Old Dominion University put a professor on administrative leave following an uproar over their research into people who are sexually attracted to children.
Driving the news: “Reactions to Dr. Walker’s research and book have led to concerns for their safety and that of the campus,” the public university wrote in a statement on Nov. 16, adding that Professor Allyn Walker’s leave is “effective immediately.”
- Walker, an assistant professor of sociology and criminal justice, sparked controversy over the use of the term “minor-attracted people” in their academic research.
- Walker in their book, “A Long, Dark Shadow: Minor-Attracted People and Their Pursuit of Dignity,” challenges “assumptions that persons who are … attracted to minors — often referred to as ‘pedophiles’ — are necessarily also predators and sex offenders,” the University of California Press writes of the book.
Am I understanding this article correctly? This professor does research on a subject; there is backlash about the subject matter; professor is put on leave? Really?!
I thought professors do research on a regular basis in their field of study. So because some people don’t like the subject matter the university puts the professor on leave? Come On!!
So if the professor was an expert on domestic terrorism and did research and put out a paper and the facts were not liked by many people then this would justify the professor being put on leave?
So any subject that the public does not like to hear about and have drawn their own conclusions and thinks they know all about the subject matter because they read the news which now makes them an expert can put pressure on a university to fire a professor because of this?
This is downright stupid!!!!
Just because someone finds something else attractive doesn’t mean they are going to commit a crime or act in a predatory way. It doesn’t matter if the person in question is attracted to deflated bright green balloons, a specific spider, the planet Venus, a tree, another person, or anything else. Liking something to a great degree even sexually isn’t a guarantee of it being sought out.
Understanding what makes something or someone appealing and how to steer people away from becoming potential perpetrators or victims way before there’s a risk is a worthy pursuit. Protesting that is just doing more harm in the long run. Although people tend to act against their own self interest.
Appears to be a crappy college if people can not express the truth whether one agrees or not. College is suppose to teach people to be intellectually stimulated. That can not happen when the truth can not be spoken without repercussions.
One does not have to accept the truth and one not accepting the truth does not change the truth, but the truth should be allowed to be spoken – not all people attracted to minors are predators and commit a sexual offense against assault minors.
I fail to understand how the professor is making the college campus less safe unless is he is grooming or assaulting a minor. How is the professor a danger to the campus because he believes a different terminology should be used and also because he states a truth?
I fail to understand the logic of the college. Too many people have been brainwashed with fear and fear has overridden all logic that this professor is not a danger to the college. It feels like an Orwellian society where when one speaks the truth or gives an opinion different that what the masses have been taught to believe, the person is labeled a danger to society and someone must suffer repercussions.
So it seems the students would rather be kept in the dark about the subject. And if they’re in the dark about it, when they become parents they wouldn’t even be able to stop it. Brilliant.
A professional researching an unpopular issue that many people think they know; but don’t have any idea what they are talking about get offended. University should of stood behind the professor no matter what the subject matter. This Karen/Ken mob mentality needs to be cancelled. I emailed the president of the college and gave my two cents.
Fabricated fear and manufactured outrage.. just like what we’re currently witnessing with critical race theory.
America and it’s purity culture. We live in the Untied States of Kneejerkistan.
This whole thing makes me feel sick. Here’s a professor trying to better understand minor attracted persons. We all want to reduce sexual abuse and harm to children. He is already said numerous times in interviews that he does not support abuse. I do not understand our society in America anymore. What has happened to this country? In order to reduce sexual abuse we need to understand why people are attracted to minors and provide counseling and support for these people. It seems like we always do the opposite of what we should be doing. I guess that’s America today and I can’t stand it!
The majority of the problem is that they believe that they can drive to work and get a job but can’t decide who they want to sleep with or marry.
Jaycees v Population Services International rulings that that these so called minors have the right to privacy in their own sexual lives. Now there’s not anything here saying that beyond 16 years old would be ok but SORNA said so at 13 and 17 years old is not a register-able situation. SORNA is least of our problem! Our problem is that a woman’s value as a human being is placed on her purity or virginity as if she’s any less worthy than a woman scorned. As they said in the Texas Dildo ( sexual devices) case “they cannot legislate morals.”
If they are so worked up over losing procreation capabilities why would they (such as Texas) focus on items that fill in the gap when he’s not at home. You as a American are subject to the government your freedom is on lease or parole from your citizenship status. I.e. (Why you paid income taxes if you’re milking from the cash cows.)
Aww again they moderated the facts! You see that people believe that a 16 year old can drive to work and get a job but she can’t have sex with who she wanted to be with. This is a logical fallacy that a 16 year old cannot consent. Only in the conservatives ideas! A woman’s worth should not be placed in her body but in her as a human being!
SORNA is least of our problems! The laws that triggered SORNA are what gave it teeth! If you address SORNA to apply to real predatory actors instead of judging a youthful mistake then you should be able to eliminate the real problematic offenders! Don’t judge the couple that is in puppy love. These relationships are the very fabric of our identities as human beings per stare decisis!
Take care of the bush hiding guy that has no self control!