Can Sexual Acts between (or Among) Consenting Adults Be Considered an Act Discreditable to the Profession Under Aicpa Code of Professional Conduct Rule 501? A Philosophical Look at a Practical Ethical Question

Abstract

Rule 501 of the AICPA's Code of Professional Conduct as well as the codes of ethics of other state, national and international accounting organizations prohibits acts that are discreditable to the profession. There are several problems with this rule. For one, it is self-serving and does more to protect the profession than the public. Many kinds of personal conduct might subject an accountant to punishment for actions that do not involve fraud or the violation of rights. Another problem is vagueness. There are few guidelines to clarify what might constitute a discreditable act. Consensual sexual acts is one such area. The author concludes that accounting organizations should not engage in policing the moral conduct of their members unless that conduct adversely affects a client or a segment of the investing public.