Sexual attitudes

Although there is some ethnic and religious variation in attitudes, Kenyan sexual mores are generally hedonistic and uncluttered. In most communities, expressive sexuality is an obvious part of the social fabric, and Islamic moral strictures are liberally interpreted. The consent age for heterosexual sex is 16.

Female prostitution thrives almost everywhere, with a surprising number of low-cost hotels also serving as informal brothels. There are no signs of an organized sex trade, and prostitution appears to blend in with casual promiscuity. If you're a man, you're likely to encounter flirtatious pestering on a regular basis, especially if you frequent bars and clubs. With HIV infection rates so high, even protected sex is extremely dangerous. On the coast, there is increasing evidence of child prostitution, with little effort by authorities to control it, aside from the odd poster.

Sex between men is illegal in Kenya, and homosexuality is still largely a taboo subject; lesbianism doubly so, although no law specifically outlaws it. Many Kenyans believe that homosexuality is un-African, despite the fact that male homosexuality among Kenyans is an accepted undercurrent on the coast (msenge is Swahili for a gay man), and nightclubs in Nairobi and on the coast are relatively tolerant. Fortunately, visiting gay couples appear to have no more difficulty sharing a room (even when opting for one double bed) than straight traveling companions, and the general attitude toward gay tourists appears to be "don't ask, don't tell."