Hoping someone called Animal Control. If they have to take that shot it’s probably gonna be against a really uncertain backdrop, so having Animal Control corral the dog would be preferable where possible.

I would contend that he’s a high schooler who plays three sports and maintains a 4.0 GPA. He likely cannot also maintain a social life and thus has not talked to a girl outside of class in two months. Can’t catch many girls’ interest if you’ve never said a word to them.

There’s a counterpoint to be made there that this is a particularly delicate issue; normally one might be able to dismiss the effects of a vocal fringe as minimal, but in this case the effects potentially include a child being assaulted or worse. That’s an issue where an individual instance is still of tremendous importance. Otherwise, I’d end up arguing that just because the Euphemism Treadmill exists doesn’t mean we don’t abandon harmful terms. I’d like to be able to find a solution that addresses both needs, to accomplish both a) not allowing any of the monstrous people any extra opportunity to harm a child while b) still minimizing suicides, or worse, transition to the other categories, among people who have a brain disorder. However, barring that, I kind of have to err on the side of protecting the children.

:P

I can understand that. He sounds like a good puppy.

That must make the laser cannon scene really cringe-y for you.

It might help the therapy process for someone to be able to identify themselves as someone with that attraction *without* using the same word as is used for someone who has committed child rape. There is the argument, though, that the “oh god oh god OH GOD” mental reaction people (hopefully) get from it being the same word would spur them to get help faster, but people’s responses to fear can be counterintuitive, and for obvious reasons that’s an ethically sketchy subject to try to run a study on.

I wouldn’t expect to find category 1 people talking about it on social media. It’s one of the few things you can realize about yourself where shame and fear are ABSOLUTELY the correct response, and barring them being themselves still minor and not understanding where or how to get help, I’d expect the only place they mentioned it to be a close confidante or a licensed mental health professional. I’m absolutely for regulating and deplatforming open talk condoning child rape, and while incarceration isn’t an option unless an actual plan or conspiracy to commit can be proven, it’s a situation in which commitment should be considered.

If you try really hard and believe in yourself, too.

We need, like different words for “people who are attracted to minors because there is a brain malfunction,” “people who are attracted to minors because they get off on the power imbalance,” and “people who are actively/have actually had sexual contact with a minor.” Cause one of those needs help, one needs involuntary commitment, and one needs jail.

Behold: reflex readers vs. deliberate readers.

I don’t think the Oxford comma would fix that.

Oh, I’m about to where I can, like, ask for food or water in Japanese and Welsh, buuuut they don’t exactly teach directions first in this app.

Y’know, this didn’t really hit me at first, but they’re complaining… about… a number line. That’s not even a modern *thing.* I didn’t even know it was a common core thing now. That’s stuff my Mom put on my worksheets when I was, what, four?

… I want to say those hand positions are called mudras.