Joycelyn elders, who was bill clintons surgeon general, wrote the foreword for this evil tome, knight says. Judith levines controversial book challenges american attitudes towards child and adolescent. If anything is harmful to minors, it is surely mindless reactions like these. Harmful to minors the perils of protecting children from sex. Harmfultominors laws seek to protect minors, generally considered those seventeen and younger, from pornography, obscenity, and other material that may bring harm to them. Harmful matter includes, but is not limited to, a book, magazine, newspaper, or video that depicts or describes in a patently offensive way sexual conduct and lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors. But the spirit that animates the book is a less programmatic, polymorphous appreciation of the sights and smells, the sounds and language and tactile delights that make a personadult or childfeel alive in her skin. Compare corruption of a minor, children forced to kill and what do you mean, its not for kidscontrast corruption by a minor, troubling unchildlike behavior, and bloodbath villain origin. The virginia harmful to minors statute first went into effect in july 1999. Levine spends a large portion of harmful to minors advocating for candid, comprehensive sex education in schools. It is sensible, concise and intelligent from cover to cover, and is a must read for any parent suffering anxiety over raising a child in the current alarmist atmosphere surrounding child. Parents worry about their childrens sexual experiences, and for good reasondisease, pregnancy and abuse.
Crimes of passion, which is about agegap relationships. Virginia seeks to reinstate internet harmful to minors. The perils of protecting children from sex university of minnesota press, 2002. The perils of protecting children from sex is every child molesters dream and every parents nightmare. The book harmful on minors by judith levine 966 words. Written with verve, humor, and wit, it is a trenchant look at americas failure to extol the erotic, and an insightful observation of our preoccupation with pedophilia, deviance, illness, and misconduct. The perils of protecting children from sex, it was clear that it would be. Renegade view on child sex causes a storm the new york times. The university of minnesota press, which published the book, has been the target of attack by republican state legislators. The perils of protecting children from sex by judith levine online at alibris.
I just finished the book, harmful to minors by judith levine and all i can say is wow. It is important to note that the standard for what is harmful to minors may be different than the standard for adults, and offenders convicted of obscenity crimes involving minors face harsher penalties than if the crimes involved only adults for more information, see citizens guide to federal law on obscenity. And so, in the second part of the book, sense and sexuality, levine turns reflective and personal. The book cites a wide array of research in medical, psychological, historical, and criminological fields, along with many interviews to support its conclusions.
Americas fears about child sexuality are both peculiarly contemporary i am certain i would not have had the same troubles twenty. Feminist writer judith levines book harmful to minors. Review of harmful to minors the national center for reason. In this important and controversial book, judith levine makes this argument and goes further, asserting that americas attempts to protect children from sex are worse than ineffectual. Harmful to minors journalist judith levine has written a wonderful new book, subtitled the perils of protecting children from sex. And i am convinced that the book is harmful matter to minors because of the description of incest and references to other sexual acts. These laws are based on the concept of variable obscenity that is, material can be considered obscene when viewed by children and young people though not when viewed by adults. The perils of protecting children from sex is a 2002 book by judith levine. And in an odyssey worthy of a david mamet script, americas reaction to this book has been a perfect reflection of the very panic, hostility, and ignorance the book. At almost 300 pages, harmful to minors is full of interesting facts and anecdotes.
The harmful to minors trope as used in popular culture. Mar 26, 2002 harmful to minors by judith levine is an important title for educators on both sides of the sex ed issue. April 15, 2002 in judith levines controversial book, harmful to minors. It also brings one to question the motives behind someone who s. The perils of protecting children from sex, she looks at children and sexuality. Note that this isnt about what is or isnt harmful to minors in real life. The book cites a wide array of research in medical, psychological. Child molesters are getting a big boost toward legitimacy with the university of minnesota press publication of a book advocating sex with children. In america today, it is nearly impossible to publish a book that says children and teenagers can have sexual pleasure and be safe too, writes journalist levine. That description applies to judith levines harmful to minors. Although there are occasions of overly dramatic prose, it is, on the whole, wellwritten and well researched.
Now available in paperback, judith levines controversial book challenges american attitudes towards child and adolescent sexualityespecially attitudes. It is important to note that the standard for what is harmful to minors may be different than the standard for adults, and offenders convicted of obscenity. Oct 27, 2017 in addition, visual representations, such as drawings, cartoons, or paintings that appear to depict minors engaged in sexual activity and are obscene are also illegal under federal law. In summary, harmful to minors is an interesting and very readable book that raises important issues that might otherwise be left to the sidelines. Log in you must be logged into bookshare to access this title. Harmful to minors laws the first amendment encyclopedia. For example, a bookstore might not wish to sell a sex education book on its web site for fear of being prosecuted. But well end this post with some examples of nymphet sexuality.
