The AMA Journal of Ethic · 2014 · 20 citations · 2 references
Sexual PrivacyCriminal CodeHomosexualityLawCriminal LawQueer TheoryUnited StatesSocial SciencesSexual CulturesGender StudiesAmerican Social NormsSexual CrimeSexual RightSexual BehaviorSexual ConsentSexual AbuseSociologyLegal HistoryIntroduction LawsSexual Orientation
Introduction Laws prohibiting sodomy existed in the penal codes of numerous US states for more than 100 years, criminalizing this sexual behavior between same-sex and opposite-sex partners. Two challenges to these laws ultimately made their way to the Supreme Court [1, 2], illuminating not only how the Court viewed the laws’ purpose and utility but also how American social norms had evolved since the laws were first placed on the books.
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