Sexual Diversity in Asia is the first book of its kind to place sex acts in Asia at the forefront of historical investigation. The chapters explore the history of sodomy and other so-called transgressive sexual practices such as anal sex, same-sex erotic encounters, pederasty, bestiality, incest, transgenderism, and oral sex in East, Southeast and South Asia.

Examining historical attitudes to sexuality in Asia from the perspectives of law and punishment, medicine, religion, morality and political culture, the contributors demonstrate the importance of a historically contextualised focus...