Supervised by: Submitted by:
Dr. Ameeta Jaiswal Sonam Raj
[Head of Department]
Department of Philosophy
Introduction
Homosexuality refers to sexual attraction or behavior among members of the same
sex.
Homosexuality is found in many animal species.
It is difficult to determine accurately the prevalence of homosexuality among
humans.
Homosexuality has been admired or condemned according to societies’ sexual
norms.
The legal status of homosexual relationship varies widely by country.
Since the middle of the twentieth century, homosexuality has been delisted as a
disease and decriminalized in some of the developed countries.
More than 70 countries in the world still make homosexuality a crime
by law and punishable by death in twelve of them.
selection
The concept of homosexual relationship is confusing the mind of the younger
generation.
Homosexual relationship is considered as a social, moral as well as a religious
stigma.
There is a great need for a detailed discussion on the Issue of Homosexual
Relationship and its ethical perspective.
It is important to study whether homosexual relationship is natural or normal.
It is also essential to make a survey as to what the society and the upcoming
generation feels about this trend.
objective
To clarify the concept of homosexual relationship by discussing its meaning and
definition as well as its main features.
To discuss critically the history of homosexuality and find out its present status in
society.
To see and examine whether homosexual relationship is conducive to the well
being of the human society.
To analyze and see what can be accepted from homosexual relationship and what
can be rejected.
To discuss the findings based on questionnaire and interviews and to give
suggestions with regard to the issue of homosexual relationship from an ethical
standpoint.
methodology
Our research work is based on the primary facts that has been collected
through questionnaire and interviews.
Material for the Research Project has been gathered from different sources:
library, media, internet and through interface discussions.
On the basis of interviews schedule, tables were formed and findings were
enumerated.
In the end, conclusion and suggestions has been given.
Is homosexual relationship
normal & Natural
Western ethics maintain that all homosexual activity is viable choice, and there is no guilt.
homosexuals feelings are normal
Homosexuals claim that scientific studies have shown that there is a biological basis for
homosexuality.
Some scientists maintain that homosexuality is due to complex combination of social,
psychological and biological factors.
Baptist union of western Australia task force on human sexuality concluded that there is no
reliable evidence to date that homosexual behavior is determined by a persons genes.
Studies of 1700 homosexuals in 1940s and nearly 1000 homosexuals in 1970 reported that
homosexuals overwhelmingly believe that their feelings and behavior were the result of social or
environmental.
Similar studies conclude that the root cause of homosexual behavior is psychological rather
than biological and that, the problem is relational rather than genetic.
By normal, we mean that “which function according to its design”.
The post modern idea that homosexuals behavior is normal can be challenged since the
sexual acts of homosexuals are perceived by the majority as conflicting with the normal
design patterns.
On this basis homosexuality is clearly not normal sexual variation.
Homosexual behavior is natural in the sense that it is extremely found in the nature.
It has been observed in antelopes, sheep, turkeys, vervets and humans.
Homosexuality exists in proven ratios in mammal species.
It is as natural as blue eyes, left handedness or the genetic predisposition to walk on two
legs.
Is homosexual relationship moral
or immoral
Western society tends to go by a majority or cultural ethics where by whatever a cultural group approves
of is deemed right and whatever the group disapproves of is wrong.
Most political and religious conservatives find homosexual behavior morally wrong.
American adults’ approval for homosexual behavior appears to be steadily increasing.
The percentage of adults who are undecided is also dropping steadily.
A Canadian poll asked, “Do you strongly approve or disapprove of homosexuality?
In 1996, 22% approved and then 2001 44% approved showing a rapid change in social ethics.
According to this poll, homosexuality is rapidly becoming right.
Similarly, a 2001 GALLOP Poll showed a continuation of a slow but steady liberalization of American
public toward homosexuality.
However, a majority or cultural defined ethics is variable and unreliable.
This is cultural relativism and the social consequences can be disastrous.
It is believed that any absolute ethic or moral standard can not com from man, a finite and fallible being. It
must come from a transcendent source, from beyond mankind.
If such a source exists, as the philosopher Wittgenstein said : “the sense of the world must lie outside the
world. Ethics is transcendental.
Homosexuality in India
Homosexuality is generally considered a taboo subject by both Indian civil society and the government.
In 1990 the magazine Bombay Dost appeared and in 1991, AIDS Bhedbhav Virodhi Andolan [Anti-AIDS
Discrimination Campaign], known as ABVA, published its pioneering report “Less Than Gay”.
The popular belief persists that homosexuality is an aberration imported from modern Europe or medieval
West-Asia, and that it was non-existent in ancient India.
Same sex love in south Asia is seriously under-researched as compared to East Asia and even West Asia.
A collection of extracts translated from a wide range of texts in 15 Indian languages and written over a period
of more than two millennia, it was found that same-sex love and romantic friendship have flourished in India in
various forms, without any extended history of overt persecution.
These forms include invisibilised partnerships, highly visible romances, and institutionalized rituals such as
exchanging vows to create lifelong fictive kinship that is honored by both partners’ families.
