Sex Ed(itorials)

More Sex Ed(itorials): Voyeurism in NYC and Heterosexism in Congress

Elizabeth — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 08:10:19 -0700

Sex-related editorials in the NYT two days in a row!

First, from yesterday's New York Times editorial page: Talk about an uncomfortable intersection between public space and sexuality! Peter Vallone Jr., NYC city council rep from Queens, is introducing a law that would create a penalty of up to $500 in fines and up to 90 days in jail for "ogling a person’s 'sexual or intimate parts' for more than a brief period." Aside from the obvious evidentiary and definitional problems (how do you prove someone was ogling, and how long is a "brief period" for exapmle), the Times opines that New York is a city full of exhibitionists and voyeurs, and that:

"Nobody wants some sicko drilling a peephole in their locker room wall or private hotel room
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Sex Ed(itorials) in the New York Times

Elizabeth — Sun, 20 May 2007 13:22:53 -0700

Two sex-oriented op-ed pieces in one weekend!

On Saturday Atul Gawande wrote about how we as individualas and communities need to take greater "do it yourself" responsibility for creating an environment in which people can educate themselves about contraception , pregnancy, and talk openly about their own sexual practices. Click here to read my discussion of his piece.

Sex Ed(itorials) II

Elizabeth — Wed, 09 May 2007 13:27:27 -0700

This morning's New York Times has another editorial supporting sex-related legislation that might help young people. Specifically, it deals with legislation making its way through the New York State Senate and Assembly that would mandate safe houses and treatment instead of juvenile detention or jail for teens caught engaged in prostitution.

"Sexually exploited children can be helped by the law or victimized by it, depending on where they are from. An Eastern European child smuggled into this country as a sex slave is offered protection under the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act. An American child who flees abusive parents and ends up selling her body on the streets is labeled a criminal and sent to the juvenile equivalent of prison.
That, thankfully, would change under a new law being considered by the New York State Legislature that would reform the juvenile justice system so it protects rather than punishes exploited children." (Read more)

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Sex Ed(itorials)

Elizabeth — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 17:36:49 -0700

The New York Times had two important editorials in the past three days dealing with important issues of sex and policy.

Today's took up the case, again, of Genarlow Wilson, the young man in Georgia who is still serving time in prison for the consensual oral sex he had when he was 17 with a girl who was two years younger. Specifically, the Times chastises the DA in the case for continuing to focus on the rape that occured at that party (of which Wilson was acquitted) and even circulating the video tape that was made of the rape, as part of his lobbying effort against Genarlow Wilson's release.