Honestly, it’s a perfectly reasonable discussion to have. In a universe like Star Trek, species of radically different lifespans and maturation rates will have had to find ways to navigate inter-species social interaction. And if the species are close enough to be physically attractive to one another, navigating ages of consent would be a major part of this process. This isn’t trying to justify human pedophilia. Obviously within one species adults should not have relations with children. The problem is that species will blindly apply their own numbers to other species and assume their own standards apply.
I forgive you for lashing out. I understand that deeply reflecting on your preconceived notions and assumptions of the universe is difficult. Overcoming bigotry can be hard and painful work. But try to be more polite.
Real talk below:
Obviously I’m being facetious when talking about a fictional species, but this does have real overlap even with real-world human relations. Some people have medical conditions that pause their physical maturation. They end up looking like children forever. And those folks face a hard time forming relationships, as even partners willing to look past their appearance face constant accusations of pedophilia. This attitude of “shut up, the whole topic is verbotten, any discussion of any topic relating to age of consent means you’re a pedophile” is childish and harms real-world people. I’m not here trying to argue that pedophilia is in any way OK. I’m not trying to argue that any relationship between a human an adult and a human child is OK. I am pointing out that our knee-jerk reaction to the topic results in harming actual adults fully capable of consenting to sexual activity. We’re so conditioned to react with white-hot rage to the topic that we end up branding relationships between adults as pedophilia. Relationships involving anyone that society infantilizes end up being judged as pedophilia.
This is a board related to Star Trek, and Star Trek has a long tradition of exploring real-world issues through science fiction allegory. In many ways the Ocampa are analogous to real human beings with certain disabilities. There are many who doubt that disabled people are fully capable of consenting to intercourse, and not just in the extreme case of an adult looking like a child. Disabled people have had to fight for generations for their right to be seen as fully independent adults capable of making their own choices. Disabled people have had to fight against the very infantilization that the Ocampa experience in Voyager. The partners of disabled people often face accusations of something akin to pedophilia. The Ocampa are a metaphor for any group of real-world human adults that broader society deems unworthy of making their own choices and living independently. The partners of disabled people are often judged just like Neelix is being judged in this thread.
I don’t feel it’s at all inappropriate to talk about this on a Star Trek board. “Both of you shut up” has very similar vibes to the lament of “I hate that Star Trek got woke.” It ignores that Star Trek, like all good science fiction, uses metaphor to critique real human society. And the Ocampa are no different. The Ocampa are a metaphor for any marginalized group in society that the rest of society doesn’t quite consider full and capable adults.
The fun thing for me is to actually think of what the Vulcan reaction is to one of their own dating a human. “Sarek, you’re 300 years old man. Why are you going out with that illogical human female? She’s 10% your age.”
Honestly, it’s a perfectly reasonable discussion to have. In a universe like Star Trek, species of radically different lifespans and maturation rates will have had to find ways to navigate inter-species social interaction. And if the species are close enough to be physically attractive to one another, navigating ages of consent would be a major part of this process. This isn’t trying to justify human pedophilia. Obviously within one species adults should not have relations with children. The problem is that species will blindly apply their own numbers to other species and assume their own standards apply.
I forgive you for lashing out. I understand that deeply reflecting on your preconceived notions and assumptions of the universe is difficult. Overcoming bigotry can be hard and painful work. But try to be more polite.
Real talk below:
Obviously I’m being facetious when talking about a fictional species, but this does have real overlap even with real-world human relations. Some people have medical conditions that pause their physical maturation. They end up looking like children forever. And those folks face a hard time forming relationships, as even partners willing to look past their appearance face constant accusations of pedophilia. This attitude of “shut up, the whole topic is verbotten, any discussion of any topic relating to age of consent means you’re a pedophile” is childish and harms real-world people. I’m not here trying to argue that pedophilia is in any way OK. I’m not trying to argue that any relationship between a human an adult and a human child is OK. I am pointing out that our knee-jerk reaction to the topic results in harming actual adults fully capable of consenting to sexual activity. We’re so conditioned to react with white-hot rage to the topic that we end up branding relationships between adults as pedophilia. Relationships involving anyone that society infantilizes end up being judged as pedophilia.
This is a board related to Star Trek, and Star Trek has a long tradition of exploring real-world issues through science fiction allegory. In many ways the Ocampa are analogous to real human beings with certain disabilities. There are many who doubt that disabled people are fully capable of consenting to intercourse, and not just in the extreme case of an adult looking like a child. Disabled people have had to fight for generations for their right to be seen as fully independent adults capable of making their own choices. Disabled people have had to fight against the very infantilization that the Ocampa experience in Voyager. The partners of disabled people often face accusations of something akin to pedophilia. The Ocampa are a metaphor for any group of real-world human adults that broader society deems unworthy of making their own choices and living independently. The partners of disabled people are often judged just like Neelix is being judged in this thread.
I don’t feel it’s at all inappropriate to talk about this on a Star Trek board. “Both of you shut up” has very similar vibes to the lament of “I hate that Star Trek got woke.” It ignores that Star Trek, like all good science fiction, uses metaphor to critique real human society. And the Ocampa are no different. The Ocampa are a metaphor for any marginalized group in society that the rest of society doesn’t quite consider full and capable adults.
The fun thing for me is to actually think of what the Vulcan reaction is to one of their own dating a human. “Sarek, you’re 300 years old man. Why are you going out with that illogical human female? She’s 10% your age.”