Comments on: “Pedophilia Tag” Discourages Male Volunteers

By: A Stitch in Haste

A Stitch in Haste — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 20:00:45 +0000

Linkfest: Old Bigotry Never Dies……

…it just gets repackaged.

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ITEM: The false association of male homosexuality with pedophilia is generating collateral damage — More……

By: Willie Hewes

Willie Hewes — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 09:26:53 +0000

Media in the UK are completely hysterical about pedophilia (especially the scary stranger kind).

I really do understand that some men would be wary of working with kids, simply because some parents are afraid of men — where their kids are concerned.

There’s a lack of education and sensible reporting in this country. I almost can’t blame parents for being afraid of strange men having access to their children, rather than keeping an eye on their kids uncles and step-dads.

By: David

David — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 05:30:21 +0000

This has only given voice to what I have felt for quite a while. I love kids, absolutely. But growing up hearing homosexuality consistently compared to pedophilia, I am always a bit uncertain around parents (especially those who know I’m gay) and interacting with their kids. And I love getting to play with kids – I think it is one of the most enriching and refreshing things we do in life – but I always wonder, “what are the parents thinking?” It’s a very daunting tag to have dangling over one’s head, and I’m sad to hear that we’ve become so paranoid to discourage men in general from being able to mentor and nurture children.