Sulfotransferase that utilizes 3'-phospho-5'-adenylyl sulfate (PAPS) as sulfonate donor to catalyze the sulfonation of steroids and bile acids in the liver and adrenal glands (PubMed:14573603, PubMed:18042734, PubMed:19589875, PubMed:20102295, PubMed:21187059, PubMed:2268288, PubMed:29671343, PubMed:7678732, PubMed:7854148). Mediates the sulfation of a wide range of steroids and sterols, including pregnenolone, androsterone, DHEA, bile acids, cholesterol and as well many xenobiotics that contain alcohol and phenol functional groups (PubMed:14573603, PubMed:18042734, PubMed:19589875, PubMed:20102295, PubMed:21187059, PubMed:2268288, PubMed:29671343, PubMed:7678732, PubMed:7854148). Sulfonation increases the water solubility of most compounds, and therefore their renal excretion, but it can also result in bioactivation to form active metabolites. Plays an important role in maintening steroid and lipid homeostasis (PubMed:14573603, PubMed:19589875, PubMed:21187059). Plays a key role in bile acid metabolism, mediating formation of 3-sulfated bile acids (PubMed:2268288, PubMed:20102295). In addition, catalyzes the metabolic activation of potent carcinogenic polycyclic arylmethanols (By similarity). {ECO:0000250|UniProtKB:P15709, ECO:0000269|PubMed:14573603, ECO:0000269|PubMed:18042734, ECO:0000269|PubMed:19589875, ECO:0000269|PubMed:20102295, ECO:0000269|PubMed:21187059, ECO:0000269|PubMed:2268288, ECO:0000269|PubMed:29671343, ECO:0000269|PubMed:7678732, ECO:0000269|PubMed:7854148}. This is the function of SULT2A1 (sulfotransferase family 2A member 1, Ensembl gene identifier ENSG00000105398).