Social Problems in Amerca
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onservative, liberals, and radicals on the left perceive different social problems different ways. The same is true with social problems that arise involving sexuality.
Conservatives today view any type of sex outside of a heterosexual, married couples home as a social problem. They see homosexuality, extramarital affairs, and premarital sex as something to be frowned upon and something that is destroying societies morals and norms. They would prefer that society stick to the same old traditional principles it has had for hundreds of years and are unwilling to accept change. The main problem for people on the conservative side is that they perceive individuals as straying from the “natural” order of things. They loathe the idea of homosexuals marrying, abortions being allowed, and teen pregnancies. The only solution they foresee is for heterosexual parents to instill their conservative values in their own offspring in order to keep society from warping the sanctity of marriage and heterosexuality any further than it already has. They feel that their stringent values and rules will help alleviate issues of teen pregnancy and STDs.
Liberals, to a similar effect, feel that sexual institutions such as prostitution and pornography are harmful to society and are not victimless crimes. They feel that teen pregnancy is linked to poverty and that sexual harassment prevents people from doing their jobs. The main problem for liberals are the outside factors that influence individuals. Liberals advocate an external locus of control among their “victims.” For example, the reason people are forced to work as prostitutes is because they did not grow up in an environment that taught them effective job skills to be successful. Or, women get pregnant because it’s all they know to do. Essentially, liberals justify all their problems by blaming everyone and thing but the victim. They suggest that the only way to solve the problems of prostitution, pornography, and sexual harassment is for the government to get involved and offer support financially and educationally. They see it as the government’s responsibility to keep sexuality out of the workplace, ensure that all women have the right to abortions, and to pursue a cure for aids. They are not focused on getting up and doing things for themselves. They’d much have the government intervene and get it done.
The Radical-Left, as the name might suggest, has the most radical view of all three of the groups. They believe social problems related to sexuality arise as a result of men dominating women and heterosexuality dominating all other sexual orientations. They look at problems such as the glass-ceiling, the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy in the military, and prejudice against anyone who is not a heterosexual male. They feel that women and “deviant” sexual orientations are underprivileged and discriminated against openly. They are quick to note problems such as women and homosexual either not getting jobs they are better qualified for or being underpaid when they successfully acquire that job. The radical-left’s solution to these problems is to change society into a gender-free society and change our culture to allow equality to all sexual orientations.
There are several organizations on campus whose mission does not directly state that they are involved in various sexual issues yet address them frequently and often. Organizations such as Breakout Entertainment, the Student Government Association, and the Baptist Student Ministry all foster environments that teach/train students how to act or not act sexually. Breakout Entertainment and Student Government have put on programs across campus that inform students about the risks