Human Sexuality is an extremely controversial issue in today’s society. There are many different notions on what defines an individual’s sexuality and the proper way to use it in the current culture. Two main viewpoints emerge as the majority of people drift to one side or the other of these outlooks. The following will examine the conservative and liberal views of sexuality looking at the difference between traditional values versus individual choice, as well as the proposed solutions each perspective offers. When looking at the conservative’s opinion towards sexuality, moral beliefs and values are the driving force. The conservatives believe in the principles of right wrong and that there should be limits and rules regarding the acts of …show more content…
sex between individuals. This is strongly influenced by the religious backgrounds and previous traditional views of society “Historically, religious institutions have taken a prominent role in prescribing standards of appropriate sexual conduct and instituting a system of sanctions to enforce their religious doctrine” (Mcmillen, Helm, Mcbride, 2011: p 1). Through this view, the belief is that sex should be in the confines of traditional family units. Conversely the Liberal view supports the belief of individual choice and freedom. This perspective is more lenient on the moral principles of sexuality and respects the individuals right to choose “Nowadays the prevailing practice appears to be to appraise sexual conduct on the bias that typical liberal values, more specifically on the basis of liberal principle of mutual consent” (Steutal and Spiecker, 2004: p 51). This view tolerates the morality of sex as long as there is mutual consent between parties. It stresses the respect and liberty of the individual. There are two main distinctions that separate the conservative and liberal perspectives, traditional morality and individual choice.
A conservative holds on to the principles of traditional society believing that sex should be in the confines of marriage “Many conservatives support the conventional norms that place sexuality within the traditional bonds of marriage” (Macionis, 2015: p 224). If one steps outside of these boundaries, social problems are then created such as teen pregnancy or the issue of abortion. Traditionalists also deem anything that threatens the conventional structure of marriage and family as immoral “Conservatives also condemn prostitution and pornography not only because they violate traditional standards of decency but also because they threaten marriages (Macionis, 2015: p 224.) By upholding the traditional norms a conservative believes the issues of sexuality can be resolved. On the other had the liberal perspective believes in the power of individual choice. This view deems that a person should be able to express their sexuality however they choose “Liberals avoid making judgments that a particular behavior is always right or always wrong; they favor allowing individuals to decide how to behave (Macionis, 2015: p 225). By allowing this tolerance, liberals believe the freedom and expression of sexuality is morally acceptable as long as it does not cause harm. In cases that it would cause harm such as violence against prostitutes or child …show more content…
pornography a liberal would want the government to intervene and regulate the safety to protect the freedom of choice for both individuals. Both of these perspectives propose different solutions for dealing with the sexual social problems.
The conservative solution is to teach responsibility and promote moral values in homes and schools. They like social institutes such as churches to educate and promote abstinence for young people who are not married “Abstinence-only sexuality education, on the other hand, stresses sex within marriage as the only mean to prevent sexually transmitted infection and pregnancy” (Kohler, Manhart, & Lafferty, 2008). Teaching abstinence and the responsibility of sex is believed to lower the risk of STD’s and teen pregnancy. The conservative thought also believes in instilling laws that promote family units and moral social structure “Today, conservatives support a number of policies that promise to strengthen families, such as child-support laws, laws requiring parental notification whenever young women seek abortions, and policies giving parents time away from work to care for family members” (Macionis, 2015: p 225). By upholding the traditional values and enforcing moral laws, traditionalists believe sexual social problems will decrease. The solution from a liberal opinion is quite different in that they look to government to provide programs and sexual education in school systems to help educate people to make an informed decision. They think the individual is responsible for their own choice and as long as they have been educated they are fine to pursue whatever form of
sexuality they want. “Believing that individuals should be responsible for their own behavior, liberals support making abortion available to all and leaving the decision about abortion to the woman herself” (Macionis, 2015: p 225). The main form of education should come from public schools where kids learn about sex and are encouraged to use contraceptives to promote what is deemed safe sex. “Comprehensive programs include abstinence messages, but also provide information on birth control methods to prevent pregnancy and condoms to prevent STDs” (Kohler, Manhart, & Lafferty, 2008). Enforcing these public education and safety programs through the government are what liberals believe will reduce the social sexual problems in America. These two perspectives both pose different problems and solutions to the issues of sexuality and how to clearly define it. One looks at a perspective that promotes traditional family values and the other at the freedom of individuality. With these differing opinions it is easy to get caught up in choosing a side. However, it is clear that both want people to be informed and safe in their decisions and work to promote a society that is void of social issues.
