The world is full of strange and surprising laws related to sexuality. They may sound like jokes, but they are completely real. Most of them are old laws that have remained even though decades or even centuries have passed since they were created. They are still legally valid, but in most cases, they are not enforced at all. Why are they still there? Sometimes because no one is bothered enough to go through the effort of repealing them, and sometimes because religious authorities insist on keeping them alive. Here are 10 ridiculously absurd laws that still exist today.
1. China: Married women are not allowed to be naked in a hotel room outside the bathroom
Married? Congratulations. Keep in mind that if you visit China, at least on paper, you are not allowed to walk around naked in your hotel room. Your husband can - you cannot.
China has a law from 1988 (later updated) that forbids married women from being naked in a hotel room outside the bathroom, unless they are alone in the room. The official reason: "To protect public morality." The law applies only to married women, not to men or single women, and it originates from government hotel regulations intended to maintain "female modesty." The fine is 500 yuan.
The law is hardly enforced in practice and is considered anachronistic and strange even within China itself. Most hotels do not check, and there are no reports of fines or arrests because of it. However, it still appears in the local legal codes of several provinces (mainly Beijing and Shanghai).
2. Texas, USA: You cannot have more than 6 vibrators at home
Section 43.23(F) of the Texas Penal Code defines any sex toy (dildo, vibrator) as an "obscene device." It is illegal to have more than six of them in a home because at that point it is considered "distribution," and the penalty can be a fine of up to $4,000. The prohibition originates from a 1973 law aimed at combating pornography. What is truly remarkable is not the existence of the law itself, but the repeated and active attempts to repeal it - which have failed again and again.
In 1985, police raided a sex shop in Dallas and found 1,200 vibrators. The shop owners were charged with distributing pornography and fined. Five years later, sex shops began selling vibrators as "medical massage devices." In 2004, a sex toy company sued the state claiming it violated freedom of expression. The state resisted, and in 2008 reaffirmed the bizarre law, arguing that "sexual privacy does not include toys." Two years ago, another attempt was made to repeal the law, but the "Public Morality Committee" fought to keep it.
3. Connecticut, USA: No public kissing on Sundays
The prohibition is based on Blue Laws (laws associated with Puritans, nicknamed for their blue clothing). The full law states: "No work, business activity, or improper public behavior on Sundays, except in cases of saving lives."
"Improper public behavior" included kissing, hugging or any "immoral acts" in public (streets, parks, transportation) on the day of rest designated for prayer. The ban applied to married couples, as kisses between unmarried couples were considered sinful on any day of the week when the law was written. The penalty is a $5 fine.
The law hasn’t been enforced since 1900 and no fines are issued anymore, yet it still exists in the legal code. No attempts have been made to repeal it because it’s considered harmless. Additionally, Connecticut takes pride in its Puritan history and views these remaining bizarre laws as "touristic and amusing."
4. Japan: Censorship of genitals in pornography
If you’ve ever watched a Japanese porn film, you probably know that no matter how bizarre or explicit the movie is, the participants’ genitals are always blurred.
The Japanese censorship law requires that in all pornographic films, comics, or any other erotic media, the creators must blur the genitals. In other words, you’re allowed to film a wild orgy with dozens of participants performing every sexual act imaginable - but you’re not allowed to see a penis. Go figure.
The law was enacted after World War II under American influence, with the aim of "protecting public morals," and it remains in effect to this day. The penalty is up to two years in prison and a fine of 2.5 million yen.
5. Lebanon: Men are allowed to have sex with animals - but only females
The law in Lebanon prohibits men from having sexual intercourse with male animals, but permits it with females. Anyone insisting on having sex with a male animal (and not a female) risks up to three years in prison. The law originates from the French Penal Code of 1943, which has not been fully updated to this day. The implication is that this bizarre law is still in force and is worded as follows: "Anyone who has sexual intercourse with a male animal shall be punished by up to three years in prison." There is no mention of female animals, meaning that, legally, sex with female animals is completely allowed.
If you think this is just an old law that nobody enforces, you’re mistaken. In 2019, a man was arrested in Beirut for having "sexual intercourse with a male donkey" and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. In 2022, a similar case occurred, this time involving a dog. The man was fined 2 million Lebanese pounds.
Note that the law applies only to men. Women, apparently, are free to have sex with a horse or mare as they wish.
6. Brunei and Iran: Anal sex is prohibited – even between married couples
In Brunei, a tiny country in Southeast Asia with a predominantly Sunni Muslim population, and in Iran, which needs no introduction, anal sex is illegal. Yes, even if it occurs between a man and a woman, and yes, even if they are legally married. Those who violate the ban risk up to 100 lashes. The law originates from a strict interpretation of Shia Sharia. According to this interpretation, anal sex is "unnatural" and contrary to the purpose of marriage, which, surprisingly, is solely procreation.
In Iran, four witnesses are required to prove the forbidden act, or a confession from one of the spouses. Testimony can also come from family members or neighbors.
7. Malaysia: Oral and anal sex are prohibited
Section 377A of the Malaysian Penal Code states that "any person who engages in sexual intercourse with another person by inserting the penis into the partner’s anus or mouth shall be deemed to have committed an act of sexual intercourse against the order of nature." This definition includes oral sex, anal sex, and the use of sexual objects. The law makes no distinction between married and unmarried couples and applies to all "sexual intercourse," even with full consent and in private, whether between heterosexuals, homosexuals, or lesbians. The only sexual act permitted under the law is penile-vaginal penetration, considered "natural" and essential for reproduction.
The law is based on Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code from 1860, which the British imposed on their colonies (including Malaysia, Singapore, and India). Originally, it was intended to prohibit acts of sodomy deemed unnatural according to Victorian Christian morality, and it also included sexual relations with animals. In 1936, it was incorporated into the Malaysian Penal Code.
In 1989, Malaysia expanded the law to include anal rape (for women), but it did not remove the prohibition on consensual acts. Enforcement of the law against heterosexual couples is rare, as it requires four witnesses or a confession. However, gay men are still affected by the law, and arrests have occurred even in recent years.
At the beginning of 2024, discussions were held in the Malaysian parliament to repeal the law, but in Islam, oral sex is considered "impure," and religious pressure prevented any change. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim promised reforms, but as of October 2025, nothing has changed. The penalty for committing the offense is imprisonment for up to 20 years and flogging.
8. Poland: Zoophilia carries penalties including donations to animal shelters
Sexual activity with an animal in Poland can result in up to three years of imprisonment and a financial contribution to animal welfare. The Animal Protection Act of 1997 was amended in 2011 to include the donation as a "moral punishment."
9. Virginia, USA: Premarital sex is prohibited
According to a law from 1792 that no one bothered to repeal, any person (single male or female) who has sexual relations outside of marriage commits a criminal offense. The official penalty is a fine of $250, but the law is not enforced at all. Since 1970, there have been no reports of arrests or fines. A 2003 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court determined that laws against consensual sex between adults violate personal privacy and are therefore unenforceable. In other words, the law exists - but only on paper. And that’s a good thing.
10. Aceh, Indonesia: Women are forbidden from riding a motorcycle with legs apart
In Aceh province, Indonesia, home to about a quarter of a million people, women riding with a man on a motorcycle are not allowed to sit behind him with their legs apart. They must sit sideways. Behind this law, which endangers women’s safety, are Sharia regulations that require adherence to "Islamic morals." Local enforcement in the province includes fines and, in some cases, flogging.
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You, Miss, shall not be flogged today
(Photo: Syamhari Photography / Shutterstock.com)
First published: 04:55, 11.01.25