Conference turris::womannotes-v1

664.0. "Small observation" by HANDY::MALLETT (Situation hopeless but not serious) Thu Jan 21 1988 16:31

    I thought I'd pass on something I read last week that, while
    not any kind of "proof" that the world has changed, just 
    struck me as one interesting sign of the times.
    
    Although I don't recall the exact date (late last week, I
    believe), the Globe ran a story (pg. 3?) that reported
    the conviction and sentencing of a man for (something like)
    "Importing minors for illegal sexual purposes".  I'm
    pretty sure the word "importing" is close but no cigar,
    however that's not what surprised me.
    
    The story was about three quarters of a column long - not
    lengthy but more than a one-paragraph-quickie and I was
    struck by what I *didn't* read.  It wasn't until the very
    last paragraph that, the reporter, in reference to one of the minor
    victims used the pronoun "he".  I went back and re-read.  Sure
    enough, until that last paragraph, the reporter had apparently
    been very careful to make it impossible to tell the sex of the
    victims.  I felt like that solitary "he" made a kind of statement.
    
    Not so long ago, any kind of legal action involving 1) a defendant
    who was any sort of official (the offender was a minor something-
    or-other) and 2) homosexuality,  played up the second factor.  The
    message in this story seemed to be that "The offense is what matters,
    the sexuality of the parties involved is irrelevant." 
    
    Now, I'm almost certain that this particular article indicates
    neither a "position statement" from the Globe, nor a trend or
    movement in journalism, etc. etc.  Maybe it "means" nothing; I
    don't know.  But for some reason(s) (not entirely clear to me)
    I felt like this might be one small signpost that things are
    changing a little in some places for the better - maybe (some)
    people are beginning to focus on the "true" (to me, of course)
    problem of sexual coercion and not the "false" issue of
    "right/wrong or good/bad" sexuality.
    
    Steve (the formerly professional but currently amateur observer)
     

    Steve, I agree that this is a good sign.  I wish it happened more
    often.  Now we just need to impress upon people that sex with minors
    is not necessarily homosexuality or heterosexuality, but pedophilia.
    
                            Carol

    re: .1   Agreed
    
    Steve
    

    re: .3
    
    Could be, Mike.  Do you know if "transporting" covers international
    boundries as well?
    
    Steve