South Africa has a diverse history when it comes to the legal and social status of LGBT people as a result of traditional South African mores, western imperialism, Apartheid and the human rights movement that contributed to the down fall of apartheid. South Africa's post-apartheid constitution was the first in the world to outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation, and on 1 December 2006 South Africa made history by becoming the fifth country in the world and first in Africa to legalise same-sex marriage. One year later an equal age of consent was achieved; after long and lengthy debate and a complete overhaul of sexual offences legislation, consent was gender-neutralized at 16.