Sexual Offences Act 1967  

"During the 1970s and 1980s, some British sociologists took a more sceptical approach to the question of the sixties 'permissive society', noting that it actually resulted in only partial and amended regulation of previously illegal and or stigmatised social activities. For example, the Sexual Offences Act 1967 decriminalised homosexuality, but at an unequal age of consent, twenty one (although it was subsequently reduced to eighteen (1994) and finally, age of consent equality at sixteen (2002), additionally, the 1967 act only decriminalised homosexuality under limited circumstances. Similarly, the Abortion Act 1967 did not allow free access to abortion for women who needed it, but required them to obtain medical permission and imposed time limits on terminations of pregnancy. Furthermore, as with the case of cannabis decriminalisation, some instances of liberalised social attitudes were not met with legislative change. It is therefore important to note that the extent of 'permissiveness' that occurred in the sixties may have been overstated. Some would argue that in the case of LGBT rights in the United Kingdom, Western Europe, Canada and New Zealand, the initial changes were only a prelude to further periods of legislative change: anti-discrimination laws, same sex marriage or civil unions and gay adoption have all occurred since the initial decriminalisation of homosexuality."