Reinforcements

Via Box Turtle Bulletin, a very interesting report published in 1963 from the Literature Committee of the Friends Home Service Committee on sexual morality:

“Surely it is the nature and quality of a relationship that matters,” the authors wrote. “One must not judge by its outward appearance but by its inner worth … We see no reason why the physical nature of a sexual act should be the criterion by which the question whether or not it is moral should be decided. An act which expresses true affection between two individuals and gives pleasure to them both, does not seem to us to be sinful by reason alone of the fact that it is homosexual.”

The report asserted that “sexuality, looked at dispassionately, is neither good nor evil — it is a fact of nature.” it also explored the meaning of morality itself. “It seems to us,” the report continued,” that morals, like the Sabbath, were made for man, not man for morals, and that as society changes and modes of conduct with it, we must always be searching below the surface of human behavior, to discover what is in fact happening to people, what they are seeking to express, what motives and intentions they are satisfying, what fruits good or bad, they are harvesting.”

That's essentially what I've been saying for a while: sexual morality is not about who sticks what into whom under what circumstances. It's about how we treat those we are involved with -- the quality of the relationship. (Well, morality in general is about how we treat each other.)

Selections from the full report are here.