Conservative jurisprudence can be understood as an agenda of conserving existing conditions, upholding restricted rights in cases concerning individual, society, and sexual liberty interests in order to retain in its traditional style as similar in the past as possible whereas liberal jurisprudence place itself with a constitutional theory that expand individual rights. By applying these ideologies in the interpretation of the legislation, it can be said that conservatives will interpret the text as a rulebook to be followed strictly as possible and they are able to justify employing the narrowest level of generality in their analyses of
Conservatives, ideology places the values on status quo. They have difficulties accepting changes, and believe that change should be taking at a slow pace. They believe that human institutions are the product of a gradual process of experience. Conservatives believe slow changes would be more effective over a long period of time. time. They believe changing institutions and practices would affect the would affect the underlying structure. Conservatives be that it is not realistic to expect that that changes in institutions and practices would replace the existing without causing chaos.
In the article “An Anthropological Look at Human Sexuality” the authors, Patrick Gray and Linda Wolfe speak about how societies look at human sexuality. The core concept of anthology is the idea of culture, the systems of attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors people acquire as a member of society. The authors give an in depth analysis on how human sexuality is looked at in all different situations.
...am Victorian society, sexual liberalism transformed the ways in which people arranged their private lives. Shifting from a Victorian environment of production, separate sexual spheres, and the relegation of any illicit extramarital sex to an underworld of vice, the modern era found itself in a new landscape of consumerism, modernism and inverted sexual stereotypes. Sexuality was now being discussed, systemized, controlled, and made an object of scientific study and popular discourse. Late nineteenth-century views on "natural" gender and sexuality, with their attendant stereotypes about proper gender roles and proper desires, lingered long into the twentieth century and continue, somewhat fitfully, to inform the world in which we live. It is against this cultural and political horizon that an understanding of sexuality in the modern era needs to be contextualized.
The proper expression of human sexuality is a abiding question for the world of sexual ethics. There has never been a society that has not reflected upon and prescribed rules and regulations for this powerful and yet mysterious dimension of personhood; and there has seemingly never been a social order in which sexuality has not breached the boundaries established for it. On the surface scripture and much of the Christian response to sexuality appears to be establishing rules and regulations which attempt to limit sexual behavior until the ‘appropriate’ time or stage in ones life. Though this is a narrow understanding of sexual ethics– instead the goal of sexual ethics should be in the importance of how we relate ourselves and desires to others. Specifically, the relation between God : Humanity, and Humanity : Humanity.
According to conservatives, the state is justified in using its coercive power to uphold and enforce a community's moral convictions, and in that sense, to prevent citizens from delibrating actions that offend their perceived "right and wrong" standards of morality and decency. Conservatives believe that it is in their and the state's duty to steer people, by force if necessary, into the right paths and away from the wrong paths – and they belive that "what is right and wrong is known independently of the values and interests that people actually have" (339). On the same side though on different grounds, some feminists call on the state to regulate or prohibit pornography - but the primary focus of feminists revolves on the harm that pornography causes to women rather than the obsceni...
The conservative movement has played a crucial role in American politics in the post war era. Ronald Story and Bruce Laurie indentify various elements of the American conservatism. These elements include challenging authoritarian governments and modernist culture, upholding tradition, Christian religion and the rule of law, defending western civilization, and supporting republicanism. American conservatism has been characterized by competing ideologies and tension throughout history. The Americans who are politically liberal and economically conservative favor free trade, minimal state intervention, low taxes, and a small government. On the other hand, conservatives hold the view that American traditional values are normally undermined by secularism. Social conservatives have always opposed same-sex marriages and abortion, and instead have been supporting the idea of integrating prayer into the school curriculum (Story and Laurie 1).
