The latter are looked down on with contempt, while the former, as being what they are "by the will of God," are tolerated.[36] Homosexuality; occurs in various parts of Africa.

Cases of _effeminatio_ and passive sodomy have been reported from Unyamwezi and Uganda.

Among the Bangala of the Upper Congo sodomy between men is very common, especially when they are away from home, in strange towns, or in fishing camps.

If, however, a man had intercourse with a woman _per anum_ he was at one time liable to be put to death.[37] Among the Papuans in some parts of New Guinea, as already mentioned, homosexuality is said to be well recognized, and is resorted to for convenience as well, perhaps, as for Malthusian reasons.[38] But in the Rigo district of British New Guinea, where habitual sodomy is not practised, Dr.Seligmann, of the Cambridge Anthropological Expedition to Torres Straits, made some highly important observations on several men and women who clearly appeared to be cases of congenital sexual inversion with some degree of esthetic inversion and even some anatomical modification.[39] These people, it may be noted, belong to a primitive race, uncontaminated by contact with white races, and practically still in the Stone Age.
Finally, among another allied primitive people, the Australians, it would appear that homosexuality has long been well established in tribal customs.

Among the natives of Kimberley, Western Australia (who are by no means of low type, quick and intelligent, with special aptitudes for learning languages and music), if a wife is not obtainable for a young man he is presented with a boy-wife between the ages of 5 and 10 (the age when a boy receives his masculine initiation).