What does it matter who has what position in the same-sex sexual act? The difference can be life and death. This paper, drawing on sociology of punishment and the critiques of cultural determinism in explaining capital punishment, examines the new penal code of Iran (2013) with respect to same-sex sexual acts between men, analyzing it in terms of its literal and symbolic significance for homosexual men in Iran and its broader meaning and function within the current socio-political and economic situation of Iran. The new penal code makes distinction between male same-sex partners in terms of their respective position during intercourse. In a somewhat counter-intuitive manner, the penetrating man receives more leniency than the one who is penetrated. On the surface, we note greater leniency towards a whole class of gay men (the “tops”). But beneath the surface, some of the new provisions reveal potential anxieties around masculinity and the alteration in relationship between punishment and national identity in Iran as the country grapples with significant internal and geopolitical challenges. Our paper contributes to the literature on sociology of punishment that considers the interplay between global and national politics and the role of sexuality and gender in analyzing capital punishment.
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