Is Sodomy Illegal Around Your State?
Mother Jones reported last Wednesday that even though 8 years ago the Supreme Court deemed Texas’ anti-sodomy statute unconstitutional, it has been revealed that the law has not been stricken from the state books and that Republicans want to keep it that way.
The publication states:
“In 2009, the legislature passed an omnibus bill formally repealing more than three-dozen bills that had been ruled unconstitutional by the courts. But the homosexuality statute was pointedly not included in that package. Since the ruling, Farrar and Rep. Garnet Coleman, both Houston Democrats, have launched multiple efforts to get the law repealed, to no avail. Similar bills fell short in 2009 and 2007. For the first time this year, they were able to get a committee hearing, a coup in itself.‘By removing it from the statute, it says Texas is both literally and figuratively complying with the law and making that known to its citizens,’ says Coleman. ‘This is a legal issue, not a social issue. It would be like still having on the books that an African-American couldn’t marry an Anglo.’”
It is not surprising that Texas Republicans are adamant about keeping the sodomy law in effect, what is amusing (and not discussed as much) is that currently, there are fourteen other states that have laws that dictate what can and can’t be done between two consenting adults.
Texas and the other states that allow for this law to remain in code, even if they can’t enforce those who break it by law – seems to be another weak attempt by lawmakers to make sure that homosexuality will always be condemned by the government.
Where does your state rank regarding sodomy? Look at the enclosed map to find out!
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