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[–]usehername[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

A bill calling for repeal of a Maryland law that classifies oral sex between consenting adults as a crime and that was used to arrest four gay men in an adult video store in May 2021 was approved earlier this year by the state’s House of Delegates but died in a committee of the state Senate.

The law specifically bans oral sex and "unnatural or perverted sexual practice with another or with an animal,” however it's never enforced against heterosexuals.

The Supreme Court's decision in Lawrence v Texas overturned laws like this one. However, after complaints of violation of the sodomy law (essentially "there are gays in my store"), the police chose to raid the store and break down the locked private rooms that can be rented to privately watch videos. These rooms are specifically for people to masturbate or hook up in privately. That is their purpose. These people were unlawfully arrested anyway and forced to spend the night in jail, however, and face criminal charges. Only one of the four is facing charges for indecent exposure, which indicates that they aren't even being accused of having sex in a public place (the rooms are private, locked, and meant for sexual activity anyway, but there could be an argument there, however flimsy). They are specifically attempting to regulate sexual acts done in private. More specifically, homosexual acts.

This case happened last year. This will get worse with the overturning of Roe, and the possible overturning of Lawrence. I can imagine homosexual couples' homes being raided on suspicion they are committing "sodomic" crimes, and having those police actions be completely legal.

edit: I also want to add that the above situation happened in 2021, so yes this law is still being enforced.