<p>I’m sorry you interpreted my comment that way, as it was not at all my intent to imply that all gay men are pedophiles. I assume that the man who assaulted me was not gay, as I am a female, but maybe he was. To me his orientation was irrelevant.</p>
<p>My point was that I would never want to knowingly put my young children in a place where they might be exposed to strange men engaged in sexual acts in their presence, as I had experienced the resulting trauma. It had nothing to do with sexual orientation and nothing in my post stated as much. You are the ones who assumed it.</p>
<p>There was a period in my life when flashers were incredibly attracted to me. No idea why, but I was flashed in these places: Philadelphia Public Library children’s reading room; a Red Sox game at Fenway Park; the Boston Esplanade at noon on a Saturday; outside my high school (an all-girls school); while waiting for the train at Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station; while waiting for a train at Bryn Mawr station; in Cambridge’s Central Square outside an MIT dorm; outside a Chinese restaurant in Boston.</p>
<p>Here’s where I wasn’t flashed: at any place commonly frequented by homosexuals, including the gay bars I routinely passed on my way home.</p>
<p>Witnessing a man expose his nude body is probably much more benign for a child than seeing him masterbate/ejaculate or have sex. But maybe I’m wrong. Maybe most children think it is no big deal.</p>
<p>The reason why I see the behavior of one person behaving sexually TOWARD a child- as being Deviant* - Is because it is. Healthy adults do not respond sexually to children.
Adult men/women, may be taking advantage of the summer weather a little too wantonly perhaps, but I don’t hear any indication they are interested in your children.</p>
<p>Yes , if you are comparing a pedophile targeting a child sexually, or witnessing two adults having sex ( which is not uncommon in many other cultures - you live in close qtrs, say in a small house or even a tent and ! You might see someone having sex.) YeS I would opt for the adult sex.</p>
<p>See I am practically a nudist myself, so I am probably not the one to ask - but then we live by the zoo & go there frequently , even in the spring! ;)</p>
<p>I do not think the men “■■■■■■■■” in that park and having sex in the bushes are after children. I could be wrong, but any self-respecting gay guy will not look for a date in such places. Do so called straight people so this? As I read the OP, the place probably became a Mecca for gay prostitutes, just like certain areas of Aurora Avenue are known hotspots for “traditional” (for the lack of a better term) prostitute pickup. To reclaim heir streets, some local residents organized “night patrols”: no guns or wheapons, just a bunch of neighbors with flashlights walking their dogs and having a great time. It made a difference! To rid the park of prostitutes, someone can arrange such organized group hikes through the park, “armed” only with video cameras, just walk, chat, have fun and take pictures of the greenery. I guarantee that gay men whoare simply hiking and enjoying the nature are not going to be intimidated by this. I’m sure there are plenty of gay people (at least the gay guys I know) who do not approve of what is apparently going on in that park. And I’m sure any so called straight people will think twice about diving in those bushes for a quick one knowing that someone might walk by and take a snapshot. Now, feel free to shoot flaming cannonballs at me. </p>
<p>Apologies for my typos etc., my laptop is in use by someone else.</p>
<p>There is a lot going on in this thread, but as someone who’s spent many years trying with almost complete lack of success to stop thinking in stereotypes the above quote has me wondering. What is this outfit supposed to tell us and why exactly does it bother us? Thirty years ago a male friend with streaked blond hair, a gold stud in his ear and a pink lacoste polo shouted “gay” to most of our contemporaries. Today I’d just as easily assume him to be the “straight” president of DEKE. Would we be bothered to meet a young woman on the trail in sports bra, tiny shorts with perhaps thong showing and navel ring? Would that seem inappropriate hiking wear? - with the right shoes, of course. What if she had tatoos? Or really short hair? Today I see a lot of young women dressed like the women I remember from the red-light districts of my youth, but they go to elite colleges. Some are sorority members and debs. They wear these outfits out to dinner with their boyfriend’s parents. Rarely does anyone blink.</p>