The perils of protecting kids from sex has been condemned by those who say she excuses sexual abuse of children a charge she strongly denies. The perils of protecting children from sex was published in 2002, a massive campaign by fundamentalist christian groups, including concerned women for america, attacked the publisher, the university of minnesota press. Mar 26, 2002 harmful to minors is a unique book advocating a different approach to sex education and childrens sexuality. Learn about membership options, or view our freely available titles. Harmful to minors is a potent challenge to conventional wisdom about sex, sexuality, and sex education. The foreword was written by former united states surgeon general joycelyn elders, who resigned after suggesting that masturbation be destigmatized as a means of preventing young people from engaging in riskier forms of sexual activity. In a time of increasing social and economic anxiety, feminist concerns about pornography and child abuse meshed with. Why is pornographic material considered to be harmful to minors. Harmful to minors in the introduction to her book she writes that harmful to minors launches from two negatives. The perils of protecting children from sex isbn 0816640068 hardcover, isbn 1560255161 paperback is a 2002 book by judith levine. Since it is pornographic in description, then it could be. Apr, 2002 when the university of minnesota press agreed more than a year ago to publish a book called harmful to minors. Jan 26, 2019 in this important and controversial book, judith levine makes this argument and goes further, asserting that americas attempts to protect children from sex are worse than ineffectual. Virginia seeks to reinstate internet harmful to minors law.
Judith levines controversial book challenges american attitudes towards child and adolescent sexualityespecially attitudes promulgated by a christian right that has effectively seized control of how sex is taught in public schools. Now available in paperback, judith levines controversial book challenges american attitudes towards child and adolescent sexualityespecially attitudes promulgated by a christian right that has effectively seized control of how sex is taught in public schools. Harmful to minors by judith levine is an important title for educators on both sides of the sex ed issue. Harmful to minors laws seek to protect minors from pornography, obscenity and other material that may bring harm to them. It is sensible, concise and intelligent from cover to cover, and is a must read for any parent suffering anxiety over raising a child in the current alarmist atmosphere surrounding child sexuality. In defining material that is harmful to minors, copa draws on the threepart obscenity test set forth in miller v.
Jan 06, 2006 april 15, 2002 in judith levines controversial book, harmful to minors. Unlike the cda, copa applies only to material displayed on the world wide web, covers only communications made for commercial purposes, and restricts only material that is harmful to minors, 47 u. Review of harmful to minors the national center for. Levine is an author, journalist, and cofounder of the national writers union. It is the assumption of danger and the exclusive focus on protectionwhat levine terms the sexual politics of fearthat are themselves harmful to minors. She was a vice admiral in the public health service commissioned corps and the first african american appointed as. Mar 04, 2012 harmful to minors was written by judith levine. See would hurt a child if some evildoer is specifically targeting a minor.
In america today, it is nearly impossible to publish a book that says children and teenagers can have sexual pleasure and be safe too, writes journalist levine my enemy, my love. Harmful to minors is a unique book advocating a different approach to sex education and childrens sexuality. Isbn 0816640068 hardcover, isbn 1560255161 paperback is a book written by judith levine which proposes that laws, programs and terminology aimed at protecting children from sex cause more damage than they prevent. There are a lot of things moral guardians believe kids should not be exposed to, and that doesnt. The foreword was written by former united states surgeon. She has written for dozens of national magazines and newspapers on topics of sex, gender, aging, consumerism and more. Minors are by definition immature and cannot properly evaluate the material they are digesting and may well act out in a manner that is detrimental to themselves and society at large.
Harmful to minors is unapologetic in its argument that our intentions are grounded on facts that have been manipulated and ignores desire and sexual exploration children do experience at a young age. The work is wellresearched and i agree with many of the authors theses, though it doesnt attempt or pretend to be unbiased. As such, the law could restrict businesses from selling legitimate materials on the internet. In america today, it is nearly impossible to publish a book that says children and teenagers can have sexual pleas ure and be safe too. Apr 04, 2002 harmful to minors in the introduction to her book she writes that harmful to minors launches from two negatives. The perils of protecting children from sex view larger image. Why is pornographic material considered to be harmful to. Judith levine, harmful for minors, the perils of protecting children from sex, 2001, university of minnesota press, minneapolis london. As a promoter of abstinence education, i was prepared to hate this book as a minor popculture work that promotes sexual license and rooted in lessthan scientific source materials. In this important and controversial book, judith levine makes this argument and goes further, asserting that americas attempts to protect children from sex are. In the book harmful to minors, the author judith levine asserts that the consensus regarding childrens sexual experiences arose out of a growing fear during the 1970s and 80s. The authora thoughtful and persuasive journalist and essayistexamines the consequences of abstinence only education and its.
She was a vice admiral in the public health service commissioned corps and the first african american appointed as surgeon general of the united states. It is the assumption of danger and the exclusive focus on protection what levine terms the sexual politics of fear that are themselves harmful to minors. Elders minnie joycelyn elders born minnie lee jones on august, 1933 is an american pediatrician and public health administrator. And were going to write a separate post on chapter 4.
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