Sexual Ethics
An Anthology
Blackwell Philosophy Anthologies
1. Edition February 2023
480 Pages, Softcover
Textbook
Further versions
An accessible and engaging anthology of readings focused specifically on applied ethics issues of sexual morality
Sexual Ethics: An Anthology addresses conceptual, ethical, and public policy issues about sex, providing a balanced and non-sectarian discussion of many of today's most important and controversial moral topics. Covering a broad range of contemporary sexual ethics issues, this easily accessible textbook includes explications and point/counterpoint pieces on the definition of sex and sexual orientation, sexual harassment and rape law, sexual discrimination, age of consent, marriage and adultery, online affairs, gay marriage, polygamy and polyamory, sexual orientation change therapy, transgender and sex reassignment surgery, intersexed infants and surgery, pornography, prostitution, psychiatric classifications of sexuality disorders, and specific paraphilias. Organized around six broad themes--Consent, Marriage, Homosexuality, Transgender, Commerce, and Paraphilias--Sexual Ethics presents multiple sides of each issue, offering diverse perspectives on critical topics, supported by relevant philosophical arguments, position papers, psychological studies, government regulations, and court rulings.
Sexual Ethics is particularly designed to provide a ready-made course in sexual ethics, with several major elements ideally suited for classroom instructors and students:
* Includes an introductory chapter on key definitional, conceptual, and theoretical issues
* Features "Framing Questions" for each section that address a major moral or policy issue and highlights the pro/con nature of the readings (e.g., How should we define rape? Should pornography be protected as free speech?)
* Features a short summary at the beginning of each reading, including the topic, major points, and conclusion, very helpful for instructor planning
* Features 15 "Discussion Starters" that help students start thinking critically and talking about sexual ethics before doing any reading
* Features 45 brief "Decision Cases" drawn from major media stories especially relevant to the college student context, including college virginity, male rape, child pornography on television, college sexual harassment, faux-bisexuality, fraternity party sex, transgender inclusion, race and sex, asexuality, bromances, campus pride groups, fetishes and kink, online sex, Title IX mandatory reporting, transgender sports competition, religious diversity and sex, sex education, feminists working at sexually exploitative jobs, cancel culture, and robot sex. These cases are ideal for class discussion, class presentations, and research paper topics.
Sexual Ethics: An Anthology is an excellent textbook for undergraduate classes in applied ethics, sexual ethics, and gender studies, as well as related courses in sociology, public policy, marriage and family law, and social work.
Acknowledgements xiii
Part I Introduction to Sex, Sexuality, and Sexual Ethics 1
1 What is Sex? What is Sexuality? What is Sexual Ethics? 3
patrick d. hopkins
Section 1: What is Sex? 4
1.1 Discussion Starters 4
1.2 The Problem of Definitions 4
1.3 Solutions to the Problem of Definitions 7
1.4 Decision Cases 7
Section 2: What is Sexuality? 12
2.1 Discussion Starters 12
2.2 Definitions 13
2.3 Contextual Categorizations 15
2.4 Decision Cases 16
Section 3: What is Sexual Ethics? 21
3.1 Discussion Starters 21
3.2 Methods of Ethics 22
3.3 Moral Psychology and Analysis 24
3.4 Decision Cases 25
Part II Consent and Coercion 33
How should we define sexual harassment?
2 A Feminist Definition of Sexual Harassment 35
Anita M. Superson
3 Lost Innocence 45
Laurence Thomas
4 Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Domino's Pizza, Inc. 53
United States District Court (M.D. Florida, Tampa Division)
5 Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc. 58
United States Supreme Court
How should we define rape?
6 Force, Consent, and the Reasonable Woman 62
Joan Mcgregor
7 Rape and the Reasonable Man 74
Donald Hubin And Karen Healy
8 Revisions to the Uniform Crime Report's Definition of Rape 84
United States Department Of Justice
How should we assess the age of consent?
9 Romeo and Juliet Were Sex Offenders: An Analysis of the Age of Consent and a Call for Reform 86
Steve James
10 A Bee Line in the Wrong Direction: Science, Teenagers, and the Sting to the "Age of Consent" 98
Jennifer Ann Drobac
Part III Marriage and Fidelity 117
Should we provide new options for heterosexual marriage?
11 Covenant Marriage Seven Years Later: Its as Yet Unfulfilled Promise 119
Katherine Shaw Spaht
12 Regulatory Fictions: On Marriage and Countermarriage 129
Elizabeth F. Emens
Should we legalize gay marriage?
13 A Traditionalist Case for Gay Marriage 147
Dale Carpenter
14 A Response to the 'Conservative Case' for Same- Sex Marriage: Same- Sex Marriage and the 'Tragedy of the Commons' 154
Lynn D. Wardles
15 United States v. Windsor, Executor of the Estate of Spyer 167
Supreme Court Of The United States
Should we legalize polygamous marriage?
