51 Comments
User's avatar
IWantToBeCalledLoretta's avatar

Bravo to Kirstie for putting her head above the parapet. Can't be easy. There is indeed a lot of grooming going on right under our noses, attempts to normalise bizarre and dangerous behaviour, even celebrate it as 'stunning and brave'. It needs to be called out. We can't fight what we cannot name.

Average people who oppose this stuff are afraid of being called things like prude, right-wing, terf, bigot. Who cares if someone calls you a transphobe. It's such a broad insult as to be virtually meaningless. Biology is transphobic and a terf so I think it's no big deal anymore.

Expand full comment
Susan Doherty's avatar

True .Saw a tweet the other day which claimed PREGNANCY is TRANSPHOBIC !! Probably ,being born FEMALE is a " HATE CRIME " as well ,in some people's opinions !!

Expand full comment
EW's avatar

Being born female is definitely a crime in some countries, with the women are all on house arrest.

Expand full comment
Bin Chicken's avatar

Yep, being born female makes you a terf and a Karen, and thus it is right and good to hate you. You deserve it.

Expand full comment
Bin Chicken's avatar

I get called a prude a lot. Funny that the people who think that we should normalize drag queen story hour, seeing grown men's penises, kink at pride, porn, and all the rest of it are usually vapid virtue-signallers with no kids.

Expand full comment
IWantToBeCalledLoretta's avatar

I wouldn't trust them to raise a goldfish never mind a child.

Expand full comment
Beeswithteeth's avatar

I'm noticing this more and more. Before, they'd subtly creep around the point, sort of suggesting young sex. And people would go "Hang on, are you advocating for kid sex?"

Now, they just whack paedophilia front and centre and people second guess themselves over it. "They can't be blatantly saying that, it must be ironic, right?"

Expand full comment
EW's avatar

I bet a lot of the men in the chorus thought it was ironic, probably most of them. I hope it was most of them! But groomers, as former FBI profiler Jim Clemente says, groom their communities.

Expand full comment
Susan Doherty's avatar

Well done to Kirstie Alley for having the courage and integrity to say what we ALL know to be true

which is that the current version of transactivism has left the door wide open for paedophiles ,and indeed all sexual predators ,fetishists and paraphiliacs to accomplish their horrible agendas ,which needs no explanation !!

Expand full comment
Dave's avatar

Matt Walsh has just posted an article by Tim Ballard, the founder and president of Operation Underground Railroad — an organization which mobilizes operatives to rescue children held by global sex traffickers. It’s a heartbreaking story and an almost unbelievably impossible job he does saving children one by one around the world from sexual abuse.

2 MILLION CHILDREN globally.

It says,

“When asked why the United States is the number-one consumer of child exploitation material, Ballard pointed to the hypersexualization of American culture.

“How do you become the demand? How do you come to want sex with a child? It starts with pornography,” Ballard said. “It starts with porn addiction. Pornography creates a chemical reaction in the brain. It’s a dopamine effect. It’s all part of a godly system in the brain that facilitates and encourages healthy marriage relationships and procreation. So, it’s like the counterfeit of that.”

Read it here:

https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-many-more-can-we-get-out-inside-the-frontline-battle-to-end-child-sex-trafficking?fbclid=IwAR2cXzrV-p7rhFKZM4cJbtWbwwC2O9KIVQy4U3tgkZCVyLi2__7GjCv0k4w

Expand full comment
CatalepticOnion's avatar

Never mind exposing kids - I don't wish for myself to be exposed to these perversions being played out in public spaces. Let them keep it behind the four walls in their private homes where it's always belonged.

Expand full comment
CatalepticOnion's avatar

To avoid misunderstandings as two things seem to be getting aired here: bondage SM etc belongs in private homes not out on the streets. People who want sex with children belong in prison.

Expand full comment
CatalepticOnion's avatar

To be generous the lyrics of the song do seem to be attempting a clever concept of some kind equating the word "corruption" with teaching kids not to hate, the irony of it presumably lying somewhere in the implicit attestation that only a right wing bigot would equate these two things, but it doesn't really work and the joke or whatever it is falls flat. Leaving one wondering: they didn't really mean that - surely - or did they? But I find it impossible to believe they would have been able to assemble a choir of 60 to 100 to knowingly, willingly and openly to perform a song embracing and celebrating paedophila. I'd certainly hope it wouldn't be possible.

Expand full comment
TJ37's avatar

Perhaps not distinctly 'celebrating paedophilia', but what of the track record of the two writers of the song in writing a musical that had stirred outrage when released online in 2020, with even the lead actor apologising that it had 'romanticised sexual assault' of boys by men? It seems unlikely that choir members could all have been unaware of this when signing up to perform their song on camera.

From the BBC link above:

'But, unexpectedly, the move [online release] provoked a wave of outrage and criticism from Afghans living around the world, who, learning of the musical for the first time, accused it of romanticising child sexual abuse and child rape.

'Madina Wardak, an Afghan clinical social worker based in the US, said she watched 40 minutes of the musical and had to turn it off.

