Summary Of Michael Warner On Sexual Ethics

According to Michael Warner, the goal of sexual ethics in our society is to place restraints upon sexual variance. What sexual practices society deems permissible survive from ancient and medieval times; only that which is considered typical in the eyes of conservatism and traditionalism are not subject to sexual shame. What remains is the repression of sexual deviance; we see what effects traditional sexual morality has on society today in the form of birth control politics, prohibitions against promiscuity and autoeroticism, and the concept of the virgin, amongst other artifacts of the past. The individual is pressured to abide by sexual norms simply by their antiquity. What is overt and intentional makes up only a fraction of sexual shame. Not only is lawmaking or undisguised revulsion included; sexual shame is in large part reinforced through silence, such as the taboo and isolation of sex itself and the lack of media representation of what is considered sexually deviant, including same-sex couples. Isolation has the greatest effect
This is a question that not only concerns sexual freedom, but also the overall freedom of the individual. One might make the argument that a person relinquishes some of their freedom in exchange for the protection of society and governments; however, the argument can be made that humans have an intrinsic right to life, liberty, happiness, and that this right includes sexual autonomy and freedom. Furthermore, I would contend that no sexual practice should be subject to shame, law, or stigma unless it is non-consensual or if a participant does not have the ability to understand consent nor its implications, i.e. in cases statutory rape. This allows for sexual deviance and freedom, but puts constraints on acts of rape, pedophilia, or public sexual acts in which people cannot consent to