Coming of Age in the UK
Created | Updated Jun 22, 2003
The point at which a person comes of age has always been a contentious issue in society. Some believe that the later the point is, the more mature the person is going to be when it arrives. This, they say, increases the ability for the person to survive. Others say that if the person is considered an adult when younger, their belief in their society is increased. This, the proponents claim, will make for a more motivated population.
In the UK there are many different 'coming of age' points to choose from. The main three are; The age at which you can vote (eighteen), the age at which you can drive (seventeen) and the age where you can have sex (sixteen). Until recently it was this last one that was causing some problems for the government.
The age of consent(as it is known) wasn't always at 16. It had previously been at such ages as 21 and 18. It, also, wasn't always the same for men and women. That particular inequality was struck out long ago, however one remained. Homosexuality wasn't legalised in England and Wales until the seventies with the age of consent set at 18. However the age of consent for heterosexual sex was lowered to 16 and this provoked a fierce cry of discrimination from gay rights groups. In the wake of the 1985 Local Government Act (with the infamous Clause 28) the feeling of a rift between heterosexuals and homosexuals increased.
In 1997, Labour swept to power in one of the biggest landslides in history. Seat after seat fell from Tory control on the back of promises, one of which was that the age of consents would all be equalised at 16. As they began their term of office, the government prepared a draft bill which contained, amongst other things, the fulfillment of their promise. The bill was voted through the Commons and passed to the second house which could normally be expected to pass all such bills and send them on for Royal Assent. However, the Lords voted heavily against the bill and so squashed it. The Commons
tried again but the Lords reacted in exactly the same way. Therefore, this session, the government tried once more. The bill reached the Lords just as the session reached a close and so the Labour party enacted the Parliament Act, a little used piece of legislation, to force the bill onto the statute books. As of Thursday, 30th November, gay sex is legal at 16.
The government came in for strong criticism almost immediately, one family values campaigner calling it 'dictatorial'. Religious leaders and right-wing campaign groups criticised the methodology of the affair and if it were altogether wise. Some cited the AIDS epidemic, others accused the party of weakening the family.
It remains to be seen as to what effect this will have on Labour's
popularity with the country at large. With a General Election looming next year, this may turn out to have been a risky move further antagonising the middle-right wing, middle England electorate that they will require to secure victory for a second term.