'"I felt uncomfortable, misunderstood, frantic and anxious all at the same time," she said. "I cringed every time the actors tried to be believable and every time the audience had a laugh at the expense of real Afghan pain."

'The show has also faced criticism for promoting bacha bazi as a tradition that is accepted in Afghanistan.

"Bacha bazi is a harmful practice that should not in any way be romanticised," said the Afghan actress and founder of Mena Arts, Azita Ghanizada. "To have another piece of art focused on Afghanistan completely through the white lens shook up our community." [ ...]

'Despite bacha bazi being illegal under Afghan law, authorities are unable to end the practice because many of those involved are influential men. To these men, keeping a "bacha baireesh", or "boy without beard", is a sign of power and high social status.'

Expand full comment
Susan Siens's avatar

I can believe some or most of them thought of it as irony, but to be completely unaware of how it might be construed is utterly beyond belief.

Expand full comment
CatalepticOnion's avatar

concept should read conceit

Expand full comment
EW's avatar

Like someone else wrote about this, they didn’t read the room. This isn’t the pride movement of the 90’s and early 00’s.

Expand full comment
MJ Reid's avatar

I remember when the legislation was being debated to lower the age of consent for homosexuals in the UK that several people suported by organisations suggested that since boys cannot get pregnant, the age of consent for them, if they are gay, should be much lower than that for girls. Being a child didn't come into it...The age of reason came through and the age of consent was set at 16 - the same for boys and girls. Paedophilia is the same whatever the age of the child - same trauma, same issues and should be the same sentencing for the perpetrators. It should always be illegal and we should be pushing to stop it in other countries..."It is custom" should no longer cut it. We know the damage caused and it is the same no matter the country or "custom".

Expand full comment
Catherine Conroy's avatar

Kirstie Alley put it brilliantly! A new one to add to my list of good eggs.

Expand full comment
Susan Siens's avatar

She summers on an island near me and is notoriously protective of her children (which is what good parents do).

Expand full comment
Bee Cat's avatar

How long before we get to trans ageism? It can't be that difficult, right? It's much harder to determine a person's age than their sex, we already have catchphrases like "age is just a number" and transgenderism has already laid the groundwork for accepting the unreal, or else.

Expand full comment
Underhandrea's avatar

Have you not heard of Stephonkee Walsh? (Don't google if you've just eaten, or want to eat in the near future.)

Expand full comment
Jeremy Wickins's avatar

I was thinking of that one earlier today in a different context, i.e. since he identifies as a six-year-old girl, under the current "you are what you say" rules, would he be stopped from entering sports events for infant-school girls? If not, why not? How is it different from men stealing women's places in adult sports?

Expand full comment
EW's avatar

That Stephonknee guy was featured on some trans rights website back before feminists made him famous. He wasn’t just a weirdo they all ignored.

Expand full comment
Bee Cat's avatar

I haven't - thanks for the warning!!

Expand full comment
IWantToBeCalledLoretta's avatar

Aimee Challenor's husband wrote some garbage on how society determines who's allowed to have sex with adults based on some "magical number of birthdays".

I think he was a mod on a subreddit or something. Paedophilia dressed up in flowery language is still paedophilia. NAMBLA tried calling it man-boy love. We know what they are.

Expand full comment
Jeremy Wickins's avatar

There *is* a slightly arbitrary element to the age of consent - a look at the differences across countries shows this. However, there is always an element in which at least physical maturity is taken into consideration. Not so with these weirdos who want pre-pubescent children involved.

Sixteen is probably the minimum age of consent, and I'm tending towards older these days.

Expand full comment
Louise M. Allcock's avatar

Kirstie says 'protect your kids'. I think I am protecting my child by not letting her use social media either to view others, or to post. She is 12, I think she has better things to do. We discuss how showing off makes other people feel bad, and how the normalisation of over sharing, and showing off might be damaging. I think she has better things to do than to watch her friends and strangers gyrating provocatively to misogynistic rap music on tiktok. Strangely, in her middle class school, I am the only mother who has said no to tiktok. This does not make me or my children luddites - they use technology all the time, play computer games and are learning to programme. In conversation about technology, differentiate between technology and social media. I am really truly surprised at how many parents do not want to say no to social media.

Expand full comment
Louise M. Allcock's avatar

I realise this does not fix the problem in any way shape or form, and it falls into the 'don't look' category, but it is one small step to get my children to really think about over-sharing, and showing off and how they might decide to use social media when they are older. Also for them to see less hyper-sexualised content.

Expand full comment
IWantToBeCalledLoretta's avatar

I think what you're doing is great. Social media is a huge gateway to a lot of adult content, and so many kids can't wait to grow up, they think the freedom adults have is the be-all end-all. They don't understand responsibilities, managing risk, and safeguarding.

I suspect the other parents who don't want to say no are similar to the women who think it's inclusive to allow their kids to be exposed to kink and drag. They don't want to be the parental equivalent of a prude/terf.

