Barbara Ellen's double standards
I read this article in the Guardian yesterday with a deep sense of unease. Barbara Ellen is essentially arguing that Madeleine Martin, the 39 year old RE-teacher who was recently jailed for 32 months for having an affair with a 15 year old male pupil should not be treated the same as a male teacher would be in similar circumstances.
Barbara's argument seems to be that boys at 15 are "up for it" and having sex with a 39 year old woman for them would be seen as a conquest whereas for a 15 year old girl to have sex with a 39 year old man would be very damaging for them.
This seems to me dismissive of the harm that cam be caused to boys in this sort of situation. just because they might be "up for it" does not mean that they would not be emotionally damaged by having an affair like this.
Anyway, I was going to do a longer post but the comments below the article do a pretty comprehensive job of pulling apart Ms Ellen's arguments so I will instead direct you to them.
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1 comment:
Mark, Mark, Mark...
Barbara Ellen's contract has a clause in it..
"Your role will be to produce a column each week that talks snooty condescending claptrap in a posh and bitchy tone of voice whilst not being quite rubbish enough to give away the fact that the principal aim of the column is to con normal lefty liberal types into apoplexy by making them think you actually believe the bollocks you are spouting.."
For goodness sake, don't encourage her on this mission by leading her to believe she is being successful in winding up sensible, rational people or she will never bloody stop.
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