The Origins of "Sodomy" Laws in British Colonialism

Human Rights Watch, 17 December 2008

This 66-page report describes how laws in over three dozen countries,
from India to Uganda and from Nigeria to Papua New Guinea, derive from
a single law on homosexual conduct that British colonial rulers
imposed on India in 1860. This year, the High Court in Delhi ended
hearings in a years-long case seeking to decriminalize homosexual
conduct there. A ruling in the landmark case is expected soon.

__3__
Table of Contents

This Alien Legacy

I. Introduction

II. "Sodomy," Colonialism, and Codification

III. Colonial Power on the Street and over the Body

IV. Interpreting Sodomy Laws: The Scope Expands

V. Conclusion: The Emancipatory Potential of Decriminalization

Recommendations

Acknowledgements