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Same sex marriage ethics
LGBT equality and acceptance
Same sex marriage ethics
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In “Why Shouldn’t Tommy and Jim Have Sex”, Corvino argues that homosexual sex is as morally correct as heterosexual sex. In support of this stance he firstly contends that sexual relationships in general, “...can unite two people in a way that virtually nothing else can. It can be an avenue of growth, of communication, and of lasting interpersonal fulfillment.” (1). Having explained his stance on why Tommy and Jim should have sex, he then refutes 2 reasons that others may object, those being that:
1. Homosexual sex is “Unnatural”, arguing that many things that are unnatural are not morally wrong, and thusly that even if homosexuality fits into someone’s definition of unnatural it does not make it wrong.
2. Homosexuality violates biblical teaching:
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However at the time of its publication circa 1997 I believe that these ideals hold true for a majority of Americans and most other first world nations. So I ask myself what is the purpose of the article and this is where I find Corvino lacking. It is a personal appeal to individuals to debunk their belief that homosexuality is immoral. This I would contend is meant to be a piece centered in cultural relativism, and at least in the case of America his goals are already achieved as the liberties of individuals are already ensured under the law. This is where one would insert gay marriage and adoption as counter arguments. I will not address these arguments to keep this brief, and because Corvino doesn’t himself. Corvino’s appeal is almost wholly personal and catered to ethical subjectivism, in appealing to the individual I believe he hopes to change culture, but sidesteps making that argument clear himself. The validity of his argument is sound, but its goals being unclear leave me wondering whether a piece about homosexuality, and not tolerance is what Corvino should have written. This is where I leave off I find “Why Shouldn’t Tommy and Jim Have Sex?” to be a very nice appeal to everyone’s personal predilection or lack thereof of tolerance, but to ultimately fall short of more socially relevant arguments which it intends to support, and yet offers no evidence
She confirms her authority on the topic by revealing, very early on, that she has contracted the disease herself. She states, “Though I am female and contracted this disease in marriage, and enjoy the warm support of my family, I am one with the lonely gay man sheltering a flickering candle from the cold wind of his family's rejection.” She purposefully conveys to her conservative audience that she is not gay, is married, a mother and contracted her disease in marriage, not with a random partner. Here she is playing up her personal experience to support her argument. Fisher’s inclusions of these social facts are added to acquire the sympathy of her traditional audience. Likening herself to the hypothetical “lonely gay man” draws sympathy from the assembly for a hypothetical character in her rhetoric. These inclusions of speculative illusions strengthen the rhetorical appeal of her argument. Fisher specifically includes certain information to develop an understanding from a conservative audience that may need
...ted her case coherently and effectively, she did not address all the concerns surrounding the issue of gender roles and homophobia. For instance, there is an argument for both homophobia and gender roles having a biblical origin, and the author did not mention it. Because of this, if the reader was a homophobic, and he or she deeply rooted his or her views in the bible, he or she would probably not be persuaded by Vàzquez’s essay. However, like a lawyer, covering the opposing side could prove destructive to his or her argument. Carmen Vàzquez’s goal was to show the reader that social reform was the only clear option and her essay accomplishes this coherently and effectively.
He examines the core arguments against homosexual sex such as: it is abnormal, the idea that homosexuals choose to be that way, it goes against the purpose of our sexual reproductive organs, it is disgusting and how it goes against biblical teachings. He first looks at the meaning of homosexual sex being “unnatural”. It is hard for him to claim that one definition of natural is right compared to another person’s. He does argue against the idea of natural law theorists by saying that many things that are important in our society are not natural, and there are many natural things that people detest. He says, “If the unnaturalness charge is to be more than empty rhetorical flourish, those who levy it must specify what they mean”(Shafer-Landau 239). Disease and death are natural things that people do not like. Cancer is natural but no one believes that it is just or good. Then there are unnatural things people enjoy in life such as medications and a democratic government. These examples refer back to Corvino’s quote, challenging the true intentions of those who argue things based on naturalness. Another challenge to the naturalness of homosexuality is the idea that a homosexual person chooses to live that lifestyle, they were not born that way. It is hard to believe this is true however due to the fact that most heterosexuals cannot
In Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World people treat sex as a form of entertainment rather than an expression of love between a couple. Most forms of entertainment in Brave New World somehow relate to sex. For example the feelies are pornographic movies with a more advanced plot line and the tremendous bonus of experiencing the same things as the actors on the screen. The government encourages sex and promiscuity among its citizens, if a person is not promiscuous they are seen as outcasts. Sex in Brave New World is not a private matter and is openly practiced. To ensure that sex’s purpose is for entertainment the government makes only thirty percent of the female population fertile. This ensures that the population will not view sex as a form of reproduction because the majority are not capable of sexual reproduction. The more partners a person has the more popular the person is.