16 Marriage 170
Marci Hamilton
17 Liberalism and the Polygamy Question 178
Jon Mahoney
18 Multi- Player Option 185
Michelle Chihara
Is adultery necessarily immoral?
19 Is Adultery Immoral? 189
Richard Wasserstrom
20 What's Really Wrong with Adultery? 197
Michael J. Wreen
How should we define adultery?
21 Sex Online: Is This Adultery? 201
Christine Tavella Hall
22 Virtual Adultery: No Physical Harm, No Foul? 211
Kathryn Pfeiffer
Part IV Homosexuality and Policy 221
How should homosexuality be understood?
23 Why Homosexuality Is Abnormal 223
Michael Levin
24 Homosexuality and Nature: Happiness and the Law at Stake 233
Timothy F. Murphy
What should the law be about homosexuality?
25 Bowers v. Hardwick 239
United States Supreme Court
26 Lawrence v. Texas 253
United States Supreme Court
How should we assess attempts to change sexual orientation?
27 Therapies Focused on Attempts to Change Sexual Orientation (Reparative or Conversion Therapies): COPP Position Statement 260
American Psychiatric Association, Committee On Psychotherapy By Psychiatrists (Copp)
28 (A) Can Some Gay Men and Lesbians Change Their Sexual Orientation? 200 Participants Reporting a Change from Homosexual to Heterosexual Orientation - Abstract; (B) Spitzer Reassesses His 2003 Study of Reparative Therapy of Homosexuality 264
Robert L. Spitzer
29 Welch v. Brown, Appellants' Opening Brief (Preliminary Injunction Appeal) 267
Kamala D. Harris, Douglas J. Woods, Tamar Pachter, Daniel J. Powell, Craig J. Konnoth, And Alexandra Robert Gordon
30 Welch v. Brown, Brief Amicus Curiae of Foundation for Moral Law, in Support of Plaintiffs - Appellees Urging Affirmance 277
John A. Eidsmoe And Joshua M. Pendergrass
Part V Transgender and Medicine 283
How should transgender be understood?
31 Gender Identity Disorders in Childhood and Adolescence: A Critical Inquiry 285
Darryl B. Hill, Christina Rozanski, Jessica Carfagnini, And Brian Willoughby
32 Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders: Discussion of Questions for DSM- V (on GID) 297
Robert L. Spitzer
33 Gender Dysphoria 300
American Psychiatric Association
How should we assess sex reassignment surgery?
34 The Psychopathology of "Sex Reassignment" Surgery: Assessing Its Medical, Psychological, and Ethical Appropriateness 302
Richard P. Fitzgibbons, Philip M. Sutton, And Dale O'leary
35 Transsexualism and Gender Reassignment Surgery 314
Heather Draper And Neil Evans
How should intersexed children be medically treated?
36 Surgical Progress is Not the Answer to Intersexuality 322
Cheryl Case
37 The Ethics of Surgically Assigning Sex for Intersex Children 327
Merle Spriggs And Julian Savalescu
Part VI Commerce and Speech 337
Is pornography harmful?
38 The Question of Harm 339
Attorney General's Commission On Pornography, Final Report, 1986
39 The Findings and Recommendations of the Attorney General's Commission on Pornography: Do the Psychological "Facts" Fit the Political Fury? 348
Daniel Linz, Edward Donnerstein, And Steven Penrod
Should pornography be protected as free speech?
40 Pornography and the First Amendment 355
Cass R. Sunstein
41 Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition 370
United States Supreme Court
Is prostitution necessarily immoral?
42 What's Wrong with Prostitution? 374
Igor Primoratz
43 Moral Reflections on Prostitution 385
Yolanda Estes
Part VII Paraphilia and Pathology 393
Are some sexual desires a type of disease?
44 DSM- IV- TR and the Paraphilias: An Argument for Removal 395
Charles Moser And Peggy J. Kleinplatz
45 Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders: Discussion of Questions for DSM- V (on Paraphilia) 403
Robert L. Spitzer
46 Paraphilic Disorders 406
American Psychiatric Association
Is sadomasochism necessarily immoral?
47 Rethinking Sadomasochism: Feminism, Interpretation, and Simulation 408
Patrick D. Hopkins
48 Naughty Fantasies 419
John Corvino
Is bestiality necessarily immoral?
49 What (if Anything) Is Wrong with Bestiality? 424
Neil Levy
50 Horse Sense 431
Wesley J. Smith
Is pedophilia necessarily immoral?
51 Pedophilia 434
Igor Primoratz
52 What Really Is Wrong with Pedophilia? 440
Robert Ehman
Index 447
