Sodomy
Perhaps the most difficult laws to define regarding sexual behavior are sodomy laws. The most widely used definition of sodomy is any form of oral sex (where a person's mouth comes into contact with the genitals or anus of another person) and/or anal intercourse. Some legislators like to define sodomy as any lewd or "unnatural" form of sexual intercourse. As with the age-of-consent laws (mentioned above), sodomy laws vary from state to state. Some states target only couples of the same sex, while others apply the laws to both heterosexual and homosexual contact. To date, only three states have sodomy laws targeted at homosexuals only, while eleven states have laws pertaining to both orientations. Even though thirty-six states have no sodomy laws whatsoever, it is important for you to know about them, whether they are a part of your state law or not.
Many organizations such as Lambda are fighting the sodomy laws in the states that have them. The reason behind this is that these laws are often used to target homosexual interactions. It is obvious that gays and lesbians cannot engage in penile/vaginal intercourse, yet this is the only form of lovemaking that sodomy laws allow. Even in states where sodomy laws pertain to heterosexuals as well, they severely limit the options that a couple has in the privacy of their own bedroom. Many people living in states where these laws exist do not even know about them, but the penalties can be severe if people break these laws. For example, in Virginia sodomy is seen as a felony, with a maximum penalty of 20 years in jail (see State Sodomy Laws). As with any other laws, we strongly urge you to visit either Lambda or the State Sodomy Laws website to familiarize yourself with the restrictions, if any, in your state. Changes are happening everyday in regards to fighting these laws, so be sure to keep updated on the developments happening all around us.