Well, this just got darker.

  • evranch@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    39
    ·
    2 months ago

    There is this thing that I feel is most prevalent in the USA, to call any attraction to a girl under the age of 18 pedophilia. Because that’s the age to star in porn. The term should truly be used for attraction to children. I think it’s an extension of the “pedo panic” where every man is assumed for some reason to be a child rapist now.

    As such almost every young man could at some point be caught as a “pedophile”- 17 year olds sneak into clubs all the time, for example. 20 year old hooked up with one? Now he is considered a pedophile even if the actual age of consent is lower.

    Meanwhile the porn industry glorifies “barely 18” girls as something highly desirable. It’s a little messed up to say the least.

    Actual pedos who are into kids should be put in mental institutions. But I would strongly suspect that 15% stated just includes honest young men and creepy old men, none of which are truly pedophiles. That number is way too high.

    • rottingleaf@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      3
      arrow-down
      9
      ·
      2 months ago

      As such almost every young man could at some point

      Something is wrong with your stats. “Almost every” would be above 97%. Or if by “could” you mean it happening in a perfectly normal situation - yes.

      OK, I don’t really like talking about that age and that subject. Just batch-commenting everything.

      • Droechai@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        22
        ·
        edit-2
        1 month ago

        Id say that 97% of all 18 year olds has had attraction to 17 year olds is not a weird number, unless asexuality is more common than I thought

        • rottingleaf@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          arrow-down
          5
          ·
          1 month ago

          Attraction yeah, I understood it as the act requiring consent from that text.

          Attraction - it’d be virtually everyone I guess in one way or another. Asexuality is not the same as complete lack of romantic interest or even inability to enjoy physical parts.

          • Droechai@lemm.ee
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            4
            ·
            edit-2
            1 month ago

            The text are talking of branding attraction of <18 year olds as pedophilia, and didn’t talk about doing anything more than experiencing the attraction EDIT more than giving examples of where they may accidently hook up with a 17 year old who snuck into a 18+ bar and then getting the pedophilia treatment by society

            • rottingleaf@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              1 month ago

              Ah. OK. Not a native speaker, thought that “hook up” means sex being involved, and getting said treatment from the judicial branch.

              From the society - eh, some of us are so used to “the society” being in general their enemy, that we don’t even think that’s a problem.

              Ah, and also a 16yo walking-kissing-whatever with a 19yo is more or less normal here.

              • Alpha71@lemmy.world
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                3
                ·
                1 month ago

                I will admit that I don’t understand the the hardline stance some people take about legal/non legal dating. There is only a years difference between a 17 year old and an 18 year old. (even less depending on date of birth. Both of them have had the same life experiences as the other. But some screech that is sexual assault of a minor.

                The even weirder argument is an age difference between a “legal” 18 year old (or whatever the legal age is in your country) and someone older. I’ve seen people online try to cancel someone just because he is 5 years older.

                I don’t think people realize how quietly dangerous this is for women. It robs them of their agency to make their own informed decisions. This is just as insidious as people wanting to ban abortion, just a quieter argument.