Milstein, Susan A. Taking Sides Clashing Views in Human Sexuality. Ed. William J. Taverner and Ryan W. McKee. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2009. Print.
...at to the stability of family life in our society. Sexual intercourse, explained by Haines (2011), is a special bond that is created for the aim of reproducing children despite not being able to, at times. It unites two dissimilar body parts in a way that can produce a reproductive effect. Thus, same sex relationships are opposed because male-female relationships are the only sort that can fully embrace the sexual complimentary (Haines, 2011). If we de-emphasize the procreative function of marriage, then it is only focused on the intensity of feeling between married couples (Pinkerton, 2014). Pinkerton (2014) said that no matter how deep and intimate one’s feelings may be, it can decrease after many years of raising children. This would ultimately lead to divorce and broken families which threatens the stability of family life in our society as stated earlier.
From birth, one's sexuality is shaped by society. Cultures institute behaviors that are to be seen as the societal norms, which work to constantly reinforce societal expectations of how genders should act in relation to one another. Although some may argue that one's sexuality is an innate characteristic resulting from genetic makeup, there is a large amount of evidence pointing to its social construction instead. Through the power differences between males and females, established gender roles, and drastic economic shifts, society establishes sexuality and reinforces the behaviors that are expected of its citizens.
... decades ago. This book is one that will allow the reader to view many aspects of sexuality from a social standpoint, and apply it to certain social attitudes in our society today, these attitudes can range from the acceptance of lesbian and gays, and the common sight of sex before marriage and women equality. The new era of sexuality has taken a definite "transformation" as Giddens puts it, and as a society we are living in the world of change in which we must adapt, by accepting our society as a changing society, and not be naive and think all the rules of sexuality from our parents time our still in existence now.
Conservatism supports family values and has a generally more independent way of thinking. As conservatives, we believe in focusing on solving one’s own issues and making decisions for one’s self, instead of the community. Conservatives promote equal justice as opposed to the liberalist way of promoting social justice. Radical liberalist focus on allowing everyone equal opportunities regardless of skill level. Contrary to popular belief it is easily possible for conservatism to have many more positive acclamations as opposed to liberalism. It is important that we as conservatives end the liberal way of thinking before it begins to weed its way into the nation.
The sexual orientation of a person has been a critical debate over the past several centuries. For several...
...lso evaluate the relative contributions of both environmental and biological influences on sexual orientation, operating under the assumption that sexuality is not a result of solely one form of influence. Lastly, future research in this area might become more concerned with human subjects as opposed to animal studies, as we understand and believe that human sexuality is more complex than that of other species. Research in this area may lead to social and cultural change surrounding the rights and freedoms of individuals who identify with an alternative sexual identity or orientation. Some of our most recent political conversations have revolved around marriage rights and equality. Research on the biological and environmental influences on sexuality may provide the necessary clarity to provide all individuals with the same rights that heterosexual individuals enjoy.
Gender and sexuality can be comprehended through social science. Social science is “the study of human society and of individual relationships in and to society” (free dictionary, 2009). The study of social science deals with different aspects of society such as politics, economics, and the social aspects of society. Gender identity is closely interlinked with social science as it is based on an identity of an individual in the society. Sexuality is “the condition of being characterized and distinguished by sex” (free dictionary, 2009). There are different gender identities such as male, female, gay, lesbian, transgender, and bisexual that exists all around the world. There is inequality in gender identities and dominance of a male regardless of which sexuality they fall under. The males are superior over the females and gays superior over the lesbians, however it different depending on the place and circumstances. This paper will look at the gender roles and stereotypes, social policy, and homosexuality from a modern and a traditional society perspective. The three different areas will be compared by the two different societies to understand how much changes has occurred and whether or not anything has really changed. In general a traditional society is more conservative where as a modern society is fundamentally liberal. This is to say that a traditional society lists certain roles depending on the gender and there are stereotypes that are connected with the genders. One must obey the one that is dominant and make decisions. On the other hand, a modern society is lenient, It accepts the individual’s identity and sexuality. There is no inequality and everyone in the society is to be seen as individuals not a part of a family unit...