Expand full comment
Stop Mansplaining Feminism's avatar

♬ If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next ♬

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cX8szNPgrEs

Expand full comment
Pink_CarbonUnit's avatar

excellent

Expand full comment
grufinprog's avatar

The allegations that they included sex offenders have been reported to be false by e.g. SFist. The video seems a bit of a poor choice to me, but I need a bit more evidence than an image paste-up before I’m going to believe serious allegations like that. I know people who’ve been involved with the choir and I’m pretty sure if it was a hive of pedophilia they would have mentioned it at some point.

But seriously, I’m also concerned about children’s exposure to bizarre sexual material and groomers, but I’d look to Reddit, TikTok, Twitter for the latter, not a bunch of old gay dudes who like to sing.

Expand full comment
Stéphane's avatar

I agree that we can’t rush to condemn based on one twitter collage.

Seems like poor journalism.

Even this newspaper is publishing scant research on the topic. Those are serious allegations!

https://www.westernjournal.com/gay-mens-choir-said-coming-children-rushes-cover-pedophilia-accusations/

Expand full comment
Pink_CarbonUnit's avatar

OMG this is shocking.

Expand full comment
Winters's avatar

I have to say I think people are losing the plot over the gay choir song and totally overreacting. Yes, there are those that will groom in plain sight, but this song was clearly a joke. I get that it might be too close to the reality in some cases, but come on. My homophobic bro sent the video to me, so I can totally understand why he has big issues with it, but not why any normal person would read so much in to that.

Expand full comment
Felicity's avatar

Gay rights were being attacked because of the idea that all gays were paedophiles. THESE lyrics play into the hands of those who still think that gay men are paedophiles. It harms the Gay community and it harms children. Society who listens to this starts to accept it. This removed boundaries.

Red flags need to be raised around anyone who writes those kinds of lyrics or that kind of writing. Its Societal Grooming. Its Child Grooming. Its RED FLAGS.

Expand full comment
Pink_CarbonUnit's avatar

When several members of the choir have been arrested for lewd acts against minors under 14 years, 'we are coming for your children' doesnt sound so innocent!

Expand full comment
Winters's avatar

That, I am not aware of!

Expand full comment
Pink_CarbonUnit's avatar

ITS IN THE ARTICLE!

Expand full comment
Winters's avatar

I didn’t read anything that confirmed it. It said there are reports that some are registered offenders. I’ve not verified that myself. But that aside, I think the sentiment is still the same. It’s a joke! I just don’t see it any other way. I think people are taking it far too seriously.

Expand full comment
Pink_CarbonUnit's avatar

i cant believe you have just completely ignored a matching picture of a predator with a record to one of the guys in the choir! Check portrait of man with red box!

Expand full comment
Susan Siens's avatar

I would take the phrase, repeated ad nauseam, "We're coming for your children" VERY SERIOUSLY no matter who said it. It is not funny. It clearly speaks to some men's obvious boundary issues and poor taste.

Expand full comment
Susan Siens's avatar

Are you a gay man? Sexual exploitation of minors has been a facet of PART of gay culture for a long time. An actor my husband knew in NYC made no bones about having sex with underage males; he also had anonymous sex in toilets and had had hundreds of sexual partners. Someone at Gay Men's Chorus should have realized the connotations of the song.

Expand full comment
Pink_CarbonUnit's avatar

I find this comment an absolute nonsense. If you think child sex isnt a bigger issue in the heterosexual society you are very very wrong. And conflating promiscuity with sex predator is a abhorrent error that all innocent gay men are constantly battling against and have been for generations.

Expand full comment
Susan Siens's avatar

See my comment below which was made BEFORE yours. Of course child molestation is a HUGE problem in heterosexual society. You know what married men were doing on their way home from their jobs in Manhattan, New York? Stopping under one of the bridges and paying TWENTY-FIVE CENTS to underage runaways for a blow job, utterly disgusting. But there is no point in pretending that having sex with boys and teens is not part of urban gay male culture.

Expand full comment
Pink_CarbonUnit's avatar

slightly hysterical.

Expand full comment
Winters's avatar

So by that logic we should accept that being a predator is just part of gay culture? The gay choir are poking fun at this very accusation that somehow they are intrinsically predatory. Should we be cautious because being a predator goes hand in hand with being gay? I think that is a very slippery slope.

Expand full comment
Susan Siens's avatar

There are many gay men who strenuously object to this part of gay culture -- and it is part, not just a paranoid fantasy of straight people. This was not the way for the San Francisco Gay Men's Choir to get that point across, and they were dense to think otherwise.

Expand full comment
TAO's avatar

Funny how things change... Not so long ago, poor Kirstie was being portrayed as a nutter for her open support of Donald Trump. Now, she seems like the sane voice of reason while all the Clinton/Biden-supporting celebs sound like fruitcakes.

Expand full comment
IWantToBeCalledLoretta's avatar

Kirstie might be to America what Rowling was to the UK. Maybe more people with a voice and influence will speak up against the madness.

Expand full comment