Corvino is right in defending the morality of homosexuality, because homosexuality is morally sound. This essay has a very sound argument. Majority of the essay is spent pointing flaws in the opposition, rendering the opposing arguments null. I enjoy Corvino’s argument because by making all the opposing arguments invalid, readers are led to one conclusion: Homosexual sex is morally sound.
His theory as to why homosexuality is abnormal (because of humans misusing their body parts) may propose a weak argument at first; however he supports this aspect of his argument by giving an example unrelated to human sexuality. His example involves the use of our teeth, although we may not realize it, those who do not have teeth usually don’t enjoy consuming all of their food through a straw.... ... middle of paper ... ...
The essay, Why Shouldn’t Tommy and Jim Have Sex? A Defense of Homosexuality by John Corvino addresses a topic that has long been controversial for more years than people can count. This topic, like a never-stopping debate, often brings various opinions onto the table, including religious morals, human future and procreation. Homosexuality has been seen as a serious sin through many people’s eyes and is often accused by others of being “immoral” and “unnatural” (Corvino). People often have a hard time accepting couples who practice relationship with the same sex. In the article, Corvino rejects the idea that homosexual sex is unnatural and immoral. He defended for his gay friend’s rights throughtout
Milstein, Susan A. Taking Sides Clashing Views in Human Sexuality. Ed. William J. Taverner and Ryan W. McKee. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2009. Print.
From the two examples given, it is obvious that the Party feels threatened enough by sexual intercourse in an intimate relationship that it declared that sexual intercourse for any other purpose except bearing children and without any pleasure is a crime. This is in contrast to today, where intimate relationships go beyond that of just bearing children; it is a strong intimate bond between a man and woman and an integral part of a relationship. The author of the article “So are we living in 1984?” even comments on how the government of Oceania tries to get rid of the concept of sexual intercourse, but is foiled by human nature, “The Party’s stamping out of sex is an essential mode of control. But love, it seems, may exist in a place beyond the government's reach: They could lay bare in the utmost detail everything that you had done or said or thought; but the inner heart, whose workings are mysterious even to yourself, remain impregnable.”
Jonathan Katz talks about the initial creation of the term “heterosexuality” and how it was used to classify certain groups of people’s way of practicing sex. Along with the negative ideology the term reflected upon society. The author talks about the early definition of the term “heterosexuality”. Katz closely examines the different cultures and what sex meant to them prior to the term and over all labeling of “heterosexual” and what become of them after the fact. Katz illustrates the many faces of the term “heterosexual” starting with the early definition of the word, which was at the
"[I]t seems appropriate to understand sexual orientation (heterosexual or homosexual) as a deep-seated dimension of one's personality and to recognize its relative stability in a person. Generally, homosexual orientation is experienced as a given, not as something freely chosen. By itself, therefore, a homosexual orientation cannot be considered sinful, for morality presumes the freedom to choose. The teachings of the Church make it clear that the fundamental human rights of homosexual persons must be defended and that all of us must strive to eliminate any forms of injustice, oppression, or violence against them"(Pastoral).
As Corvino’s discussion with the naturalness of gay sex suggests, it is plausible to suppose that the relationships do not violate what constitutes sexual ethics. However, as I have argued, we cannot over-generalize sexual ethics, encompassing gay sex as moral in the areas of marriage, reproduction, and creating a home. Thus, Corvino fails to provide an adequate reason to believe his claim that gay sex is not “unnatural”.
In conclusion his article is highly ineffective due to his illogical arguments. While many of his hypotheses may be readily accepted by the audience, his attempt to reason others his approach is faulty. While his goal of empowering others with his same beliefs might be effective, he still misses with persuasion. Schulman's argument could be strengthened if he removes the statements regarding female sexuality in marriage as well as contraceptives. Finally he should actually discuss the view points of those who support homosexual marriage, not simply the views of those who are against it.
If a faculty advisor censors an article written by a gay student, they are following their traditional viewpoints against the homosexual lifestyle. Several researchers have addressed the issue of sexual preferences and consequential discriminative beliefs. According to research by Herek (1987), religion is one of the most important social agents in defining viewpoints against homosexuality, and their intolerance reflects on both the academic community and the entire society. As a moral realist, I cannot form prejudices because the main rule of moral realism states that the objective truth is not related to subjective beliefs. The perlocutionary analysis will be used in evaluating and responding to the issue because my goal is to persuade the faculty advisor that censoring articles based the author's sexual preferences is morally incorrect. In the letter, I will aim to persuade the faculty advisor that the ethical decision-making model behind removing the article is at fault, and I will explain both personal and community worldviews that endorse diversity while avoiding generalized statements to preserve the relationship with my significant other.
Stein, Edward. The Mismeasure of Desire: The Science, Theory, and Ethics of Sexual Orientation. New York, NY: Oxford UP, 1999. Print. 20 Oct. 2011