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Kansas City Today

Why does Kansas still ban gay sex?

By Nomin Ujiyediin,
Byron J. Love
Published February 3, 2022 at 4:00 AM CST
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Intercourse between same-sex couples is still technically a crime in Kansas, even though that law was ruled unconstitutional almost two decades ago. Advocates are growing increasingly frustrated by lawmakers' lack of action to repeal it.

Intercourse between same-sex couples in Kansas is still a crime, even though a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2003 made such laws unconstitutional.

Kansas' sodomy law, which makes sex a crime for “persons who are 16 or more years of age and members of the same sex," can't be used to actually convict people. But there are known instances of people being arrested because of the provision.

Blaise Mesa of the Kansas News Service reports on a renewed push by some lawmakers to change state statute, although advocates are growing increasingly frustrated by the lack of action.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love with Trevor Grandin and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Lisa Rodriguez.

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Nomin Ujiyediin
As a newscaster and a host of a daily news podcast, I want to deliver the most important and interesting news of the day in an engaging and easily understandable way. No matter where you live in the metro or what you’re interested in, I want you to learn something from each newscast or podcast – and maybe even give you something to talk about at the dinner table.
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Byron J. Love
As an on-demand producer, I am focused on using my skills and experiences across multiple digital applications, platforms and media fields to create community focused audio, video and on-demand products for KCUR Studios. The media that I produce aims to inform, entertain and connect with the Kansas City metro area as we continue to learn from each other. Email me at byronlove@kcur.org.
See stories by Byron J. Love
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