Should yahoo be using the word 'pervert' to describe Glitter?

Question

I ask because the headline on one of Yahoo's news thumbnails states 'Pervert Glitter to be freed'. In strict terms, Glitter was convicted of paedophilia, not perversion. Even if you believe Glitter to be a 'pervert', is it appropriate to use such loaded terms in "news items"? Or am I just being oversensitive?

I should add that I think that paedophilia is an abhorrence. However, tacky news wording is questionnable. I'm not defending Glitter, I condemn him. I'm asking a question about news reporting!

Oh for Goodness sake! I have 2 children, and would kill anyone who hurt them. But being a parent and a human does does stop me from having intellectual standards.

Answer 1

I agree with you completely. The use of the word 'pervert' is unnecessarily emotive and hardly constitutes unbiased reporting.

The subject of paedophilia has been whipped up into a witch-hunt by the media, so much so that you felt you had to justify yourself by saying that you find it abhorrent.

I find the media feeding frenzy on paedophilia almost as objectionable as the subject itself.

Answer 2

The fact that convicted paedophile Glitter is a pervert is indisputable.The news item uses the term rightly.The use of it as the first word of the headline is an attention drawing ploy to get people to notice the article and read it.The majority of people are intrigued by things which to them are not "everyday".In this day and age the use you describe would seem to be quite tame.Its a short statement that describes him fully and attracts attention I would think ,from a journalists point of view ,its a good headline which serves its purpose admirably

Answer 3

Paedophilia is accepted as a perversion, but in purely intellectual terms it is open to question. If you shut out the furore that the subject evokes there are arguments from history and biology that could be interpreted to the contrary. There have been a few celebrities that have had young brides (I suppose that they had a very quick courtship, or else the age that they dated them at would be even lower) - I believe that Elvis married or dated a 14 year old when he was a grown man - is he remembered as a paedophile? Should we assume that we are superior to cultures that have a greater degree of variation on this matter?
I can't help but feel that the subject is blown out of proportion; aren't they just people with unusual taste which may be natural or unnatural, but has damaging effects (some children may be biologically mature, but psychologically unready) and for this reason, should be illegal. Most paedophiles seem to be sad individuals who enjoy looking at pictures and encouraging girls to do handstands to see their knickers - creepy, but harmless. I wonder what made them that way? - can't help feeling that this society is at least partly to blame; shouldn't we try to cure them of these desires? being the civilised society that we are. Dangerous, predatory paedophiles exist, but just how prevalent are they?
Will we ever conquer this problem while we address it with preconcieved ideas?
Who has killed and damaged the most children, the paedophiles or the so-called normal lot ?(some who have a propensity for hitting, starving, mentally torturing, etc their young).
So, the current mores rate Glitter as a pervert; calling him that is acceptable.

Answer 4

News reporters are very senstive to whether a person has been convicted or not.... When people are on trial, you'll see lots of uses of the words 'alleged' or 'suspected'

when a person has been found guilty, all bets are off, and the media will stress the person's crime.

paedophilia is a perversion - "an unnatural or abnormal method of gaining sexual gratification" - it is unatural and abnormal to use children, or people who are too young to give legal consent to the sexual act being performed on them.

Basically, I believe it was 'fair use', to call Glitter a pervert.

Answer 5

Perversion is to describe the person. Paraphilia describes the actions. So yes you would describe him as perverse or perverted. The headline would never read. "Swell guy who happens to like to have sex with children to be freed" He is what he is a pervert.

The most common paraphilias are:


exhibitionism, or exposure of the genitals


fetishism, or the use of nonliving objects


frotteurism, or touching and rubbing against a nonconsenting person


pedophilia, or the focus on prepubescent children


sexual masochism, or the receiving of humiliation or suffering


sexual sadism, or the inflicting of humiliation or suffering


transvestic fetishism, or cross-dressing


voyeurism, or watching others engage in undressing or sexual activity

Answer 6

In this case the press are seeing it as it is.
Allegedly, they are stating a fact!

Think victim, for all those children who were used, their childhood taken away from them.

However, you were brave to ask the question, because you must have known people would think you were defending, Glitter, when you weren't. What mother would?

And the fact you asked the question, gives us a chance to voice how we feel about such things.

I fear this question will be removed by yahoo, we shall see...

Answer 7

My God, what an inane question. Paedophilia IS a perversion, probably the worst one. Yahoo were doing him a service to call him a mere pervert rather than describing him as what he is. I would suggest that to state the paedophilia is a lesser offence than perversion makes you decidely UNDERsensitive. I gather you have no children.

Answer 8

Paedophilia IS pervertion. In my book, Glitter deserves NO respect what so ever. He deserves inappropriate labels and I pat Yahoo on the back for the tag they've given him. When are you do gooders gonna stop pampering criminals?

Answer 9

Hello.
Yes I think you are being over sensitive, this poor excuse for a human being is a convicted abuser of children and as such is, in my opinion, not entitled to any form of protection or privacy from the media in any form.
I think to call him a pervert is mild, he is a evil Paedophile who should remain where he belongs, in prison, better still maybe we should consider putting him down, just as you would do with any sick animal.
Or do you think I am being a little harsh ?

Answer 10

I really dont think there are gonna be too many people spiltting hairs over what we should call this bloke, unless however they had written, "love god Glitter to be freed". Then there might be a problem but, pedo, pervert they are more or less the same thing?!

Answer 11

Glitter is a pervert, so the description is accurate. In fact, I would say that anyone who gets a kick out of abusing children is a sick and twisted pervert who should be left to rot in jail for the rest of their sad and pathetic lives.