Article 5: Sexual Freedom – Everyone has the right of freedom of choice and expression in their sexual orientation, and the only limitation of law should be related to securing the consent of adults within the sexual relationship and preventing rationally considerable harm related to it to citizens and to society.
Article 5 is simple: the state should be a referee, not a roommate. Adults who give informed, voluntary consent—and who aren’t harming anyone—should be left alone by the law. That’s not culture-war fireworks; that’s limited government with a backbone. If we defend freedom of worship, speech, and association from state micromanagement, we should be consistent and defend private, adult relationships that clear the same bar.
Consent here isn’t a shrug; it’s architecture. Adults only. Informed, voluntary, and capable—no coercion, no grooming, no fraud, no power-play that makes “yes” meaningless. The other guardrail is preventing real, demonstrable harm: assault, exploitation, trafficking, blackmail, non-consensual images. Draw those lines bright, enforce them hard, and we protect what matters: the vulnerable, the integrity of commitments, and the peace of our homes.
This approach strengthens families and preserves religious freedom. Churches, synagogues, and mosques remain free to teach and bless—or not—according to conscience. The civil law stays humble: punish force and fraud, respect private adult choices. That’s moral federalism, not moral relativism—one civil standard for everyone, and many voluntary moral codes within our communities.
Scientific research has played a role in challenging earlier views that considered non-heteronormative orientations as pathological. Advances in psychology and understanding of sexual orientation have contributed to recognizing it as a natural and diverse aspect of human identity. Professional organizations such as the American Psychological Association and the World Health Organization have depathologized homosexuality and emphasized the importance of respecting sexual orientation as a fundamental aspect of an individual’s identity.
Treating homosexuality like a contagion misunderstands both science and kids. Decades of research in psychology and pediatrics show that sexual orientation isn’t learned by exposure any more than left-handedness is picked up by sitting next to a southpaw; it’s a stable trait shaped by a mix of biology and development, not by classroom mentions or a neighbor’s marriage. What children do absorb from adults is whether the world is safe, honest, and fair. A conservative society that prizes family strength and personal virtue should focus on shielding kids from real harms—coercion, exploitation, bullying—not from the existence of people who are simply different. Teaching respect doesn’t “turn” anyone; it teaches our sons and daughters how to be decent.
If we can agree that adults must be free, children must be safe, and predators must be stopped, then we already agree on the heart of Article 5. The rest belongs to families, faiths, and the quiet dignity of conscience—a Michigan kind of common sense that guards liberty without losing sight of responsibility.
Wissam Charafeddine 