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Gay news: Homosexual acts were illegal on the Channel Island until 1984
Gay acts were not legalised tiill 1984
Guernsey lowers gay age of consent to 16
Guernsey politicians have voted unanimously to lower the age of consent for gay men from 18 to 16, equalising the Channel Island's law with that applying to heterosexuals and lesbians.
BBC News reports that during the debate by States members, home minister Deputy Geoff Mahy said: "No modern government should support legislation that allows discrimination because of age, race, sex or sexual orientation.
"These are not choices that people make, but are part of who they are."
As a British Crown Dependency, the Bailiwick of Guernsey is not a part of the UK or the European Union, and homosexual acts were not legalised until 1984.
In 1999, it lowered the age of consent for gay men from 21 to 18, which coincided with the UK's reduction from 18 to 16.
One resident, John Henry, protested outside the States building against today's vote.
"It's going to be possibly very detrimental to the health of many young people," he told the BBC.
