A Matter Of Language


Recently I have read discussions about the sex life of former Prime Minister Edward Heath. Many of these refer to him as a pederast and a sexual predator whereas another , a news website , excitedly described him as a "homosexual with a liking for young boys" .
Now, non of us actually know the truth, and indeed Heath may have been a gay pederast but what I take exception to is the blatant linking of the words homosexual and child abuser.
I think it's lazy and it's dangerous.
When Jimmy Saville got outed as being a nasty abuser of young girls the media didn't once refer to him as that " middle aged heterosexual with a thing for teenage girls"  so why lump gay men in with abusers of male children ?
The misinformed, the bigots, the confused, and the just plain thick all too many times confuse bog standard gay men with the abusers of kids.....sure abusers of both sexes are out there and have always been out there .
Just don't associate one with another eh?

Okok I know.....it's all a bit heavy for a  Trelawnyd smallholder
So I shall leave you with my entry for the Class of " homemade greetings card"
Kinda good eh?

I'm a right fucking sad sack

68 comments:

  1. Once a media feeding frenzy gets underway all sense goes out the window PDQ. There will always be the lazy idiots happy to howl at the moon and say anything to see their name in print.

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  2. Couldn't agree with you more.

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  3. I started this discussion on a blog last night and I must say that I am not having a go at one particular blog writer here.... In fact its a subject I have discussed snd commented about on several blogs AND news web pages ( ie daily mail ) over the years and remains a subject that I do feel strongly about

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  4. Totally agree, John.

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  5. You're so right, John. Papers say what they think will appeal to the masses and sell more papers.

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  6. Well said John. Stupid, lazy journalism has a lot to answer for. Now show us a picture of a spud that looks like Dennis Thatchers scrotum!

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  7. It's a difficult one John. Hetero is still the default sexuality. It 'goes without saying' - so people don't say it. :-(

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  8. John there can be some offensive journalism , if you could call it that . I do agree with you.

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  9. I too agree with you John ~ it makes me really cross when the media put homosexuality with paedophilia in the same sentence! Sadly, we live in a world where some people don't even know the difference between a paedophile and a paediatrician, let alone a homosexual.....

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  10. I agree with your every word there John, and understand why you get angry about it. There are some very ignorant people around, and the media has a lot to answer for. X

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  11. Good point well made. Always annoys me too!

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  12. Numerous studies have shown that 70+% of child predators self-identify as hetero... but, 1. Who wants to look in that mirror, and 2. it isn't as satisfying a display of yellow journalism. Need I add GRRR?

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  13. Totally agree John, it makes me furious. No excuse for such offensive ignorance.

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  14. John,

    I love the card. With regard to media comments re Ted Heath it's enough to make you spit and if I wasn't such a lady I would!











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  15. Well said John.

    The day the 'media', (and here I'm lumping newspapers, magazines, television and all news reporting) started trying to cause controversy to titillate readers and sell themselves for monetary gain was the day 'news' reporting as it should be flew out of the window.

    Ignorance abounds and the easy writing option is the order of the day, no research, no knowledge, heck even no correct pronunciation and spelling. Sadly even the BBC has now fallen foul of becoming more and more biased.

    You have every right to be angry .... Oh and by the way I love the card, there is going to be a brilliant display on Saturday :-)

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  16. I actually shook hands with Mr Heath. Shortly after I moved to Oxford he'd brought out his book on 'Sailing' and was touring select locations to do a book-signing. At that time I had (and still do for his memory, to some extent) quite a lot of respect for the man, but when he shook my hand he gave me a rather circumspect look under that trademark grin. Could it have been, as I later realised, that along with my beard and Latin-esque complexion, I'd been wearing a plain RED tie? Dunno. But if I'd waited a couple of years I could have got his book on music, which would have been much more to my liking. (His 'Sailing' book was ditched on my next move, along with his inscribed signature).

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    1. Just think! You could have been his cabin boy like Tom in "Captain Pugwash".

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    2. If there was a salacious motive in your writing that, Y.B., then "Naughty, naughty!"

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    3. ......or even Y.P.

