you know, some people...

[ms.peachy]

I'm not generally an advocate of violence and suchlike, but seriously, some people really just need a severe beating. Like this guy, for example. (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060405/ap_on_re_us/press_secretary_arrested)

[DandyFop]

Holy shit...can't wait to see what the Daily Show does with this.

[Sarky Devotchka]

I can't believe how creepy men can be. jesus. when I was about 17 and in high school, I used to chat with this 24 year old guy on AOL and he'd flirt with me and was almost going to take me to prom. it seemed completely normal at the time...but now that I think about it...gross. why would a 24 year old want to go to a high school prom?

I talked to him on the phone once and he was really boring and definitely had a creep vibe to him, so I stopped talking to him. he said something about having a gambling problem. also he was a mailman.

oh, but I'm sure he was an awesome guy, I probably should've dated him.

[enree erzweglle]

I can't believe how creepy men can be.When it comes to stuff like that, I don't think men have the corner on creepiness. Women can be damn creepy too.

[abcdefz]

I'm not generally an advocate of violence and suchlike, but seriously, some people really just need a severe beating. Like this guy, for example. (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060405/ap_on_re_us/press_secretary_arrested)


Man -- what is it with this stuff lately? Seems like every day there's some new minister or teacher or cop who's been having sex with minors.

Today's paper had a 31 year-old teacher who had oral copulation with a 17 year old girl. That got me thinking about... is 18 just an arbitrary age? Forget the teacher/student inappropriateness. It just seems... I dunno. Oral copulation. Clearly, the girl had SOME kind of boundaries, which shows SOME level of self possessed decision making. At what age do we say that, okay, you're not being manipulated or exploited now? 18? Why?

Just curious. At 17, I was already making those decisions, and in two cases, the women were adults. In one case -- well, 31 years old, come to think of it. If I'd been dragged into court -- well, I wouldn't have, actually. There was some pride involved, too.

[Sarky Devotchka]

When it comes to stuff like that, I don't think men have the corner on creepiness. Women can be damn creepy too.

yeah, but on those shows where they lure predators with fake teenagers online, the only people who show up to meet the "kid" are men.

but I have heard lady teachers saying stuff about some of the more attractive or manly students. it's more like, "he's going to grow up to be a handsome man, he's already so tall and muscular"...which is pretty creepy for a middle aged woman to say.

sometimes I creep myself out with teenage boys though, because I know some of them are flirting with me and I feel bad about it, even though I'm not doing anything wrong really, just being funny and smart like always. or I worry that I'm accidentally flirting with them...like the other day I had all these math problems written out that I was going to throw away, but I gave it to this kid and said, "here's a present for you! april fools!" and walked away and he says in all earnest, "should I keep this? would you feel bad if I threw it away?" and I was like, "oh no, toss it." but I felt weird after that, like I was inadvertantly flirting. or this other kid on his last day who gave me a picture he drew of me and him inside a heart with me saying "tony, you're so hot" and him saying, "I know". he signed it, "your secret admirer". I swear I'm not a creep! they're 16 years old man, it's fine, right?

[enree erzweglle]

yeah, but on those shows where they lure predators with fake teenagers online, the only people who show up to meet the "kid" are men.

but I have heard lady teachers saying stuff about some of the more attractive or manly students. it's more like, "he's going to grow up to be a handsome man, he's already so tall and muscular"...which is pretty creepy for a middle aged woman to say.You're right about the luring stuff, and most pedophiles are men. I guess I was thinking in terms of the sorts of things that some women do--the kinds of jealousy-driven stalkery things that I've seen with my own eyes. Women can be weird too. And not just weird with men but weird with other women.

A lot of stuff gives me the creeps when people drool over teenagers. It's okay when women admire teen boys (like you said above) but if a middle-aged guy says the equivalent about a teenaged girl...whoa, look out. Just a double-standard, I guess, but people assume that middle-aged women admiring teen boys is kind of sweet and innocent and it isn't always that, like you said.

[Sarky Devotchka]

A lot of stuff gives me the creeps when people drool over teenagers. It's okay when women admire teen boys (like you said above) but if a middle-aged guy says the equivalent about a teenaged girl...whoa, look out. Just a double-standard, I guess, but people assume that middle-aged women admiring teen boys is kind of sweet and innocent and it isn't always that, like you said.

yeah, my mom's cousin has 3 sons round about my age and they have always been good-looking. they're all grown up now, but when they were teenagers, women used to make comments about them all the time, basically drooling over them in front of their mother, or actually making comments to their mom. she was like, "uh, those are my sons, please stop". they are some hot hotties though.

[abcdefz]

No doubt, but at some point, that's no longer up to outsiders to decide. I'm just curious -- why 18?

Driving at 16, voting at 18, sex/marriage/emancipation at 18, liquor at 18 or 21. Hmmm.

[Ace42X]

You're right about the luring stuff, and most pedophiles are men.

Same with murderers and serial killers. *ACTUALLY* - it is more a social thing, just like "battered husbands." Women are less likely to get caught / prosecuted / publicised for it.

And yes, the age of consent is totally arbitrary. There are plenty of 20 year olds that act like kids, and plenty of 14 year olds that act like 20 year olds.

And age on consent is 16 in the UK, ditto with smoking. Driving might be that, or maybe 17... Drinking is 18, although there are ways around this. You can buy a pint with a plated meal in a pub aged 16.