Changes

On June 26, 1997, Peter Tatchell wrote a letter to The Guardian newspaper defending a book ''Dares to Speak'' published by the Gay Men’s Press, that advocated pedophilia. He wrote that the book was ‘courageous’. It documented ‘examples of societies where consenting inter-generational sex is considered normal’. He gave an example of a New Guinea tribe where ‘all young boys have sex with older warriors as part of their initiation into manhood’ and allegedly grow up to be ‘happy, well-adjusted husbands and fathers’. [NB In the society described in this book, the men live apart from the women and have the minimal contact with them, regarding them as inferior and so disgusting even their smell must be avoided at all costs.] Tatchell’s letter asserted that sex or sodomy between adults and children as young as nine was normal and did no harm.

On June 26, 1997, Peter Tatchell wrote a letter to The Guardian newspaper defending a book ''Dares to Speak'' published by the Gay Men’s Press, that advocated pedophilia. He wrote that the book was ‘courageous’. It documented ‘examples of societies where consenting inter-generational sex is considered normal’. He gave an example of a New Guinea tribe where ‘all young boys have sex with older warriors as part of their initiation into manhood’ and allegedly grow up to be ‘happy, well-adjusted husbands and fathers’. [NB In the society described in this book, the men live apart from the women and have the minimal contact with them, regarding them as inferior and so disgusting even their smell must be avoided at all costs. The ethnic group is very small in numbers, and has remained extremely primitive, living at a stone-age level of civilization.] Tatchell’s letter asserted that sex or sodomy between adults and children as young as nine was normal and did no harm.

“The positive nature of some child-adult relations is not confined to non-Western cultures. Several of my friends – gay and straight, male and female – had sex with adults from the ages of 9 to 13. None feel they were abused. All say it was their conscious choice and gave them great joy. While it may be impossible to condone paedophilia, it is time society acknowledged the truth that not all sex involving children is unwanted, abusive and harmful,” said Tatchell.

“The positive nature of some child-adult relations is not confined to non-Western cultures. Several of my friends – gay and straight, male and female – had sex with adults from the ages of 9 to 13. None feel they were abused. All say it was their conscious choice and gave them great joy. While it may be impossible to condone paedophilia, it is time society acknowledged the truth that not all sex involving children is unwanted, abusive and harmful,” said Tatchell. He did not name these "friends" but left himself open to speculation that he could be one of them.