<p>Would I knowingly take young children somewhere prostitution was taking place? I tried to avoid it, but since we spent a lot of time in cities it did happen. If they noticed, I discussed it. If they didn’t, I just ignored it. </p>
<p>When I was very young and extremely reckless I had public sex in parks, though more often in Europe than the US since those hostels on the $5 a day plan weren’t too private. Yes, it does seem counter intuitive today from a 50 something year old’s perspective. No one ever caught us but if they had, we had on most of our clothes and there wasn’t much to really see.</p>
<p>I would just as soon not walk young children by a swimsuit clad couple making out on a blanket in a park or at the beach. But would I be more upset if it were a gay couple? Would I be upset if they surprised a couple? No. I’d just say that’s what adults do but it is appropriately done in private, that good manners require some discretion with regard to public displays of affection. I would definitely try to make it as low key an event as possible.</p>
<p>Would I avoid taking young children to hike in a park where men (or women) wear what some might consider sexually provocative clothing and may or may not have sex in the bushes in what may or may not be a sex for money situation? I don’t know. Maybe I would look for a more family friendly park if such a place existed. I’m not that outdoorsey and don’t hike or camp, but certainly took young children regularly into urban settings like the above without any concern.</p>
<p>They don’t seem to have been damaged and I can’t imagine them objecting if I do the same with the grandbabies.</p>
<p>"It was actually my H who first mentioned that he thought something was up (no pun intended.) I didn’t even think anything when we passed the first guy on the path. He was wearing purple satin drawstring pants, no top, had pierced nipples and streaked blond hair. I just thought–“Not something I’d wear to go hiking.” "</p>
<p>While all gays don’t dress like that, the attire and nipple rings do seem like something some gay men would where while ■■■■■■■■ for paid or unpaid sex. Definitely is not the attire that people wear to go hiking unless they are ■■■■■■■■ for mosquitoes.</p>
<p>Recently a friend was surprised (aghast, horrified) to discover that her (straight) struggling rock-star son had pierced his nipples!!! He took off his shirt while she was in the audience at a local concert. It led to a dinner party discussion on what what we did or didn’t know of our grown kids’ piercings and tatoos.</p>
<p>This young man also has dyed hair. I don’t know about the color of his outdoor wear but it is conceivable to me he might remove his shirt on a hot day while hiking. But maybe the new rings are only for the stage.</p>
<p>Would we respond differently on the trail if my friend’s son had on patagonia hiking shorts, socks and boots with his shirtless look? and some kind of sports cap?</p>
<p>“Would we respond differently on the trail if my friend’s son had on patagonia hiking shorts, socks and boots with his shirtless look? and some kind of sports cap?”</p>
<p>Yes. Being shirtless and wearing a bright colored pants and having nipple rings and streaked hair is what seemed out of place on a hiking trail. </p>
<p>I know at least one straight guy with nipple rings. I know some straight guys with streaked hair. Such adornments aren’t rare in my theatre circles – even for straight people. Someone would be nuts, though, to go hiking bare chested with purple pants unless they wanted to attract lovers or mosquitoes.</p>
<p>I admit I would probably been concerned if George Michael &/or Ted Haggard started hanging out at the local trail when I knew they could easily afford a hotel room.</p>
<p>But even if a favorite trail was looking like a recreation of Studio 54, unless I actually felt unsafe, I would still go there- & make it clear that I was taking notes of activity to report at the community meeting.
You have to take public space back- that is what public means.
:)</p>
<p>No, no straight person has ever tried to pick up a member of the opposite sex for a casual encounter. Ever. I have this on really good authority. The entire city of Las Vegas doesn’t even exist; it’s just all a desert mirage. Neither does Rush Street in Chicago and the equivalent in every other city. Straight people are merely interested in deep conversations about the meaning of life, not because there’s any potential interest in a sexual encounter. In fact, just check the lyrics of every single rock song of the past 50 years – there’s nary a mention of a young man being attracted to a young woman (or vice versa). </p>
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