Sexualization of Young Girls and Pedophilia

[Howedar]

And now when you think of the Amber alerts and the apparent plague of child predators you have to wonder if society is helping breed them with this implicit sexualization of young girls. I don't see a similar trend among young boys. I don't see revealing clothing, muscle shirts, etc that make young boys into sex objects so I really have to wonder what is going on.

Is there any evidence that there are proportionally more pedophiles now than a hundred years ago?

[Junghalli]

Like Darth Wong said, the idea that teenagers are sexually immature is actually a pretty recent innovation. In most ancient societies 14 or 15 was considered a perfectly good marriageable age. In most societies, historically, the idea that being attracted to a 13-14 year old constituted perversion would have been considered absurd.

I don't remember the source so I may be wrong, but as I remember the original purpose of a Bar Mitzvah was to mark your passage into manhood, and it happens when you're, like, 13.

[Adrian Laguna]

The mere fact Juliet's mother and nurse are discussing her readiness for marriage rather than saying straight out something like "it's time she was married" period indicates, to me, that Juliet is right on the edge of adulthood but maybe not quite all the way there.

Fair enough. Though it should be noted that she's at least far enough to enjoy even clumsy first time sex. Well, at least enough that she was very cheery the next morning and, if I'm not reading between the lines too much, willing for another round if Romeo didn't have to run lest the authorities get ahead of him.

[Knife]

Like Darth Wong said, the idea that teenagers are sexually immature is actually a pretty recent innovation. In most ancient societies 14 or 15 was considered a perfectly good marriageable age. In most societies, historically, the idea that being attracted to a 13-14 year old constituted perversion would have been considered absurd.

I don't remember the source so I may be wrong, but as I remember the original purpose of a Bar Mitzvah was to mark your passage into manhood, and it happens when you're, like, 13.

True enough, however it had to do with the idea that you died in your thirties, so as soon as you were able to, you started cranking out kids.

And for the record, I'm not disputing that a teen isn't asexual, rather the symbology of their clothing. I think saying something is 'sexy' should remain meaning something is ready and available and in the market for sex. I don't think the word should be divorsed from it's meaning to mean 'cool' or 'independent' or any other thing.

[Sriad]

Like Darth Wong said, the idea that teenagers are sexually immature is actually a pretty recent innovation. In most ancient societies 14 or 15 was considered a perfectly good marriageable age. In most societies, historically, the idea that being attracted to a 13-14 year old constituted perversion would have been considered absurd.

I don't remember the source so I may be wrong, but as I remember the original purpose of a Bar Mitzvah was to mark your passage into manhood, and it happens when you're, like, 13.

True enough, however it had to do with the idea that you died in your thirties, so as soon as you were able to, you started cranking out kids.

And for the record, I'm not disputing that a teen isn't asexual, rather the symbology of their clothing. I think saying something is 'sexy' should remain meaning something is ready and available and in the market for sex. I don't think the word should be divorsed from it's meaning to mean 'cool' or 'independent' or any other thing.

Not so much:
Psalms 90-

The days of our years are threescore years and ten;
and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years,
yet is their strength labor and sorrow;
for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

Certainly it was more common to die before 70, but it was regarded as unnatural.

I think it has more to do with education: go back a few centuries and you're pretty fully educated by the time you reach 10. Now it takes 16-30+ years.

[Spin Echo]

Like Darth Wong said, the idea that teenagers are sexually immature is actually a pretty recent innovation. In most ancient societies 14 or 15 was considered a perfectly good marriageable age. In most societies, historically, the idea that being attracted to a 13-14 year old constituted perversion would have been considered absurd.

I don't remember the source so I may be wrong, but as I remember the original purpose of a Bar Mitzvah was to mark your passage into manhood, and it happens when you're, like, 13.

True enough, however it had to do with the idea that you died in your thirties, so as soon as you were able to, you started cranking out kids.

The "average life-span in the past was thirty years" belief is flawed. While the average life span was indeed around 30 years, the reason for this was due to the high infant and child mortality, not that people didn't regularly live past 30 once they were adults.

[lance]

The mere fact Juliet's mother and nurse are discussing her readiness for marriage rather than saying straight out something like "it's time she was married" period indicates, to me, that Juliet is right on the edge of adulthood but maybe not quite all the way there.

Fair enough. Though it should be noted that she's at least far enough to enjoy even clumsy first time sex. Well, at least enough that she was very cheery the next morning and, if I'm not reading between the lines too much, willing for another round if Romeo didn't have to run lest the authorities get ahead of him.

I think nobility had nutritional standards much higher than the general populace so they tended to be more in line with todays physical standards.

[Darth Wong]

So Juliet was a few weeks shy of 14, therefore my point about how past cultures had no problem with 14 year old sex is flawed? Is that supposed to be some kind of Olympic Nitpicking demonstration or something?

[Broomstick]

Yes, it's nitpicking, but I don't think it's nitpicking your point, Mike, but rather just how old/developed Juliet was.