From the repeal of Section 28 to equal marriage and the Gender Recognition Act reform plans, gay rights charity Stonewall has fought through it all. Set up in 1989, 20 years after the infamous Stonewall riots in New York, the charity has been at the forefront of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender rights campaigns across the UK and is the biggest lobby group of its kind in Europe.

On May 24, 1988, Margaret Thatcher introduced the highly controversial Section 28 clause which banned local authorities from "promoting homosexuality" or "pretend family relationships", along with blocking councils from funding any projects perceived to promote a gay lifestyle.

A year later, Stonewall was founded by a group of staunch political activists, including Sir Ian McKellen, actor Pam St Clement and former Tory MP Matthew Parris, to continue the fight against the homophobic legislation.

HANNAH RODGER takes a look back at the 30 pivotal moments in the fight for LGBT rights in Scotland since the charity's formation.

1988 Section 28 legislation comes in to force, banning councils from promoting homosexuality.

1990 Edwin Morgan comes out as gay at the age of 70. In 1999 he is made Glasgow's Poet Laureate, and in 2004 he becomes the Scots Makar.

1993 Glasgay! festival, Scotland's first LGBT arts festival, launches.

1994 Age of consent for homosexual intercourse reduced to 18, from 21, in Scotland.

1995 The United Nations considers lesbian and gay rights abuses for the first time.

1997 The UK Government recognises same-sex partners for immigration purposes.

1999 Iain Smith becomes the first openly gay MSP.

2000 Homosexual people are allowed to serve in the armed forces.

2001 The age of consent for sex between two men is equalised to 16.

2000 Scotland repeals Section 28 legislation, becoming the first part of the UK to do so.

2001 Law that criminalised gay sex where more than two people are present repealed. The rest of the UK followed suit two years later.

2002 The European Court of Human Rights rules that UK law breaches the rights of transgender people, by not recognising change of gender, and by not allowing transgender people to marry someone of the opposite gender.

2002 Scottish Catholic schools' sex education revised for the first time in nearly 30 years, to permit the discussion of homosexuality and acknowledge that sexual orientation is "not the same for everyone".

2003 Margaret Smith becomes the first openly lesbian MSP and Patrick Harvie becomes the first openly bisexual MSP.

2003 Workplace discrimination for sexual orientation becomes illegal.

2004 The Gender Recognition Act is passed, allowing transgender people to have full legal recognition of their changed gender, including getting a new birth certificate.

2004 Same-sex couples are able to have their relationships legally recognised for the first time with the Civil Partnership Act.

2004 Discrimination on the grounds of sexuality in providing goods and services is banned.

2007 Same-sex couples can adopt.

2008 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act ends discrimination against LGBT people in relation to fertility treatment.

2008 Sexual discrimination laws include banning discrimination on the grounds of gender reassignment.

2009 Historic 'homosexual' crimes such as sodomy and gross indecency are abolished.

2010 Inciting homophobic hatred becomes an offence.

2011 Ruth Davidson becomes the first openly gay leader of a UK political party.

2014 Equal Marriage becomes legal in Scotland.

2015 Time for Inclusive Education campaign launches, calling for LGBT issues to be discussed in schools.

2017 Nicola Sturgeon publicly apologises to all men who were convicted of having gay sex and the following year an official pardon as given.

2018 A consultation is launched on proposals to reform the Gender Recognition Act, to allow transgender people to self-declare their gender.

2018 Scottish school curriculum to include LGBTI education.

2019 The debate continues into the proposals to reform the gender recognition act, with charities including Stonewall asking for the government to publish its plans following the 2018 consultation.

Gerrie and Susan Douglas-Scott were the first lesbian couple to get married in Scotland.

They said while Scotland has come a huge way towards improving the lives of LGBT people, there is still more work to be done.

The couple, who are humanist celebrants, said growing up neither of them knew what lesbians were and had no "role models" at all to look up to. They were key players in the fight for civil partnerships and equal marriage in Scotland.

Gerrie said: "In the 70s and 80s lesbians were invisible socially, of course they were, but legally as well. It was illegal for men to be gay but for women it wasn't. We were just non-existent in the eyes of the law. That has changed a lot – being gay isn't necessarily attached to gender so much. It's more about equality for all people.

There has been a lot of change in some respects, but in other areas there hasn't been.

"It's okay for me to do this kind of interview, but there are hundreds of gay couples who would not do this. It's still not safe for them. I think for us its okay as we are older educated, white-skinned, middle-class looking if not by birth, so it's okay for us to do this. But it's really not okay for some other people and that needs to change.

Susan added: "When we were fighting for civil partnerships and equal marriage, we really thought the naysayers would win, we didn't have the confidence but when it did happen we were over the moon and delighted.

"There are a lot of things still to do, particularly for transgender people, who are even more invisible than gay people were in the 70s and 80s.

"We might not understand where other people are coming from in their own quest for happiness and their own quest for seeking who they are, but to abuse and exclude and create barriers for people is just wrong. Stonewall's role in that will be vital, so here's to another 30 years."