LAWS240

This course is designed to explore the interactions between law and sexualities. Sexuality is both a biological drive and a culturally-influenced practice. From the ancient world to the modern, sexuality of various forms has been embraced, required, prohibited and regulated. Recently, new theories of human freedom have influenced changes in law, in tension with older theories that condemned and regulated sexualities considered harmful. Cohabitation, no-fault divorce, right to contraception and abortion, same-sex marriage, and transgender righs have moved the needle on acceptable sexual practices, with predictable backlash. Activists have pushed the limits in struggling for acceptance, finding both success and failure. This course will examine these developments and the future of the legal regulation of sexuality.