Sexual revolution and the liberation of children: an interview with Kate Millett

[Kate Millett:] A sexual revolution begins with the emancipation of women, who are the chief victims of patriarchy, and also with ending of homosexual oppression. Part of the patriarchal family structure involves the control of the sexual life of children; indeed, the control of children totally. Children have virtually no rights guaranteed by law in our society and besides, they have no money which, in a money economy, is one of the most important sources of their oppression.

Certainly, one of children's essential rights is to express themselves sexually, probably primarily with each other but with adults as well. So the sexual freedom of children is an important part of a sexual revolution. How do we bring this about? The problem here is that when you have an exploitative situation between adults and children as you have between men and women, cross-generational relationships take place in a situation of inequality. Children are in a very precarious position when they enter into relationships with adults, not only in a concrete material sense but emotionally as well, because their personhood is not acknowledged in our society.

source: Interview 'Sexual Revolution and the Liberation of Children: An Interview With Kate Millett' by Mark Blasius; www.ipce.info/ipceweb/Library/interv_kate_m.htm; Paidika - The Journal of Paedophilia; Special Women's Issue; Volume 2, Number 4, Issue 8; Amsterdam; Winter 1992