Richard Mohr Sexual Morality Analysis

Introduction: The chapter “Sexual Morality” focuses on the ethics surrounding many topics including sexuality, sex education, and STD’s. It also discusses some topics about the prevalence of sexual activity in different cultures and some more weighted topics like teenage pregnancy and rape. The first question asked in the chapter is a significant meta ethical question concerning the nature of things that are sexual. What is an accurate definition we can use to define what sexual means so that we can decide what is sexual and what is not? The book then gives a few examples of possible definitions including “pleasurable bodily contact with another” and “pleasure that involves our so-called erogenous zones” but suggests that these may be too vague. Another question that comes up when defining this is whether or not sexuality is a bodily necessity and whether or not it differs between males and females. It is also questioned whether or not the idea of love is necessary for acts or thoughts to be considered sexual. Moral theories previously discussed in the book are then used to discuss sexuality. For example, consequentialist and utilitarian considerations include thinking about how sexual acts may cause certain outcomes and that because of this, we are more inclined to act …show more content…
The first point he makes is about the many types of discrimination gays and lesbians are subject to. He begins by discussing the employment discrimination they face also bringing up that “governments are leading offenders here”. This is back by a later example of a law called “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” which prevents gays in the armed forces from asking about or discussing their sexuality with others. Other examples of prejudice against gays by state and federal governments are include barring them from entering certain professions, firing them, and even refusing to give them security