R v. Secretary of State for the Home Department, ex parte Glen Fielding
Country: United KingdomYear: 1999
Court: High Court of Justice, Queen's Bench Division
Citation: [1999] EWHC Admin 641
Health Topics: HIV/AIDS, Infectious diseases, Medicines, Prisons, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to health
In 1996, Glen Fielding was sentenced to four years imprisonment. Whilst incarcerated, Fielding, a man who had sex with men, requested condoms but was refused on the basis that it was against Prison Service policy to provide condoms to a prisoner who was not HIV-positive; there was no evidence that Fielding was HIV positive. The …Read more
Laskey, Jaggard, and Brown v. United Kingdom
Country: United KingdomYear: 1997
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application No. 21627/93; 21628/93; 21974/93
Health Topics: Sexual and reproductive health, Violence
Human Rights: Right to privacy
Laskey (L), Jaggard (J) and Brown (B) had taken part in sado-masochistic encounters with as many as forty-four other homosexual men over a ten-year period. These mainly involved maltreatment of the genitalia and ritualistic beatings, either with the assailant’s bare hands or a variety of implements. There were instances of branding and infliction of injuries …Read more
X, Y and Z v. United Kingdom
Country: United KingdomYear: 1997
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: App. No. 21830/93, 24 Eur. H.R. Rep. 143 (1997).
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Health care and health services, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to family life, Right to privacy
Applicants X, Y and Z were all British nationals. X is a transsexual who has undergone gender reassignment surgery to become a man. He has lived with Y, as her male partner, since 1979. The couple applied jointly for, and was granted treatment by AID to allow Y to have a child Z. X was …Read more
Egan v. The Queen
Country: CanadaYear: 1995
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: [1995] 2 SCR 513
Health Topics: Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination
The appellants E and N, a homosexual couple who had lived together for 38 years and publicly represented themselves as partners, were denied a spousal allowance for N under section 19(1) of the federal Old Age Security Act 1985 (“Act”) solely on the basis that their relationship was of a homosexual nature and thus did …Read more
Toonen v. Australia
Country: AustraliaYear: 1994
Court: United Nations Human Rights Committee
Citation: CCPR/C/50/D/488/1992
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health information, HIV/AIDS, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to privacy
Nicholas Toonen was a gay man, HIV/AIDS activist, and LGBT rights activist living in Tasmania. Tasmania criminalized same-sex sexual conduct among men under ss 122 and 123 its criminal code; it was the last remaining state or territory of Australia to do so, the remainder having repealed such laws. Toonen brought a communication before the …Read more
Norris v. Ireland
Country: IrelandYear: 1988
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application No. 10581/83; (1988) 13 EHRR 186; [1988] ECHR 22
Health Topics: Mental health, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Right to privacy
The appellant, Mr. Norris, complained against the laws in Ireland which criminalized consensual homosexual acts (the impugned provisions). The applicant was a gay Irish citizen and gay rights advocate who claimed to suffered deep depression and loneliness arising from his inability to express his sexuality. He gave evidence of certain health and other detrimental effects …Read more
Bowers v. Hardwick
Country: United StatesYear: 1986
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: 478 U.S. 186
Health Topics: Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to privacy
This case has been overruled by Lawrence v. Texas. The respondent, Hardwick, alleged that a Georgia state law prohibiting sodomy was unconstitutional. In 1982, the respondent was charged with violating a Georgia statute that prohibited sodomy after committing that act with another individual in the bedroom of the respondent’s home. The District Attorney later dropped …Read more
Dudgeon v. United Kingdom
Country: United KingdomYear: 1981
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application No. 7525/76; (1981) 4 EHRR 149; [1981] ECHR 5
Health Topics: Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to privacy
During a police search of Applicant Dudgeon’s home on suspicion of drug activity, personal property, including correspondences and diaries describing same-sex sexual activity, was seized. Dudgeon was subsequently taken to a police station and questioned extensively about his sexual life. The prosecutor considered but eventually declined to prosecute Dudgeon under a statute prohibiting “gross indecency” …Read more