The United States has inherited sodomy laws which constitutionally outlawed a variety of sexual acts that are deemed to be illegal, illicit, unlawful, unnatural and/or immoral from the colonial-era based laws in the 17th century. … See more

• Ellen Ann Andersen, Out of the Closets and Into the Courts: Legal Opportunity Structure and Gay Rights Litigation (University of … See more

• Sodomy Laws in the United States
• The Sensibilities of Our Forefathers: The History of Sodomy Laws in the United States by George Painter See more

Up to Lawrence v. Texas
Colin Talley argues that the sodomy statutes in colonial America in the 17th century were largely unenforced. The reason he argues is … See more

Below is a table of sodomy laws in the jurisdictions in United States of America and penalties as applicable to the binding precedent of Lawrence v. Texas.
Federal law
Sodomy laws in the United States were largely a matter of … See more