Conservative host Megyn Kelly suggested that she did not initially believe Jeffrey Epstein was an "actual pedophile" because he reportedly victimized girls aged 15 and older.Kelly spoke to journalist Batya Ungar-Sargon about Epstein on Wednesday after Democrats released emails suggesting President D...
    • QuoVadisHomines@sh.itjust.works
      5·
      1 hour ago

      This talking point is very popular among the right wing libertarian guys who are so offputting they cannot date their peers.

      It’s also popular among Christian fascist theocrats who want to be able to date and marry children.

    • Modern_medicine_isnt@lemmy.world
      3·
      2 hours ago

      It is spreading for a reason though. There certainly is a difference between raping an 8 year old and a 16 year old. And medically it is defined as “sexual interest in prepubescent children.” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19327034/ People have started slinging the term even at guys dating 20 something year old women just because they are 50 or 60. In short, the term has been made into a dog whistle and used were it doesn’t apply because it carries more negative connotations than terms like statutory rape, sexual assualt of a minor, sex trafficking.

      Frankly, I think the term has been cheapened by this misuse. Now when people here someone is a pedo, instead of immediate revulsion, they have to ask, “what kind of pedo”. It shouldn’t be that way. All of the phrases should be bad enough that we don’t need to exaggerate. So it is more the acceptance that statutory rape is ok that is the source of the problem.

      That said, the motives for this talking head to say what she said are purely political. Her words aren’t worth spit.

      • Zetta@mander.xyz
        3·
        28 minutes ago

        The biggest tragedy about everyone on the left using pedophile as a dog whistle is that it actually directly harms children in my opinion. Pedophelia is a mental disorder, and just because someone is a pedophile doesn’t mean they have ever or will ever harm a child or anyone else for that matter.

        The problem with everybody using the word pedo and creating such a hateful and negative reaction to that word instead of the more proper term of child sex offender or child rapist, is it directly results in pedophiles who want to get mental health help to ensure they never hurt a child, never will and they will just keep it quiet because their entire life will be destroyed if they try to get professional help.

        Of course, everybody is always responsible for their actions, but all of you using the word pedo in such a negative and catch-all way directly results in children being harmed.

        You all need to use better terminology, like rapist or child sex abuser, not using a real DSM-5 mental disorder to vilify.

        I won’t compare it directly to any other mental disorders because I will get a significant amount of hate, but imagine picking any other DSM-5 disorder and using it as a catch-all to vilify, it would be unpopular.