Scott Mills

[GingerSquid]

But they didn't drop it - the CPS declined to take it forwards.

I think we've covered that the age of gay consent was lowered to 16 in 2000. So that would mean if the victim were under 18 they would not be considered underage.

What is a twink? Because I thought it was a very young, barely legal, "pretty boy"? That post is interesting because I wondered about a fear of being seen as homophobic on the Huw Edwards thread.

It’s the fetishisation of very young, very pretty boys … I’ve personally witnessed many in the industry lusting after boys as young as 12. It’s much more prevalent than older guys and younger women in the industry. I used to model and dance and was very attractive once upon a time (for a few years ) and had no issues at all with guys being inappropriate. The twink thing is a lot more prevalent % wise with how many gay men there are vs straight. There is always a substantial age gap and inbalance of power in these relationships a la Schofield.

 

[Gym&Tonic]

I work in the industry and there is a huge culture of older gay guys with a penchant for very young twinks. When I was acting in the 00s it was a lot more brazen (“Kevin will love you” - said to a tiny 17 year old ballet dancer) and in recent years, more covert, but still very much alive and kicking (as we saw with Schofield). People dare not talk about it for fear of being branded homophobic. The younger looking and prettier the better. I’ve seen so much of it that I won’t allow my very pretty son to persue a career in dance, music, acting etc. It can be relentless, and I know of guys who are now married to women who did things with older guys in training or at the start of their careers as they were groomed into feeling obligated to. I am much more concerned about my son with SA than my daughter. We don’t talk enough about male victims as they are perceived as being more “up for it” and to criticise the twink culture is risky ground for being labelled homophobic. This is coming from someone who trained in musical theatre and has many amazing gay mates, it’s just one of the darker sides of gay culture that’s not spoken about enough IMO.

I saw a lot of defensiveness about this when the Schofield story broke and I defintely saw some people label it homophobic as a way of shutting it down.

 

[HotesTilaire]

I'm probably putting this badly, but it comes across as the bbc were ok with the serious sexual assault bit, just not the underage bit.

In fairness they may have been ok with an allegation - which didn't proceed to a prosecution - of sexual assault.
Lots of people get accused of sexual assault and I’d guess famous people can be targets of that.

*obviously this doesn’t mean I think sexual assault is ok or doesn’t matter, but it matters tenfold when it involves a child.

 

[HotesTilaire]

I saw a lot of defensiveness about this when the Schofield story broke and I defintely saw some people label it homophobic as a way of shutting it down.

It was chickens in the 90s. It’s always been a thing.
Just like “jailbait” used to be an acceptable term for schoolgirls.

 

[VeniVidiVicki]

But they didn't drop it - the CPS declined to take it forwards.

I think we've covered that the age of gay consent was lowered to 16 in 2000. So that would mean if the victim were under 18 they would not be considered underage.

What is a twink? Because I thought it was a very young, barely legal, "pretty boy"? That post is interesting because I wondered about a fear of being seen as homophobic on the Huw Edwards thread.

But if they were underage when the age of consent was 18, they were still underage if they were under 16.

The twink thing is absolutely a thing and it’s not homophobic to think it’s no better than straight blokes wanting teenagers. It’s about men. Sexuality is irrelevant. Gay men shouldn't get a free pass for being creepy people but they do right now. Stephen Fry is a case in point.
What pisses me off is this enables homophobia. Most gay men aren’t dodgy people, so we all need to criticise the ones who are to stop the rest of them being tarred with the same brush by people who are homophobic

 

[KatLit]

Cold Blood? He’s a great actor, loved him in Benidorm too.

That was it!!! Thanks

 

[L3moning]

What is a twink?

Good luck getting a consistent answer on that.

Its not inherently anything to do with age (I'd call Gok Wan a twink, for example, and he's over 50), although i think some people do probably see it that way.

 

[HotesTilaire]

Some people do date younger for whatever reason. Stephen Fry, Leo Di Caprio…

 

[IndominusRex]

Russell T Davies gives me the ick. Clear penchant for younger men, the latest of whom he seems to have charmed with a Dr Who set photo shoot.

 

[L3moning]

Some people do date younger for whatever reason. Stephen Fry, Leo Di Caprio…

Di Caprio's thing is very odd, and very dodgy.

