Sexual History Politics

Apparently Kamala Harris has been criticized for her sexual history. I have not seen or read the accusation nor her response, if any. My comments here have nothing to do with her or her critics. However, I had had and expressed opinions on the sexual history of those who seek public office in the past, and this prompts me to clarify my own thinking. Whether I post it beyond my Writing Workshop blog remains to be seen, perhaps depending on how things unfold with Kamala Harris.

 Based on sexual history, in my personal opinion, neither Bill Clinton nor Donald Trump (and several others in this and other positions of public responsibility) should have been allowed anywhere near the White House (or any public trust). For me this is not a question of individual morality but a matter of trustworthiness of character, a track record of honoring sacred commitments (marriage vows, oaths of office).

 Having said that, I recognize and accept that we human beings have the capacity to grow and change, leaving behind errant paths of the past and embracing new and more wholesome journeys. While not necessarily expressed in specifically Christian language, this would be akin to what John the Baptist called “fruit worthy of repentance” (Matthew 3:8; Luke 3:8).

 That sort of transformation is rare in our culture that accepts and sometimes even celebrates sexual conquest as intrinsic to the expectations of men in positions of power. (Recent developments such as “Me Too” seem to be making some headway in challenging that sort of thinking.) That some women also exploit sexual power is as old as Potiphar’s wife in Genesis 39:6b-20, but it is suspect (and probably more rare) in our culture in which sexual power is such a male domain.