This article the bat surroundg the age of nsent as a broad umbrella to qutn the ntued efulns of Queer Theory. The bat surroundg the age of nsent illtrate that Queer Theory has not fulfilled s origal promise and that is not (and possibly never been), “f for purpose”. Towards the end of 2013, the topic of lowerg the age of nsent England and Wal was once aga much the news. This article suggts that much of that bate foced exprsly or impliedly on the age of which men and boys have sexual terurse (whether gay or straight), rather than when people have sexual terurse. Queer Theory (origatg om femism), was tend to be a liberatg phenomenon, but ntrary to the hop and tentns, Queer Theory evolved to bee synonymo wh whe gay men, th nyg s origs and beg distctly anti-femist. Those who argue for a rctn the age of nsent have ed (whether knowgly or not) an approach which is nsistent wh this evolved versn of Queer Theory. Consequently, the bate on the age of nsent has ignored, or given sufficient attentn to, the effect(s) a lowerg of the age of nsent will have on girls and women. This article, therefore, seeks to qutn, dispt and unsettle, what Queer Theory has bee, suggtg that, several signifint aspects, fails to fully acknowledge patriarchy; renr (lbian) women visible; acknowledge and acmodate the lived experienc of women.
Contents:
LOVE WS! AGE OF NSENT EQUALISED FOR GAY AND BI MEN
Securg an equal age of nsent for gay and bi men was a long procs and provoked ugly bat ground harmful stereotyp. * gay age of consent *
Historilly England and Wal the age of nsent for heterosexual terurse for girls was 12, there was no lower age lim for heterosexual terurse for boys, buggery (but not other forms of gay sex) was illegal between men and boys at any age, and there were no explic laws about lbian sex. The Crimal Law Amendment Act 1885 raised the age of nsent for girls to 16, and also troduced the offence of gross cency between mal, effectively makg all kds of gay male sex illegal, irrpective of age. It did not apply to Stland or Northern Ireland, where gay sex was still illegal.
In Augt 1971 young members of the Gay Liberatn Front anised a public rally London to prott at the age of nsent for gay men. Equivalent legalisatn happened Stland wh the Crimal Jtice (Stland) Act 1980, and Northern Ireland two years later through the Homosexual Offenc (Northern Ireland) Orr 1982. The Sexual Offenc (Amendment) Act 2000 troduced a mon age of nsent of 16 (17 Northern Ireland) for both mal and femal, and for both heterosexual and homosexual acts.
GAY MEN NEED TO TALK STRAIGHT ABOUT PAEDOPHILIA
Rather than mpaign on the age of nsent, might silence anti-gay bigots if some gay men spoke out agast atroci towards children * gay age of consent *
In November 2013 Profsor John Ashton, print of the Faculty of Public Health, said there should be a natnal bate on lowerg the age of nsent (prumably for both gay and straight sex) to 15, as this would make easier for 15-year-olds to get sexual health advice om the NHS. 1982 Homosexual Offenc (Northern Ireland) Orr 1982212121IllegalIllegalIllegalIllegal. For all other homosexual acts the age of nsent was the same as for heterosexual acts.
The age of nsent the Irish Republic is still 17 (as prevly Northern Ireland) for both heterosexual and homosexual acts. In 1984 the gay band Bronski Beat released an album entled The Age of Consent. Its ner sleeve listed the age of nsent for gay sex different untri of the world.
↑ Williams, Clifford (2021) Courage to Be: Organised Gay Youth England 1967-1990. To mark LGBT + History Month, this blog post draws on a recently released Prime Mister’s Office file which documents a signifint advance gay rights soon after the turn of the lennium.