Here's one for all the sci-fi fans out there.

Say we come in physical contact with an intelligent alien species (they arrive in a ship, we arrive in a ship, faster-than-light is invented, etc). We are able to survive in the aliens' environment, and vice vera. We are able to communicate and understand each other with relative ease, to the point where a human and alien may form an emotional attachment...

Say that the aliens are biologically close enough to humans that...physical intimacy is possible. The aliens do not have to be humanoid; actually, non-humanoid aliens would make this discussion more interesting. Reproduction would be impossible, but a human and an alien "going through the motions" together would not harm either one. And suppose there's a subset of both humanity and the aliens that are interested in this (i.e. it's not just us perving on them).

What kinds of perceptions and responses do you imagine of humanity (and the aliens) in this situation? What kind of viewpoints and arguments would you expect to be presented?

In other words, what kind of sh**storm can we expect if we ever discover real life "space babes"?

That's simple; it would get the same reaction (probably from both parties) as things such as inter-racial and homosexual relationships get now/in the past.

There will be groups who are anti, pro and don't care.

Quote: Original post by phantom
That's simple; it would get the same reaction (probably from both parties) as things such as inter-racial and homosexual relationships get now/in the past.

There will be groups who are anti, pro and don't care.

This. However, the reaction will be stronger (towards the negative) if reproduction is a possibility.

Well, one thing's for sure - they'd think twice before airing Grinch over Christmas...

Quote: Original post by MarkS
However, the reaction will be stronger (towards the negative) if reproduction is a possibility.

Do you mean people who'd already be opposed would react more strongly, or that there'd be more opposition overall?

Yeah, we have already seen this with interracial and homosexual couples, but those were relationships between humans. I'm wondering how much the discourse would change when considering relationships with a different species. If a creature is sentient, is having sex with it still bestiality?

It'd be very interesting if the aliens happened to be 100 times more hot than the hottest human (according to our standards).

I for one welcome our new gorgeous overlords!

Quote: Original post by VideroBoy

Quote: Original post by MarkS
However, the reaction will be stronger (towards the negative) if reproduction is a possibility.

Do you mean people who'd already be opposed would react more strongly, or that there'd be more opposition overall?

This would be on the order of interracial relationships and mixed race children from 50 or so years ago, but amplified due to the fact that one of the pair is not human. People that have no opposition to interracial marriages would oppose this and those that oppose interracial marriages would probably get (more) violent. It would not be accepted by the majority. And let's not even think of the religious component.

I don't think bestiality would apply, but that is an interesting argument.

I'm a racist, I'm only into human girls.

Quote: Original post by owl
It'd be very interesting if the aliens happened to be 100 times more hot than the hottest human (according to our standards).

But not as interesting as if the aliens happened to resemble the Elder Things as visioned by H.P. Lovecraft. If human-Elder Thing marriages are still proposed, how would this impact our standards and assumptions about sexuality?

(I am posing more questions than answers because this thread is also kind of a social experiment on my part. [wink] )

[Edited by - VideroBoy on December 5, 2010 7:18:55 PM]

William Shatner would burst with excitement. [wink]