Hear me out: NBC frequently runs those "To catch a predator" things where they ensnare men chatting on the internet with minors. Then on the Today show they run a touchy-feely piece about Mary Kay Letourneu and her child bride who's now of age. How are these two any different? I think MKL is worse b/c she was his teacher and she got knocked up by the kid twice !
2006-07-21 08:16:59 · 16 answers · asked by mutterhals 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
Great answers so far. To clarify, I speak of consensual sex, not rape. I should have said that earlier.
2006-07-21 08:24:36 · update #1
Absolutely. If a male teacher had done to a student (of either gender) what Ms. Letourneau did, there certainly wouldn't be any glowing stories on the news about him.
The same applies in other controversies about sex as well. If John Bobbitt had genitally mutilated his wife Loreena, would there have been jokes about it on the late night talk shows? Not at all. But because it happened to a man, it's fair game for mockery.
2006-07-21 08:22:12 · answer #1 · answered by -j. 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
First of all he was her child husband, he's a guy. My son (who is now 24 and married) had a good many friends that were in and out of the house all the time while he was in highschool. There was one who was seeing a teacher on the side. She was 44 he was 16 when it started. Horrors!!! Now, here's the deal, she was very insecure,and weak minded like MKL. She had an overbearing husband who pretty much ignored her and treated her like s***.
The young man (he was no boy) came from a background of drugs and alcohol. He wanted expensive things, he put a lot of stock in social rank, he was a predator. He manipulated, complimented, charmed and made this woman feel special. She lost her job as an indirect result of this association.
Now I said all that to say this. Times they are a changin!!! Everyone wants to be so appalled at "What MKL did." hell some of these kids are predators. Villi may have been young chronolocigally, but sexually and mentally he was a whole lot older than his years. He knew exactly what he was doing, as a matter of fact he was probably the intigator in the whole thing. Now does that make it right that she allowed a relationship to happen? No, but, there is a vast difference in what you are talking about and predators who are chatting with minor girls on the net , raping and molesting small children etc.
I am so sure that many people are going to think that I am "awful" for the views I have but, oh well, I am a realist and the reality of things these days is the teenage boys are the ones preying on some of these older women. As a matter of fact, there's probably a whole lot more teenage boy/older(30-40)women couples than people know about, because the only one's that it seems to be wrong for is the teachers.
2006-07-21 09:03:24 · answer #2 · answered by Only hell mama ever raised 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Theres a difference, because "To catch a predator" is about trapping men who would take advantage of children for their own personal pleasure.
Marykay Letourneau genuinely believes that she's in love with the other person, however. So the circumstance is a bit different.
She still was punished though, and now that the kid is now legal, it's none of anyone's damn business what they do. The state thinksthey had rights to control someone's life, which i personally feel is wrong especially when they voice their opinion against it.
2006-07-21 08:20:16 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah, there is a double standard because its typically seen as favorable for boy in high school to have sex with his teacher as opposed to female having sex with her teacher, so society is going to take the whole Mary Kay thing as a joke. It is going to viewed as a touching story because it was against all odds. The predators on the other hand are viewed as sick and therefore if something similar to Mary Kay was to happen they would regard it as brainwashing. As far as who's worst both sexes are wrong in that regard, like you said we just them by different standards.
2006-07-21 08:24:14 · answer #4 · answered by Greg T 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree. I think too many times we think of the men as predators and the women as confused and sad. Somehow we get into our heads that men are just looking for a "good time," but women are in it for love even if the love of their life is 15. Personally I think it is horrible what Mary Kay did and I think no one should pay any attention to her at all. All she wants now is the media attention to make everyone think that she isn't a sick creep(which she is!), but instead is a women in love.
2006-07-21 08:24:01 · answer #5 · answered by ekaty84 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are so right. Of course, behind the scenes, you can bet the finger was also pointed at the boy...because he is a male...and all males are considered by society to always be predators. I figure in another few years, most males will be on the list, and then where will we be? Society sure is messed up.
2006-07-21 08:29:08 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think the reason they responded differently is because the males typically do it by physical force, where this woman committed mental rape first (he was big enough to fight her off if he had disagreed). It is still wrong and equally punishable, but I think the difference is the violence.
2006-07-21 08:22:01 · answer #7 · answered by kimplicated1 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah, but the laws are based on scientific findings that its IMPOSSIBLE for a woman to sexually offend a boy over the age of 13.
2006-07-21 08:20:52 · answer #8 · answered by Jeremy R 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ah, the double standard... my old nemasis. I think a woman is just as capable of being a sex offender as a man.
2006-07-21 08:27:08 · answer #9 · answered by Girl Wonder 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think the reason they responded differently is because the males typically do it by physical force, where this woman committed mental rape first ...and you RoCK!
2006-07-24 09:51:13 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