Fry at least has been married to the same person for over 10 years and he was about 30 when they got married, which is definitely still an age gap, but past a certain point you have to accept that people are adults, unless you want to go down the road of enshrining the ½ age + 7 thing in law, as I've seen, seemingly seriously, suggested on social media before now.

I don't disagree about RTD though, he does come across as creepy.

 

[pixxyy]

Russell T Davies gives me the ick. Clear penchant for younger men, the latest of whom he seems to have charmed with a Dr Who set photo shoot.

Least he's a grown Man though, to me I think aslong as the other person isn't only just legal then go for it

 

[Kebab girl]

Russell T Davies gives me the ick. Clear penchant for younger men, the latest of whom he seems to have charmed with a Dr Who set photo shoot.

I can’t remember exactly what it was, but something made me unfollow him on insta, he gives me the ick too.

 

[Bread]

But if they were underage when the age of consent was 18, they were still underage if they were under 16.

The twink thing is absolutely a thing and it’s not homophobic to think it’s no better than straight blokes wanting teenagers. It’s about men. Sexuality is irrelevant. Gay men shouldn't get a free pass for being creepy people but they do right now. Stephen Fry is a case in point.
What pisses me off is this enables homophobia. Most gay men aren’t dodgy people, so we all need to criticise the ones who are to stop the rest of them being tarred with the same brush by people who are homophobic

I brought this up on the Huw Edwards thread but it came across badly so I'm glad to see it being raised here. The "twink" thing seems to be very acceptable - I've frequently seen it used in common parlance. Owen Jones was one of the loudest shouting about homophobia with Edwards and Schofield, which tarnished my own thinking. Genuine homophobia, in turn, is becoming again more prevalent: the Daily Mail and Sun articles about Mills, as well as Instagram posts, have got some of the most backward, revolting comments I have ever seen, and that's saying something. I can't believe some of the stuff I'm reading.

 

[Gym&Tonic]

There’s nothing wrong with dating younger people or age gap relationships but when one of the participants is still a teen or there’s a huge power imbalance then it becomes a problem

 

[Lola123]

There’s nothing wrong with dating younger people or age gap relationships but when one of the participants is still a teen or there’s a huge power imbalance then it becomes a problem

And people don’t realise in the UK if you’re considered to be in a position of power, the age of consent is 18! So this could be why if the victim has now come forward and the case is opened, the bbc had no choice now it’s open the victim was under 16 or even 16

 

[pixxyy]

And people don’t realise in the UK if you’re considered to be in a position of power, the age of consent is 18! So this could be why if the victim has now come forward and the case is opened, the bbc had no choice now it’s open the victim was under 16 or even 16

The age of consent would be 18 anyway as it wasnt changed to 16 til 2000

 

[Mark81]

I think it also goes a bit beyond age too, especially with a good section of these men. Its about how young they LOOK. You could have a 16 year old who looks 20 and he wouldnt be looked at. But a guy in his 20s who still looks very young will be jumped on (*cough* stephen fry).

The excusing of people like Schofield really annoys me as it reinforces the harmful stereotype that gay men are pedelos. Its not homophobic to say having any kind of romantic relationship with someone with 40+ years age gap and massive power imbalance is morally very wrong, even if not technically illegal. Made even worse if you've known the person since they were pre puberty.

I think most gay/bi men (and some straight too from stories ive heard) have experiences of significantly older men trying it on/harassing etc etc.

Age gap relationships can absolutely be a real thing with genuine love. But I have to say, most i know of the ones ive witnessed have a power dynamic/ownership aspect. One of my best friends was in one for 20+ years and suddenly left his older partner after covid. And it was only after leaving he saw how controlled he was and how unhealthy it was for him. Took him to his mid 40s to realise it though.

 

[DoreenMachine]

Good luck getting a consistent answer on that.

Its not inherently anything to do with age (I'd call Gok Wan a twink, for example, and he's over 50), although i think some people do probably see it that way.

Sorry... Gok Wan a 'twink' - I'm dead

 

[KatLit]

Can't get it to work, but the Mail is spilling on murky details!

 

[L3moning]

And people don’t realise in the UK if you’re considered to be in a position of power, the age of consent is 18!

The actual wording is "position of trust", and the law gives a list of things where it applies, none of which apply to BBC presenters. In theory one of them might have applied to Schofield, depending on exactly what he did with the theatre group he was involved in. The law does allow for things outside that list to be considered, but its - like a lot of that Act - terribly written.