Terdiman Examines SL “Age Play”
by Urizenus Sklar on 13/04/06 at 8:48 pm
News.com reporter Daniel Terdiman has written a thoughtful piece discussing age play in second life — the practice of playing minors, presumably often for sexual purposes. There is also a good interview with Terdiman, by Tony Walsh, on Clickable Culture.
We have but two comments. First, while the article says the practice is legal, I suspect that is only with resepect to US law. I seriously doubt this is legal in Canada, for example. Second, have we already forgotten the Herald expose of Sasami Wishbringer– the SL resident who roleplayed as an 8 year old sex slave/prostitute in public areas. Ah memory is so fleeting…
Marianne McCann
Apr 14th, 2006
I was of the opinion that said reporter was trying to find something salacious, when I’d say the *majority* of folks playin’ kid avvies on SL are not doing it for a specifically sexual reason. Not that every kid in-world is pure in intend — but I would, from personal experience, say that most are.
This is why so many of the kid areas on SL are so picky about keeping the area “G” rated. It’s what we happen to like to see there.
no name please
Apr 15th, 2006
Not sexual? go to a sim called the Cub Conclave, and look through the store. Sex toys, bondage gear, all sized for the young ones.
I ended up changing the way I looked because of it, was short and because of that was constantly thought to be 12 or under in character. (it was amusing though to see guys who were hitting on my char suddenly walk away when I told them “No, I’m not supposed to be a kid, I’m probably older than you are). And it’s the Furries that seem to be the most accepting of someone not old enough to wear a bra being fully sexualy active it seems to be. Sasami was the tip of the iceberg compared to some of the stuff out there.
Puck Goodliffe
Apr 17th, 2006
What’s next, banning furry avatars because bestiality is illegal? Banning vampire avis because some people kill to drink blood?
I hate pedos as much as the next guy, but when someone is not actually harming a real-life child, it is essentially going after someone for a “thoughtcrime” – and that’s a terrifying prospect, no matter who is in the target, vile perverts or otherwise.
Marianne McCann
Apr 19th, 2006
I’ve never been to Cub Conclave — but it’s a spot for furries, and I’m not one. Sounds to me like this may be a case where the reporter was looking in the wrong place, and should have been examining those with pelts in SL — not us kids.
Raven Welesa
May 7th, 2006
Got a problem with My island? I know which shop you are talking about and that is for bondage stuff because the person that rents that space makes that. Look at the rest of the island or talk to people there. I swear when anyone has a slight problem with anything and want to destroy it they will try and pick something and write a slanted report about it. You all should be ashamed of yourselves for believing yellow journalism of this nature. I bet you also never expected the owner of the island to come forward and speak. This infuriates me to no end. Why don’t you ask others that know me such as at furnations, or tartarus and see what they say about me and my friends of which there are over 210 in my group and an estimate of 400-500 in SL.
Marsellus Wallace
May 8th, 2006
You go girl!!! lol People like to judge books by their covers a lot of the time. Sad, but very true.
Marsellus Wallace
Boss, The Sim Mafia
http://www.thesimmafia.com
Raven Welesa
May 10th, 2006
Well Marsellus, I’m not a girl, but I do like the show of support. The people that made this article clearly showed how they like to stir up trouble. I guess they are like the real main stream media, find a subject, find 2 sides and then make it so that an argument breaks out so more people read it. I was told of this by a friend that mentioned this article and I could not sit idley by and let some ignorant people get away with bad mouthing a place I created specifically for fun. I have talked to many people that have visitied my island that were just exploring and I never have seen any of the people that claim to have been there. I have only got compliments about how friendly everyone is and how nice the island looks.
Linnian Sugar
May 11th, 2006
I plays a kid an I’m not stop’n, I dont like the age players who give us lil’uns a bad name eather :O but banning kid avi’s wont stop it, peoples will age play no matter what there avi looks like.
Bedpan
May 11th, 2006
“I plays a kid an I’m not stop’n, I dont like the age players who give us lil’uns a bad name eather :O but banning kid avi’s wont stop it, peoples will age play no matter what there avi looks like.”
…aaaaaand THAT was creepy.
Raven Welesa
May 16th, 2006
And Exactly how is that creepy? why? Because its not your type of thing and you try to portray it as creepy? hat if I said because you don’t ageplay that I think that is creepy? Stop trying to portray us as wrong and immoral. The fact is you are coming to a judgement about something that you haven’t the slightest clue about.