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  17. What's that white stuff coming out of the little yellow chap's mouth? Is it cream? Evaporated milk?
    However, I certainly support your outrage about misuse of language - thoughtlessly linking homosexuality with sexual perversion. It isn't right.

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    1. I saw the white bits as teeth!

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  18. You're not a bog standard gay man John even though many of your posts are 'bog' related! I like your minion card. How many classes have you entered? I bet you come home with a stash of trophies!

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  19. Yes, all good points about the use of those words. I think in this case, everyone got so used to thinking of him as a closet-dweller (thanks to Private Eye - "Hello Sailor", etc.) that the switch in people's minds (thanks to the media) after being accused of abusing boys sort of lumped them together. Just lazy and confused thinking, as you say. I don't think that many people naturally lump gays and pederasts together as a matter of course, but shameful treatment of Benjamin Britten nurturing a boy because of his singing voice set the trend a while ago. The only reason that Britten let him go when he grew up is because his voice broke.

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  20. Words do matter, and journalism needs better editors (so do I) I like the card.

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  21. Anonymous10:32 am

    A maths teacher at my son's Grammar School was gay, not that it made a blind bit of difference to us or our son. He was a damn good teacher and that was all that concerned us.
    However, you wouldn't believe the number of parents (not boys, just their idiot parents) who wanted him removed from his job, as he was "quite obviously a pederast, why else would he choose to work with teenage boys?". They seemed to be forgetting about the other 90 or so members of staff who also chose to work with boys!
    Fortunately the head teacher and governors took no notice of the idiots, but such ignorance could so easily have cost him his career and deprived thousands of boys the opportunity of being taught by an incredibly talented teacher!

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    1. Of course those same parents would have been fine with a buxom woman teaching their teenage boys. Jerks.
      Here in my lovely state of New Jersey we have had quite a few female teachers arrested for having sex with their students in high school. The most recent was a married 32 year old sleeping with a 15 year old girl. If my child was sexually assaulted by a teacher, wielding power like that is so ugly to me, let's just say that teacher might not be heard from ever again.

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  22. the vast majority of child abusers are str8 - there, I said it!

    you are spot on, squire! the ignorant unwashed masses lump the "undesirables" (in their narrow minds) as disgusting when THEY themselves are the child molesters (yes, josh duggar, I AM looking at you)!

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  23. Ignorant people will always exist and the various forms of media make their fortunes causing fear.

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  24. Anonymous11:43 am

    In my blog life, I have only had two real abusers, both people connected and known to blog mates, and they accused me of being a pedo. Yes, I know they just went for the easy option, but it shouldn't be the case. As for Heath, who knows.

    Is that a caricature of Mighty Academic?

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  25. Absolutely agree, John - I said the same thing to my Best Beloved when the allegations first reared their ugly head a few days ago. I thought we had got over the whole "homosexual=pederast" thing in this country years ago but I obviously move in more enlightened circles.

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  26. In total agreement except the very, very last line ... the Minion is brilliant :)

    (just to be clear, the very very last line is under the Minion picture)

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  27. well I have learned something new: pederast I have never heard of that term before..........

    Hope you win the greeting card

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  28. Here, here. Given that he's not in a position to defend himself, how can this be proven beyond a reasonable doubt?

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  29. I swear people still combine the two terms together in an attempt to sound righteous and "prove" how despicable it is to be gay. The focus on people's sexuality has always driven me crazy. A lot of people, and I do mean A LOT, clearly do not understand what a pedophile is and that they can be a woman with boys or men with girls and most of the time not homosexual. Ignorant asshats the lot of them.

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  30. Wholeheartedly agree John.

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  31. What you said.

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  32. It pisses me off too when by far sexual predators are heterosexual males.

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  33. The media does that often in the US too and should know better. I guess they have to be called out on it each and every time until they stop. Of course the religious right will never stop, but I expect that from them.

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  34. Did you see the video of the large inflatable Minion blocking the road in Ireland?
    Sorry a bit random I know but your card reminded me. Good job by the way. Is the show this weekend?

