Ethics

Ethics Study Guide 6. Women presented as sexual objects for domination, conquest, violation, exploitation, possession, or use, or through postures or positions of servility or submission or display The state statute provided that the use of men, children, or transsexuals in the place of women also constituted pornography. The court ruled that the ordinance violated the First Amendment because it was inconsistent with obscenity doctrine and constituted punishment of speech with a particular viewpoint. Therefore, prohibiting pornography is unconstitutional. Experts pointed to the American Booksellers case as evidence that United States courts, in determining obscenity, still focus on prurience and have refused to make violence or degradation elements of obscenity law. S x al E hics Sexual ethics (sometimes called sexual morality), addresses the ethical concepts that are involved in issues that may arise from all aspects of sexuality and human sexual behavior. In general, sexual ethics deals with the community and personal standards which influence one’s behavior in interpersonal relationships. It also impacts issues of consent, sexual relationships before marriage or while married, questions about how sexual behavior can be used to reflect gender and power, and how individuals relate to society. Ethical dilemmas involving sex are often seen in situations where there is a considerable power difference between the participants, or where the issue of consent is uncertain. Flirting occurs when one person evasively indicates a romantic and/or sexual interest toward another. This can involve body language, conversation, joking, or brief physical contact. This poses an ethical dilemma because it can be misinterpreted as more serious, or it may be thought of as cheating if the person is already in a romantic relationship. Premarital sex is an issue often debated on the basis of religious or moral grounds. It involves young people engaging in sexual activity before their marriage. Extramarital sex occurs when married people become sexually involved with someone other than their marriage partner. Some regard this as adultery; others regard it as infidelity or as cheating. Adultery may be thought to be seriously wrong because it involves the breaking of a promise. Since it also involves deception, and deception is wrong, so is adultery. Some cultures, however, accept extramarital sex as the norm. Some modern western cultures practice polyamory, also known as responsible non-monogamy, or open-marriage. This ethical practice can only work with honest dialogue, and consent of the parties involved— including spouses. Consent is a central issue in sexual ethics. Children, the mentally challenged, the mentally ill, and sometimes people under the influence of drugs or alcohol are considered as lacking the ability to give an informed consent. Illegal sexual acts are also considered unethical, because of the absence of consent, including rape and molestation. Date rape is a non-aggravated sexual assault. It is nonconsensual sex that does not necessarily involve physical injury or the threat of physical injury. The problemwith pressing charges in these cases is the criterion for consent, which says that consent ©2018 Achieve Page 76 of 116