Re: Honesty in establishing common ground
Submitted by GraceComesFirst on November 30 2000 16:04:44
In reply to Re: Honesty in establishing common ground submitted by Dannyboy on November 30 2000 09:46:11
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Thank you! Finally, someone has pointed out that heterosexuals constantly engage in "jokes" about the sexuality of their own children, yet no one considers it unusual. Just look at all the shows on TV, if you don't believe me! Or consider that the film American Beauty won the oscar. Well what is that movie about?!? Intergenerational relationships!! And people loved it. It's pure bigotry to say that it is OK if the younger person is a girl, but not OK if it is a boy. Honestly, I think the whole matter is so much simpler than a lot of people make it out to be. It is the bigots and the fearful people who have confused the issues surrounding adult relationships with "minors" (whether friendships or anything else). But I asked my therapist (what a great guy!) point blank, Is it normal for adults to think that older teenagers are attractive (sexually), and you know, the answer he gave was simple: Yes. So from the perspective of the APA, "ephebophilia", so to speak, is not considered abnormal at all. Perhaps it is a different matter with prepubescent children, but since I am not attracted to boys that young, I don't feel qualified to say anything. But these things just happen to be illegal, not because they are necessarily always wrong, but because the government is full of prudish bigots. I can speak so boldly, because all the young gay men that I know say the same things openly in public all the time. (Consider this: Focus on the Family recently produced a quasi-fictional documentary about the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. And what was featured prominently in that film? His relationship (at the age of about 35) with a 17yo girl!!!) Be patient. If we (young people in general) are successful in holding on to our values, and undoing the damage of the last 25 years, then 10 or 20 or 30 years from now, perhaps this whole issue will be put to rest. |
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