Since there always is a Next Big Thing, what is the Next Big Thing after the legalisation of same-sex marriage? Is it legalising sado-masochism? Is it recognising paedophilia as a genetic disability?
Pointing the way to the future for US law is Margo Kaplan, an assistant professor at Rutgers School of Law-Camden. Ms Kaplan is carving out a niche for herself in the increasingly significant field of “legal limitations on intimate decisions”. This effectively means constructing arguments for legalising almost any kind of sexual activity.
In the crowded field of American sexperts, why single out Ms Kaplan for attention? Because the Washington Post and the New York Times, the leading outlets for elite opinions in the United States, have published her op-eds. Presumably they believe that she is making a valuable contribution to the national debate about appropriate uses of sexuality.
It is the Times article which generated the most controversy. Titled “Pedophilia: A Disorder, Not a Crime”, it contended that paedophiles are getting a raw deal. Even if they never become sex offenders, they will still be shunned and stigmatised if an employer learns of their “disability”.
Since it seems likely that paedophiles are not responsible for their psychological make-up, Ms Kaplan argued, laws which discriminate against them should be amended. She is campaigning to change US legislation so that they will not be discriminated against in employment, education and medical care. (more...)
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