Is it even hiding behind a mask anymore to call trans people "groomers"? It feels like a somewhat socially acceptable way to say you hate transgender people.
The irony is that the groomer term originally came out of feminist circles to describe the behavior of men in their mid twenties and on who manipulate underage girls into having relationships with them. And those kind of men tend to be conservative and conservative culture goes to bat defending that shit. So it’s a big ol “nuh uh you’re the groomers!”
It's wild to think my kindergarten teacher was flamboyant, wasn't married, I thought he was gay but as a 6 year old I was afraid to talk about it because I knew you could get in trouble for being gay. I don't know if I really knew what it even meant to be gay yet but I knew people hated it. You couldn't be an openly gay teacher, and in a lot of the US you probably still can't be.
The image of 'the pedophile' is crucial to the continued existence of patriarchy. The reason child abuse and spousal abuse has existed, and can continue to exist, is because there is essentially no where else for people to go to not be abused. Financially (and otherwise) forced to stay in a terrible situation. All this was recognized decades ago, but in order to end this terrible abuse, it would mean ending the nuclear family. Enter "the pedophile". Instead, all abuse and all issues that are systemically enabled can now be said to be the fault of a handful of bad actors. There is no child abuse or spouse abuse problem in our society. Only 'the pedophile' and you can help cast them out by simply targeting whoever we have decided to jacket as 'the pedophile' this week. Jacketing lgbtq+ people as 'pedophiles and groomers' is now basically their standard move now. It isn't just about making it socially acceptable. It's about creating a figure in people's heads who is responsible for some of the most awful crimes imaginable. Then pointing at someone and saying 'gettem boy' and watching as people go frothing at the mouth to murder someone, because they imagine them to be equivalent to the image of' the pedophile' that has been ruthlessly constructed in their head.
Is it even hiding behind a mask anymore to call trans people "groomers"? It feels like a somewhat socially acceptable way to say you hate transgender people.
The irony is that the groomer term originally came out of feminist circles to describe the behavior of men in their mid twenties and on who manipulate underage girls into having relationships with them. And those kind of men tend to be conservative and conservative culture goes to bat defending that shit. So it’s a big ol “nuh uh you’re the groomers!”
You mean like exactly what they did to gay people in the 80s and 90s?
It's wild to think my kindergarten teacher was flamboyant, wasn't married, I thought he was gay but as a 6 year old I was afraid to talk about it because I knew you could get in trouble for being gay. I don't know if I really knew what it even meant to be gay yet but I knew people hated it. You couldn't be an openly gay teacher, and in a lot of the US you probably still can't be.
CW: pedophile and abuse
The image of 'the pedophile' is crucial to the continued existence of patriarchy. The reason child abuse and spousal abuse has existed, and can continue to exist, is because there is essentially no where else for people to go to not be abused. Financially (and otherwise) forced to stay in a terrible situation. All this was recognized decades ago, but in order to end this terrible abuse, it would mean ending the nuclear family. Enter "the pedophile". Instead, all abuse and all issues that are systemically enabled can now be said to be the fault of a handful of bad actors. There is no child abuse or spouse abuse problem in our society. Only 'the pedophile' and you can help cast them out by simply targeting whoever we have decided to jacket as 'the pedophile' this week. Jacketing lgbtq+ people as 'pedophiles and groomers' is now basically their standard move now. It isn't just about making it socially acceptable. It's about creating a figure in people's heads who is responsible for some of the most awful crimes imaginable. Then pointing at someone and saying 'gettem boy' and watching as people go frothing at the mouth to murder someone, because they imagine them to be equivalent to the image of' the pedophile' that has been ruthlessly constructed in their head.