Evidence of male homoerotic subcultures flourishing in some medieval Indian cities. Like the erotic temple
sculptures at Khajuraho and Konark, ancient and medieval texts constitute irrefutable evidence that the whole
range of sexual behavior was known in pre-colonial India.
British nineteenth-century administrators and educationists imported their generally anti-sex and specifically
homophobic attitudes into India.
While homosexuality has not been explicitly mentioned in the religious texts central to Hinduism, the largest
religion in India, some interpretations have been viewed as condemning homosexuality.
Scholars differ in their views of the position of homosexuality within India's main religious traditions. There
have been arguments that homosexuality was both prevalent and accepted in ancient Hindu society.
[Link]
THE ISSUE OF HOMOSEXUALITY : AN ETHICAL PERSPECTIVE
1. Name……………………………………...………………………………………….........
2. Age ……………………………………………………………….....................................
3. Educational qualification………………………………………………………………….
4. Is homosexual relationship natural ?...................................................................................
5. Is it normal ? ……………………………………………………………………................
6. Is homosexual act ethical?...................................................................................................
7. Does homosexual act support freedom of choice?...............................................................
8. Is homosexuality harmful for society?.................................................................................
9. Does homosexuality pose a threat to children?...................................................................
10. Is homosexuality a depressing and sad life style?................................................................
11. Are homosexuals obsessed wit sex with different partners?................................................
12. Does homosexuality undermine religion and hence the stability of society?......................
13. Does homosexuality cause AIDS and other diseases which are costly and deadly?............
14.. Should homosexuals be given special political rights ?........................................................
15. Should homosexual relationship be decriminalized?.............................................................
16. Should homosexuals relationship be legalized?....................................................................
17. Are homosexual act forbidden by God?................................................................................
18. Does homosexuality threaten the family?............................................................................
19. Does homosexuality undermine moral values?.....................................................................
20. Do you support homosexuality?......................................................................................................................
Findings
From the findings of the table 1, we have come to know that except for a few almost all students believe that
homosexual relationship is not natural.
With regard to the question as to whether such relationship is normal, half the students are in favor of it and the other
half against it .
Regarding the ethical perspective of homosexuality almost all students are of the opinion that such an act is not at all
ethical.
90% of the students strongly believe that homosexual relationship is harmful for the society .
With exception of 2 students, 28 students believe that same sex relationship will have adverse effect on the society.
From the findings of table 2 we see, 50% of the students feel that homosexuals are obsessed about sex with multiple
partners. According to the findings , it is evident that half of the population feel that homosexuals are abnormal.
From the religious and social standpoint, all the students feel that homosexuality undermine religious values.
About half of the students feel that as a normal citizen of the country the homosexuals are also entitled to civic and
political rights.
Majority of the students feel that since homosexuality is a matter of personal choice and comfort thus it should not be
categorized as a criminal offence.
When asked whether homosexual relationship be legalized or not? Almost all the students answered against it. They
feel that homosexual relationship should not be legalized because of its wrong impact on society and the upcoming
generation.
70% of the students feel that homosexual act is forbidden by God and should thus not be practiced.
85% of the students feel that homosexuality pose a threat to the family
because it brings social disgrace.
95% of the students feel that homosexuality undermine moral values as it is
against our society and God.
The last question put up to the students as to whether do they support
homosexuality almost all the students answered against it.
Suggestions
Homosexual relationship should be decriminalized but not legalized.
Sex education should be introduced at an elementary as well as college level for
preventing youths from being mislead.
Homosexuals should be given equal rights and opportunities as a normal citizen of
a country.
Homosexuals should be respected and counseled for their right livelihood.
The government and NGO’s should spread awareness through the medium of
newspapers, internet , television and other sources regarding homosexuality and its
adverse effects on the person concerned and the society as well.
Homosexual relationship should not be socially sanctioned.
Conclusion
The issue of homosexuality is rapidly spreading in the society and this trend is increasingly exercised.
Homosexual relationship is a threat to our life system as it not only undermines social values but also
moral and religious values.
Almost all religious texts or scriptures have restricted or forbidden from indulging into same sex
relationship.
Homosexual relationship is a social stigma because it is not approved by the cultural ethics and also
because it brings with it, social disgrace to the family of the person concerned.
Homosexuals do not reproduce and if this act is encouraged, it can threaten the life cycle of nature.
Homosexuality is neither a disease nor an incapability of the person concerned. Rather it is a mental
inclination or longing for the same sex partner due to one or the other reason which can vary from being
personal, emotional, physical and so on. Hence, people should not look upon them as mentally disturbed or
offenders. They should be given equal respect as a normal citizen of a country.
From ethical standpoint it is clear that every individual has the freedom of will and thus according to
ethical standards, every individual is free to decide whether they want to spend their life with a same sex
partner or not? But then we also know that every voluntary action which is done by the free will of a
person is open to the elements of judgement as being right or wrong. So homosexual act can be said to be
ethically wrong as it is against the law of the nature and the law of the God.
