Enactment of Section 28

Date: May 24, 1988 • Location: London, United Kingdom

Section 28 of the United Kingdom's Local Government Act of 1988, a controversial amendment stating that a local authority cannot intentionally promote homosexuality, was enacted.

Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 provided that local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales should "not intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality" or "promote the teaching in any maintained school of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship". While the bill was in progress, the relevant portion was Clause 28. The prohibition was technically effected by Section 2A of the Local Government Act 1986; all Section 28 of the 1988 act did was to insert Section 2A into the earlier act. When repeal of the provision was discussed in Scotland in 2000, it was often "Section 2A" rather than "Section 28" that was referenced.