4 Comments
User's avatar
⭠ Return to thread
AH's avatar

I'm not sure if you are responding to me in particular or earlier comments Ithreads make that difficult to know), but I'll respond just in case. I almost didn't read when you used a more inflammatory phrase like strawman. I'd already broken one rule (don't comment on the internet), and now I'm about to break another (seriously--fight on the internet or walk the dogs--I almost never do the former). BUT I'm glad I did read because what I read was a really thoughtful, terribly informed, and smart post. Thank you for that. Does it make me less of a strawmanner (how do I gender this? :) ) in that I entirely agree with you?

The lack of nuance is sexual offender registries is staggering. It can ruiin someone's life in very underserving ways. You didn't talk about the institutional trend to diminish the impact of sexual trauma on children from Freud through Kinsey to Foucault to Rubin to Butler et. al. (I'm just including the famous ones here). That is what I'm referring to--not the work you do with the individuals (treat compassionately while trying to prevent harm). That is unbelievably noble of you (not kidding--wow). I thank you for taking the time to share your experiences in such a thoughtful way.

Expand full comment
AH's avatar

(by terribly informed I don't mean badly informed but DAMN--you know your shit).

Expand full comment
Michael Tucker's avatar

I had read your earlier comment to my post as dismissing what I'd written as similar to the arguments of those psychologists/philosophers (and I too am a psychologist), and that is what I saw as a straw person (?) representation of my position. I apologize if I misread or misunderstood what you intended.

Expand full comment
AH's avatar

Don't apologize! I really appreciate your measured response! I hope that we can share resources at some point that will make both of our understandings stronger!

Expand full comment