Sexual morality is an ethical issue embedded in traditional and modern views that conflict in reason and explanation. Traditionalists believe that sexual intercourse should be a preserve of marriage and any engagement in sex outside of marital boundaries is wrong and unethical. Traditional ideologies of sexual morality are vehemently supported by philosophers such as Aquinas and Kant, while modern justifications for willing sex despite marital status are supported by De Sade and Bentham, and Paley. Nevertheless, I think the traditional views of sex have the most significant effects on society and morality.
Conservatives believe that human beings should not engage in intimate sexual conduct unless they are lawfully wedded. According to traditionalists, people who engage in pre-marital sex and explicit actions, such as casual sex, same-gender sexual intercourse, having multiple sexual partners, and “one-night stands,” are immoral ( Soble, n.d.) . Traditionalists assert that individuals who engage in the above sexual conduct do not respect their bodies and the marriage institution, which is sacred. The traditional view of appropriate sexual intercourse has the most significant effect on society and morality as it is supported even by religion, which is the foundation for most societies ( Beekers & Schrijvers, 2020) . In most traditions, young girls are not expected to engage in sexual intercourse before marriage as it proves the lack of morals for self and absence of dignity and respect for womanhood.
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The traditional view of sex is supported by St. Thomas Aquinas’ Natural Law, which asserts that naturally, sex is for procreation. Therefore, being sexually intimate with another individual beyond procreating is being immoral and abusing the sacred institution of sex ( Fieser, 2017) . Additionally, traditionalists receive support from Kant, who argues that pre-marital sex is wrong because it is exhibits disrespect for the involved woman’s body and womanhood in general. Therefore, the traditional ideology of “no sex before marriage” rules society today because it is generally perceived as being most moral.
References
Beekers, D., & Schrijvers, L. L. (2020). Religion, sexual ethics, and the politics of belonging: Young Muslims and Christians in The Netherlands. Social Compass , 67 (1), 137-156. https://doi.org/10.1177/0037768620901664
Fieser, J. (2017). Sex (The practice of morality) . The University of Tennessee at Martin. https://www.utm.edu/staff/jfieser/class/160/2-sex.htm
Soble, A. (n.d.). Philosophy of sexuality . Internet encyclopedia of philosophy. https://iep.utm.edu/sexualit/
