The conquest mentality and 'cult of virility' shaped same-sex relations. 'Virtue' ( virtus) was seen as an active quality through which a man ( vir) defined himself. In the three main cities of London, Colchester and Saint Albans as in all Roman settlements was patriarchal, and the freeborn male citizen possessed political liberty ( libertas) and the right to rule both himself and his household ( familia). Roman society was to shape Britain for the next four centuries.

The Roman conquest of Britain begins, creating Roman Britain.

Far from finding anything shameful in all this, they feel insulted if anyone refuses the favours they offer'. And what is strangest of all is that, without any thought for a natural sense of modesty, they carelessly surrender their virginity to other man. They usually sleep on the ground on skins of wild animals and tumble about with a bedfellow on either side. Siculus also noted that 'it was an insult if a guest refused an offer of sex from a Celtic man.

Diodorus Siculus the Sicilian historian (1st century BC) stated that, 'although Celtic women were beautiful, their men preferred to sleep with each other'.

However, these homosexual activities were bound by the male dominated Celtic culture, and was not seen as an effeminate practice. In Celtic society male homosexuality was permissible and acceptable between free adult men.

The Iron Age (600 BC to 50 AD) – Celtic Britain commenced around the time of the Iron Age.

NI)īlood donation deferral 3 months (incl. MSM activity not grounds for military dischargeīlood donation deferral 3 months (excl. Nikki Sinclaire becomes first openly trans MEP Gay men allowed to donate blood (1 yr deferral) Incitement to homophobic hatred made a crime Same sex couples granted equal rights to adoptĮqualised access to IVF for lesbian couples MSM activity involving multiple men legal MSM activity made legal (England & Wales)Ĭhris Smith elected as first openly gay MPĪngela Eagle becomes first openly lesbian MP Pitt-Rivers, Montagu, Wildeblood imprisoned

Plans to make lesbian activity illegal defeated Oscar Wilde found guilty of gross indecency

Death penalty introduced for MSM activity

Indecent Infatuation by Rory Ireland