I don’t think that it’s christian nationalism in this case. The state definitely has a strong, compelling interest in preventing the sexual exploitation of children (and hopefully of adults as well). I think that it’s more a case that it’s really hard to figure out how to deal with material that is 99% exploitative, and 1% made willingly by kids, without them being coerced by adults.
Because–and here’s where it gets really uncomfortable for most people–kids are also sexual. They may be more or less aware and interested in sex, and may not understand the mechanics, but that shit is baked into your biology. Gay kids know they’re gay at a very young age, and I knew I was straight–although I had no idea what ‘straight’ and ‘gay’ even meant by the time I was 7 (!!!). And this was well before the internet.
1% made willingly by kids, without them being coerced by adults
the stickiest part of the wicket here is that if you carve out an exception for kids taking pictures of themselves, even if you make it still illegal but make the consequences less about punishment, millions of hideous fuckers will immediately begin probing for a way to manipulate kids into doing it themselves in a manner that doesn’t technically break the law.
…And then you also have kids that grow up, and realize how fucked up that shit was, and have to deal with years of guilt and shame, while also facing the probability that the images or videos of them are still out there.
I don’t think that it’s christian nationalism in this case. The state definitely has a strong, compelling interest in preventing the sexual exploitation of children (and hopefully of adults as well). I think that it’s more a case that it’s really hard to figure out how to deal with material that is 99% exploitative, and 1% made willingly by kids, without them being coerced by adults.
Because–and here’s where it gets really uncomfortable for most people–kids are also sexual. They may be more or less aware and interested in sex, and may not understand the mechanics, but that shit is baked into your biology. Gay kids know they’re gay at a very young age, and I knew I was straight–although I had no idea what ‘straight’ and ‘gay’ even meant by the time I was 7 (!!!). And this was well before the internet.
the stickiest part of the wicket here is that if you carve out an exception for kids taking pictures of themselves, even if you make it still illegal but make the consequences less about punishment, millions of hideous fuckers will immediately begin probing for a way to manipulate kids into doing it themselves in a manner that doesn’t technically break the law.
…And then you also have kids that grow up, and realize how fucked up that shit was, and have to deal with years of guilt and shame, while also facing the probability that the images or videos of them are still out there.
Tell me how punishing children prevents that