This chapter introduces the concept of “primitive normativity,” a narrative espoused by colonial settlers and officials. The discourse of primitive normativity posited that Kenyan Africans were too “primitive” to practice certain kinds of “deviant” sexuality, including rape, homosexuality, and prostitution. White settlers and officials argued that Africans must be protected from “contaminating” forces, like mission education, urbanization, and political participation, that could expose them to sexual vice. The introduction situates the book within the fields of settler colonial studies and queer studies. The chapter also includes a brief overview of the history of colonial Kenya.