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  35. Excellent greeting card entry! I've been in graphics design for many years - and I know talent when I see it smiling right at me! Composition, colors, etc., you nailed it John.

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  36. It's one of the many ways your country and mine (and others) have institutionalized homophobia. When you link something to other, clearly evil things, it becomes more firmly lodged in peoples minds. It makes no difference that there is no rational or logical reason behind it.

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  37. I love the card! I think it's a winner!

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  38. I do like your card.

    I despite sensationalized, misinformed media all over the world.

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  39. It is a matter of language indeed, as is the difference between a pedophile (paedophile) and pederast (paederast). A pedophile may be attracted to children in an unhealthy, sexual manner, but once they cross the line and act on that attraction, they are pederasts.

    As others have mentioned, pederasts can be heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual.

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  40. No, you're right - it's wrong to lump two completely different groups of people together.
    Best to you - Lee Anna

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  41. I agree, John.

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  42. I couldn't agree more John. Paedophilia and homosexuality go together in just the same way that paedophilia and heterosexuality go together. The suggestion that all gay men like young males is offensive and mis-informed. People should take off their blinkers and look at the world the way it really is. They could be surprised!

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  43. John.The ignorance of some people is astonishing and quite sickening.

    Pedophilia is committed in the majority of cases by heterosexuals, male or female and many of them were also victims of abuse themselves. Generally most abuse is committed in the home by family members and of course by those in authoritative positions for example clerics within the Church.

    I think that the false connection mooted by the media of homosexuals and young males relates back to ancient Greek mythology. It is easy to condemn history without having studied the myths by imposing our present moral standards upon the past.

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  44. I completely totally agree.
    My husband owned beauty salons. He has straight and gay employees.
    So I and my children ( boy & girl) "grew up" in a lovely atmosphere of gay/straight/men/women/and as my adorable 5 year old daughter said .. fairies.
    One of our gay friends was staying overnight at our beach house and he told my two little ones his own version of a fairy tale.
    So it was not as bad as it might sound .. she was enchanted with the idea .. they were , by the way, both of my children's Godfathers ..
    There was no one we could have thought of who was more perfect to be godfathers to our children.

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  45. Oh and you would have loved to have seen the excitement in my daughters face when she overheard that the Queens were coming to visit.

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  46. I totally agree with your views on this John and had already said so to the farmer when I began to read reports.
    Your card is lovely - I would send it to one of my friends with no qualms. Perhaps a bulldog's paw print in the large green area would enhance it?

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  47. Poo Head is all I have to say about that !
    But
    Darling card. My friend Norma (who is a crazy minion person) would adore that card !

    cheers, parsnip

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  48. So on point. Thank you!

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  49. Good doing John! The rules are the same for every flavour of sexuality. Under age is off limits and consent is always required. Anybody refering to language as it is just the way it is, need to update themselves to moden times. Women are policemen, black men rule white and rape is not allowed.

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  50. Yeah cause we all know hugs make a boy gay. Amazing the lack of logic in some folks.
    MissFifi

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  51. Thank you all for your comments , not enough time today to reply to each one

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  52. Heterosexuals are just as likely to be child abusers. It's about time this loaded linking of gays and child abuse finally bit the dust. And anyway, as you say, none of us know if these rumours are true or not, it's just a torrent of wild accusations.

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  53. I don't often comment, although I love your blog - you move me to tears , as well as laughter, more often than you'd think! You are so right, and it is really very important people aren't allowed to make gay=pederast comments and get away with them. I've been unfortunate enough to know two men convicted of sex offences against boys, both were priests, one RC the other Anglican. One I had my suspicions about, the other amazed me. That doesn't make "all priests are pedophiles" but it does remind me that children deserve protection, and we must be vigilant where power comes into the relationship.

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  54. John, I have heard gay men and child abusers linked together for years by our media. I'm with you: the two don't have anything to do with each other! Adults of any persuasion, who abuse children are the scourge of this earth.

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  55. Funny how all the hugs from my dad didn't make me straight...hmm.

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I love all comments Except abusive ones from arseholes