Irvine -- Danny Hoekzema is just 14 (and came out as gay at 12), and wonders why there are no resources for gay youth in the Netherlands, where the age of consent is set at 16. He's managed to get gay parade organizers in Amsterdam (as well as the city major) to let him and his peers join the parade in a gay teen boat for those aged 12-16.
But in the process, a gay scholar who supports the teen boat idea has been pilloried in the Dutch media as well as the gay establisment, for his views on teen sex.
Gert Hekma, who is a gay studies professor at the University of Amsterdam, has received numerous death threats on email and in blogs. His university, however, stands by him and supports his right to free speech.
On the next edition of Subversity, we talk with Prof. Hekma, who has authored over a dozen scholarly works on gay life and culture, about his support of youth sexuality and those on the "sexual fringe" (Gayle Rubin).
The show airs from 9-10 am on Monday, 19 February 2007, on the KUCI public affairs show, Subversity, 88.9 fm in Orange County, California, and via the web at kuci.org.
Subversity previously (in 2002) interviewed author Judith Levine on her university press book, "Harmful to Minors: The Perils of Protecting Children from Sex," a work that sparked a smilar controversy in the U.S.
An audio file of that earlier interview is here: http://kuci.org/~dtsang/subversity/Sv020827.ram.
We also interviewed in 2002 Peter Ian Cummings, the creator and publisher of xy magazine, which is aimed at queer teens. Audio here: kuci.org/~dtsang/subversity/Sv021119.ram
Other Resources:
Danny Hoekzema's website:
http://www.dannysparade.nl
Doug Ireland's story in Gay City News:
http://gaycitynews.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17855971&BRD=2729&PAG=461&dept_id=568864&rfi=6
Feedback from gay teens in Gay City News
http://gaycitynews.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17856426&BRD=2729&PAG=461&dept_id=568864&rfi=6
Thanx for listening!
dan