Glossary
Sodomite
Sodomite is a historical and religious slur, drawn from the biblical city of Sodom, long used to condemn and criminalize people who engage in same-sex acts.
Sodomite comes from the biblical city of Sodom and was long used to condemn, prosecute, and shame people for same-sex acts and other sexual behavior deemed sinful. For centuries it carried the weight of religious and legal persecution, justifying imprisonment, violence, and even execution of LGBTQ+ people. The term is rooted in the Genesis 19 story of Sodom's destruction. Many modern biblical scholars and affirming faith communities argue that the passage centers on threatened sexual violence and a failure of hospitality toward strangers, not consensual same-sex love, though interpretations remain contested. Today the word is widely regarded as an outdated slur and appears mainly in historical, legal, or theological discussion rather than as a neutral description.