Feminism currently calls the shots when it comes to "progressive" culture and intimate relations. They consider child lovers, or at least the male ones, to be engaging in a form of patriarchy in their love and attraction to kids. We can find marginal exceptions here and there, such as Dissy bringing up Harry Hay for example, but for the most part, as was expressed to me by someone with very "outsider" anything-goes views once upon a time, they simply cannot get past the perceived power-differential. Many of them have a deep hatred of their own fathers or other early male adult figure in their lives, so to even try to comprehend that an adult male would not pressure or force a child into something is beyond their comprehension since they see adult men, especially the straight or white ones, doing the same to them. There is no getting through to them. At some point, you simply have to disengage from them and give up on hoping to get your pink or baby blue colors onto their flag. It ain't gonna happen. and seeing how nutty they're getting with ever more extreme demands, perhaps that's not such a bad thing. That's been my journey, at least. Others will have their own opinions of course.

Originally, I took interest in your mention of Our GL and BL symbols were warned about in either a two-part or two-page spread in the NY Times in August of 2006 by some guy named Eichenwald, with Oprah chiming in if I remember correctly. Their dire warnings of what "The Pedophiles" were up to with their covert symbolism, and their imminent plans to steal the sons and daughters of the voting middle class for sexual relationships never materialized. I seem to remember the old standby term "NAMBLA" being thrown in for good measure. Mind you, I was reading this after having just recently spent time with one of their original members, who told me that outfit had not actually existed at that point, since the 1980's. He had no reason to lie. Along with all the other lies contained therein which I could see for myself, you can imagine my bemusement combined with a bit of sadness that not all the news that's fit to print requires truthfulness as one of its fitness tests. Sometimes, it merely requires a tactical political motive to scare voters, something we're witnessing in all its high-def glory at this moment with the attempted sabatoge of the Trump-Putin summit. You gotta stand in awe of the desperate lengths the owned MSM will go to, willing to leave anyone with the slightest sense of history in the dust to scare and confuse people for their world-domination fantasizing masters.

Does all this mean I am hoping to cozy on up to conservatives and hope for acceptance? LOL. Um, nope.

I have become more libertarian in my views as my establishment choices continue to disintegrate, however. Our political systems are sick and corrupted on both sides these days. I've floated the label I call myself now, a Lincoln Log libertarian, but I doubt Baldur cares much for Lincoln, so I don't know how much traction it will ever get:p

The world will continue to turn. Times will continue to change, as will the scapegoats of the future. It's a time of flux. Just hold on for the ride and remember everyone else is feeling the uncertainty as well.

Enjoyed your post, and the hope you shared at the end. Positivity is often in short supply round here.