1975 in LGBT rights

This is a list of notable events in the history of LGBT rights that took place in the year 1975.

January

 * 7 — A Maricopa County clerk issues a marriage license to a same-sex couple.

February

 * The first gay-oriented television commercial airs on two Washington, D.C. stations. The Lambda Rising bookstore sponsored the ads on episodes of Phil Donahue and Marcus Welby, M.D.. Stations balked at airing the ads, but relented after getting approval from the Association of Broadcasters Standards office.

March

 * 26 — Boulder County, Colorado clerk Clela Rorex begins issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Colorado Attorney General J.D. MacFarlane later issues an opinion that the licenses are invalid and orders that no additional licenses be issued.

April

 * Milton Shapp, governor of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, issues the first state executive order banning sexual orientation employment discrimination by the government.

July

 * 1 — The U.S. states of California and Washington decriminalize private consensual adult homosexual acts.
 * 3 — The United States Civil Service Commission ends its policy of automatically disqualifying gay and lesbian applicants.

Deaths

 * February 10 — Lige Clarke, LGBT rights activist and journalist. Murdered in Vera Cruz, Mexico.