Law Commons^™

Congressional Oversight Of Morality: Sodomy Law Reform In The District Of Columbia, Gina M. Smith, Heidi Norton

University of the District of Columbia Law Review

On September 14, 1993, the District of Columbia successfully reformed the sodomy law with which it has been burdened for nearly two centuries. This reform appears at first glance to have been a major victory, not only for the lesbian and gay residents of the District for whom the law represented the greatest threat, but also for proponents of the principles of self-governance. But the road to this victory was a long and difficult one, spanning many decades and testing the outer limits of thd tenets of Home Rule and Congressional oversight of District affairs. This article sets forth the …