[MTVN]

Originally Posted by Shaun

I don't see why so many people are getting caught up in semantics (who cares if it's an innate orientation or a perversion? Neither are voluntary).

I do think a lot of taboo sexual attractions are uh... bizarre, but not the monstrosities they're painted out to be. Incest, in particular - obviously the idea of getting jiggy with a relative grosses me out but given the huge variety of family upbringings and weird things that happen to relationships, I don't quite get why it's illegal for, essentially, two consenting adults (yes, emphasis on the consenting) to be together. I understand the genetic repercussions if there's procreation involved, but if it were, in effect, a childless relationship?

I do wonder how society attitudes will change in years to come now that a major alternative sexuality (the homos <3) has been given so much acceptance and equal legislation. I don't compare homosexuality with paedophilia in any other way than they're both involuntary sexual impulses, but I do think the hysteria with which everyone reacts to this subject is ridiculous and counter-productive. If anything, thrusting the words sick, criminal, psychopath at these people from the moment they're aware of their attractions just turns them onto the line of thought that goes "right, if I want to get my rocks off, I'm gonna have to break the law". Accepting you're already a criminal so you might as well, if you will. Therapy is clearly the way forward.

I don't think it's a semantic difference, I think it's a crucial one. If it is innate then it's essentially impossible to change and the only thing you can do is try and control it, whereas if it is a learned perversion then it has the potential to be 'unlearned', regardless of the fact you did not choose it in the first place