Isle of Man finally pardons people criminalised for being gay until 1992
Men convicted under anti-homosexuality laws in one of the last places in the British Isles to scrap them have finally been granted full pardons.
Homosexual acts were illegal in the Isle of Man until 1992, during which gay people say they were routinely targeted by police who turned a blind eye toward homophobic attacks.
It lifted the ban 27 years after England after campaigning by a tiny group of activists spearheaded by Alan Shea, who famously wore a mock concentration camp uniform to the Manx national celebration of Tynwald Day in 1991.
By then, the Republic of Ireland was the only place in the British Isles yet to decriminalise homosexuality, which it did 1993.
Homosexual activities were legalised in Scotland in 1980 and in Northern Ireland in 1982.
On Wednesday, the Isle of Man also became the second-last place in the Isles to issue official pardons for everyone targeted under the archaic law.
The Irish government is currently looking at making a similar move later this year.
The change means Manx citizens can have any conviction, caution, warning or reprimand for homosexuality offences to wiped from criminal records or criminal record checks by making an application.
It also applies to anyone who died since their conviction, and their loved ones can apply to have their records wiped.
The island is set to hold its second ever Pride parade in August.
The Manx Minister for Justice and Home Affairs, Jane Poole-Wilson, said: ‘It is very difficult to accept how it was once common place for people to be criminalised in this way.
‘I hope that these automatic pardons will help to address at least some of the hurt caused by our historical laws.
‘Our society has progressed and become much more inclusive and tolerant than when these discriminatory laws were in place, but we still have work to do to protect everyone in our community.’
The Isle of Man is not part of the UK but is a self-governing British Crown Dependency with its own parliament, government and laws.
The UK issued pardons to thousands of gay men in 2017, four years after a posthumous pardon was granted to wartime codebreaker Alan Turing.
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