Starting in the late 20th century and into the 21st century, acceptance and tolerance of LGBT people grew significantly. In 1971, Idaho passed a law repealing the sodomy statute, to take effect on January 1, 1972, but following opposition by Catholic and Mormon groups, the state overturned the new law and reinstated the original law on April 1, 1972. Homosexuality entered increasingly more into the public eye from the 1950s onwards, especially after the Boise homosexuality scandal, at which time it was commonly regarded as a mental illness.
![boise gay pride 2021 boise gay pride 2021](https://media.ktvb.com/assets/KTVB/images/c4cab537-d9ae-48b3-9bf7-687932a43d53/c4cab537-d9ae-48b3-9bf7-687932a43d53_1920x1080.jpg)
Wilson (both decided in 1956), in which two men were independently imprisoned for consensual same-sex sexual activity.
![boise gay pride 2021 boise gay pride 2021](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6046fb95a0a3ed5aaf7702e9/1629411464482-LFDSJB3DT5CK5P79UH5U/2021+Boise+Pride+Parade+Map.png)
The sodomy statute criminalized consensual acts as well, a point noted in numerous court cases including State v. The legislation was repealed in 1972, having only been used on the "mentally retarded". In 1925, the state passed a sterilization law, providing for the possible forced vasectomy or salpingectomy of "habitual criminals, moral degenerates and sexual perverts". It was extended to include fellatio (oral sex) in 1916 in State v. The Idaho Territory enacted a sodomy statute in 1864, punishing anal intercourse, whether heterosexual or homosexual, with five years' to life imprisonment. There were no known legal or social punishments for engaging in homosexual activity among these tribes. Similarly, the Coeur d'Alene people recognize the term st'amia, which refers to female-bodied individuals who live as men. In stories, they were regarded as supernatural beings, being able to see into the future and cure illnesses.
![boise gay pride 2021 boise gay pride 2021](https://www.boisechoruses.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/BPF_Choruses_IGpost-1024x1024.jpeg)
The kupatke'tek are male-bodied individuals who act as women, while the titqattek are female-bodied individuals who act as men and would become skilled hunters and warriors. For instance, the Kootenai people recognize individuals who act, behave and perform tasks typically associated with the opposite gender. These people groups had perceptions of gender and sexuality different from that of the Western world. Prior to this, several Native American tribes inhabited the area. Settlement by a large number of European-American immigrants introduced Christianity to the region, resulting in negative attitudes towards homosexuality. Sodomy laws were enacted during the time of the creation of the Idaho Territory in the mid-19th century.
![boise gay pride 2021 boise gay pride 2021](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/idahopress.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/1f/71f344d6-4013-507d-a6c4-fea98d25915e/5ef11903098a2.image.jpg)
Clayton County established that employment discrimination against LGBT people is illegal under federal law. State statutes do not address discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity however, the U.S. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Idaho, and same-sex marriage has been legal in the state since October 2014. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in the U.S state of Idaho face some legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT people. Protections in employment some municipalities have passed further protections Legal since 2003 codified from July 1, 2022Ĭase law in the state requires the state to change birth certificates for transgender people