I would typically never think of intruding on your echo chamber, but someone pointed out to me that you are discussing my post.
I started in that thread wondering what had happened to the distinction between rape and statutory rape. There seems to be one in the law. (Or, at least I think there is. I don't claim to be an expert on rape law.)
I would argue that in the real world there is a huge difference between consenting to have sex even if you legally to young to and being forcibly raped or even raped because of impairment. (I am aware of the legal argument that people below a certain age cannot consent, but that is a legal fiction designed to protect young people. Young people consent to sex quite regularly, and sometimes even with people they cannot legally have sex with. Again, that law is designed to protect them, and I don't have a problem with that.)
The responses here are shocked and appalled that I cannot see that "rape is rape." But I am in turn a bit mind-boggled that no one is willing to make a distinction between someone doing something voluntarily (even if perhaps being victimized by doing so) and someone having something done to them against their will.
Some teenagers are no doubt tricked/fooled/coerced/manipulated into having illegal sex with older people, but does anyone doubt that some teenagers do so simply because they want to? Are they as victimized as someone who is forcibly raped?
I'll tell you what. Let's not even make this about men and women. Imagine a 15-year-old male. In one scenario, he has sex of his own volition with a 21-year-old male. In a second scenario, he is attacked, beaten up, stripped, and forcibly penetrated by a 21-year-old male. Are these two scenarios identical? Are they identical from the perspective of the 15-year-old? I would argue not.
I like words to have meanings. When I hear somebody say flatly "rape is rape" in an effort to quash any nuance, I must object. If you want to say "sexual assault is sexual assault," that's a bit different. I also think that just saying "rape is rape" kind of cheapens the trauma experienced by the victims of brutal sexual assaults.
But honestly, I don't know why I even bothered writing this. My experience with HOFers leads me to believe this group is rigid, ideologically-driven, and not interested in honest discussion of thorny issues. Being unable to acknowledge that there is a difference between being forcibly assaulted and doing something of your own free will is indicative of that.
Okay, heading back to the real world now.