. 22 Years Later, Still No Answers Sosin Kate July 15, 2020 NBC News March 7, 2021 December 1 – Officials in Miami, Florida, vote 7–6 to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment and housing.https://www.nytimes.com/1998/12/02/us/2-decades-on-miami-endorses-gay-rights.html 2 Decades On, Miami Endorses Gay Rights Navarro Mireya 1998-12-02 The New York Times 0362-4331 2016-03-04 18 – The Maryland Court of Appeals rules that a parent's access to his or her children cannot be restricted due to his or her sexual orientation.https://www.apa.org/about/offices/ogc/amicus/boswell Boswell v Boswell American Psychological Association March 7, 2021 22 – In New Zealand, Minister of Immigration Tuariki Delamere announces equality for gay and lesbian couples applying for permanent residency, to take effect on March 29, 1999.https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/10-08-2020/central-heating-fringe-parties-pipe-up-from-crowd-in-first-auckland-debate Central heating: fringe parties pipe up from crowd in first Auckland debate Adams Josie August 10, 2020 The Spinoff May 28, 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20260118044423/https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/10-08-2020/central-heating-fringe-parties-pipe-up-from-crowd-in-first-auckland-debate January 18, 2026 Notable deaths October 12 – Matthew Shepard, 21, gay-bashing victim November 28 – Rita Hester, transgender murder victim November 30 – Simon Nkoli, South African gay-rights and anti-apartheid activist. He was one of the "first Black anti-apartheid activists to publicly identify as gay and HIV-positive".https://www.sahistory.org.za/dated-event/tseko-simon-nkoli-dies Tseko Simon Nkoli dies South African History Online March 7, 2021 See also LGBTQ Timeline of LGBT history – timeline of events from 12,000 BCE to present LGBT rights by country or territory – current legal status around the world LGBT social movements Notes References Mayhead, Molly A. and Brenda DeVore Marshall (2005). Women's Political Discourse: A 21st-century Perspective. Rowman & Littlefield. 0-7425-2909-6. Category:1990s in LGBTQ rights Category:1998 in LGBTQ history