comparatively insignificant portion of much greater conditions of thought, aspiration, and personal and social ideals which form the permanent bonds between persons, and are the only bases for lasting personal affinities and attachments. In this last field, ethics is recognized in its universal character, and it can be safely presumed that no rational sexual ethic can be developed which is not derived from the basic ethical principles characteristic of this field.

During the past fifty years or so, European thinkers have had a great deal to say about sexual ethics, and much brilliant research has been done in this area of thought. However, little has been so far established in the realm of sexual ethics beyond the considered opinion that sexual inclinations other than those leading to procreation are not unnatural, and that their expression-while it may be considered amoral-is not, per se, immoral in the absolute or even the relative sense of the term. For sexual deviants, such scientifically-established opinion is valuable as far as it goes, since it at least leaves room for ethical considerations. But the main task still remains of establishing a positive ethic which will have a practical value in regulating the actual circumstances of one's life. The ethical elements of mutual consent, privacy, and age, are a step in the right direction, but can be considered as little more than the first step towards our ethical goals.

A theory of ethical conduct may of course be preconceived in advance of actual experience. But actual ethics is a practice, a discipline, a way of life. A young person of heterosexual leanings may enter actual sexual experience with some previous idea of the ethical principles, the "sexual ethic," involved. But such a person cannot actually appropriate these ethical values into his or her habits of life except by plunging into the circumstances which require their application. Only in the crucible of conjugal, domestic and family relationships can the character be molded in conformity with ethical behavior in this field, so that the person will become, in fact, an ethical person. If a person fails to conform to ethical principles in this area of life, it would surely indicate no more than his own incapacity to grasp and apply ethical values. As concerns the sexual deviant. of which class the homosexual comprises by far the largest group, very much the same situation applies, except that there are not the natural external circumstances which stimulate and in fact require ethical evalutions. Thus the homophile tends to be thrown heavily, if not exclusively upon metaphysical ideas and resources if he is to solve his ethical problems satisfactorily.

A homosexual who is unfortunate enough to find his way into "gay" life via bars and public places is likely to conclude that ethics in the homosexual world is non-existent. He remembers the pretenses, the affectations, the lies, the broken commitments, the hollow promises, the transient relationships—all of which indicate a gross want of ethical appreciation on the part of those who practice them. We are, of course, aware that our reputation in society as a whole is also based on these same, most unfavorable aspects of homosexual behavior. However, there are many homosexuals who, being inwardly dedicated to an ethical life, find it unthinkable to disregard the application of ethical principles in the field of homophily. Such application requires not only the general qualities of trustworthiness, social reliability and consideration, but also the determination to bring these qualities to bear upon every phase of homophile experience. It is only when and as this element of homosexual life can appear openly in a position of leadership and in partnership with heterosexuals of similar ideals, that headway will be made in applying general ethical principles, finally and conclusively, to the field of human sexuality.

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