The term homosexuality was first introduced by the Austrian-Hungarian writer Karl-Maria Kertbeny (born Karl-Maria Benkert) in 1869 and refers to people who are attracted to the same-sex. The words homosexual and gay are mainly used for men, while homosexual women are called lesbians. [1]

In ancient times, homosexuality was very common. For example, Homer wrote in the Iliad about the hero Achilles who was out of his head for pain over the death of his beloved friend Patroklos. On the island of Lesbos, the most important Greek lyric poet of classical antiquity Sappho wrote love poems for women. The term lesbian derives from the poetry's place of origin. [2] [3]

In medieval times, church regarrded homosexuality as bestiality and deviation from a divinely desired sexuality. Especially homosexual men were persecuted, tortured and executed. [4]

Beginning of the 19th century, the state sent homosexual men to prison. In the course of time, homosexuals were compulsively treated in psychiatries. At the time, the German-Austrian psychiatrist and medical examiner Richard von Krafft-Ebing had a great influence. His stance was that homosexuality was inherited and should therefore be treated in psychiatries. [11]

Under the National Socialism regime, homosexual men and women were prosecuted. [4] [5] Decades later, homosexuality was declared to go unpunished in Germany in 1969. [6] [7] At the end of the 20th century, the European Court of Justice for Human Rights declared the prosecution of homosexuals against the law of human rights and internationally, homosexuality was decriminalized in many countries. [11]

Beginning oft he 21st century, gay marriage was legalized. In 2001, Holland was the first to legitimize it. In Austria, registered partnership, which legally is very similar to marriage, is allowed since beginning of 2010. On the 26th June, 2015, a major breakthrough was made in the US when the marriage ban for same-sex couples was de-legalized by the Supreme-Court. For many people this US-statement in favour of the rights for homosexuals marked a turn for which was celebrated worldwide. [8] [9] [10]