▁( or ▁transferred ) ▁to ▁the ▁British ▁later ▁on . ▁ ▁Upon ▁arrival ▁to ▁the ▁island ▁of ▁Sri ▁L anka , ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁inv aders ▁painted ▁the ▁local ▁population ▁as ▁" back wards " ▁and ▁" sin ful ", ▁explaining ▁that ▁the ▁" hor ror " ▁of ▁hom osex ual ity ▁was ▁present ▁on ▁the ▁island , ▁character izing ▁the ▁island ' s ▁king ▁as ▁being ▁fright ening ▁for ▁allowing ▁the ▁act ▁of ▁sod omy ▁on ▁the ▁island , ▁and ▁even ▁account ing ▁that ▁the ▁king ▁himself ▁part ook ▁in ▁gay ▁sex . ▁ ▁British ▁Empire ▁and ▁British ▁East ▁India ▁Company ▁▁ ▁It ▁was ▁during ▁this ▁era ▁of ▁British ▁colonial ▁rule ▁that ▁Section ▁ 3 7 7 ▁of ▁the ▁Indian ▁Pen al ▁Code ▁was ▁implemented ▁by ▁the ▁British ▁Raj . ▁Ruth ▁Van ita , ▁a ▁scholar ▁and ▁historian , ▁firm ly ▁defines ▁the ▁nin ete enth ▁century ▁as ▁ ▁‘ a ▁cru cial ▁period ▁of ▁transition ▁when ▁a ▁minor ▁str and ▁of ▁pre - colon ial ▁hom oph ob ia ▁became ▁the ▁dominant ▁voice ▁in ▁colonial ▁and ▁post - colon ial ▁main stream ▁disc ourses ’ , ▁and ▁the ▁C ER A ▁explains ▁that ▁the ▁set ▁of ▁laws ▁were ▁part ▁of ▁colonial ▁efforts ▁to ▁imp ose ▁its ▁values ▁on ▁its ▁col ony ’ . ▁ ▁The ▁ind igen ous ▁arts ▁suffered ▁during ▁this ▁era , ▁as ▁eth nom us ic ologist ▁Anna ▁Mor com ▁points ▁out , ▁‘ As ▁modern ity , ▁national ism , ▁and ▁colonial ▁and ▁b our ge ois ▁mor