Essay About Yale University And Sex Unions

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Same Sex Unions
The question of same-sex unions and their legitimacy in many different societies
is a topic that has been hotly debated for centuries. One society in particular
is pre-modern Europe. Noted author and historian Dr. John Boswell looks
extensively at the topic of same-sex unions in his book Same Sex Unions in
Premodern Europe. Dr. Boswell argues extensively in his book that the Catholic
and Eastern Orthodox churches not only sanctioned unions between partners of the
same sex, but actually sanctified them. This critique examines some specific
aspects of the book, and analyzes them. Before an analysis of the Same Sex
Unions in Premodern Europe can be evaluated, its important to know a little
about the author himself and what he stood for. Dr. Boswell was a professor at
Yale University and Chairman of Yales history department for many years. He
was an award winning scholar, author and historian. In addition to writing Same
Sex Unions in Premodern Europe he also wrote several other works such as
Christianity, Social Tolerance and Homosexuality. Two of his greatest
professional achievements included being a Woodrow Wilson Fellow and a Fulbright
scholar. It is his extensive training as a Historian and an understanding of his
own homosexuality that gave him unique insight into the writing of Same Sex
Unions in Premodern Europe. In Same Sex Unions in Modern Europe, Boswell takes a
highly controversial position in saying that the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox
churches actually sanctified same sex unions, while at the same time, presenting
his viewpoints in such a way that any well educated historian would very
carefully. He almost contradicts himself at several points in the book and
mentions that his ideas are subject to debate among his peers. Boswell, in
writing this book has essentially established a Premodern Europe where
heterosexual marriage was largely ignored by pagans and discouraged by the
church. Also, according to Boswell, men would essentially pair off in order to
perform duties that were considered essential to society such as war, trade,
education, friendship, etc. As Boswell puts it “it is hardly surprising that
there should been a Christian solemnizing same sex unions.” I do not agree
with him on this premise, although homosexuality has existed in animal species
and in humans since the beginnings of our existence, how can he be so bold as to
assume that the majority of these supposed pairs were homosexual? In my opinion
that broad of a statement is like saying that any two men that shake hands or
embrace must automatically be gay. There is a second specific point that I wish
to point out with regards to medieval priest and the monastic life. Boswell
points out in Same Sex Unions in Premodern Europe that young boys caught
performing homosexual acts were “punished” by being sent to a monastery. Was
this meant as “punishment” to deprive these boys of their youth or to
isolate them from the supposed forces that made them perform these acts? Boswell
points out “in any event, being placed with monks was likely to provide the
best environment to locate other men romantically interested in their own
gender.” Thats all well and good, but he undermines his own thesis here. If
the Christian Right of the time so vehemently supported same sex unions, then
why would boys who engaged in same-sex acts be “punished” at all? Should not
they be encouraged to be homosexual? Boswell not only mildly contradicts himself
here, he goes a step further and practically destroys his own thesis. Through
reading Same Sex Unions in Premodern Europe, relating it to my own