MONTANA FINALLY DECRIMINALISES GAY SEX

On Thursday, LGBT activists watched as the embarrassed governor of the American state of Montana signed a bill finally decriminalising gay sex.

Governor Steve Bullock signed Senate Bill 107 into law after it was passed by the state legislature; effectively removing the obsolete ban on gay sex from the statute books.

“I am not going to speak too long because, frankly, the longer I talk, the longer this embarrassing and unconstitutional law stays on the books,” Bullock said.

The Montana Human Rights Network thanked Governor Bullock for hosting the signing ceremony at the Montana Capitol Building.

“Today makes it official: language in Montana law that labels gays and lesbians felons has been repealed,” said the organisation. 

“It is the culmination of decades of work by activists, organisations and elected officials in the halls of the legislature, courtrooms, and in communities statewide.”

The move is a largely symbolic one as the state’s Supreme Court ruled that the anti-gay law was unconstitutional 16 years ago. The US Supreme Court also legalised gay sex across the US in 2003.

Shockingly, a number of Republican lawmakers opposed repealing the law. Republican Representative Jerry Bennett warned that its repeal will have “long-term ramifications”.

“This isn’t over,” he told the Associated Press. “We will see a continual push for recognition of unions … for health insurance. All kinds of things will come out of this.”