@basedbagel - Yeah... I've gotten the same treatment before. It comes mostly in the form of a side-eye, guarding behavior, and/or innuendo. I don't think anyone's name-calls me because I can appear fairly intimidating (heavy eyebrows).
To be clear: kids have never been something I'm into like that. But people still seem to make the silent assumption - as revealed in their behavior. That assumption shouldn't be dignified with response.
I'm curious about much of that is projection, or paranoia?
@basedbagel - And something sadly ironic: sex abuse actually did happen in my family, growing up.
And as I get to know people closely... more often than not, there comes a point when it comes out that they've been subjected to sexual shenanigans themselves, by adults, as children.
It's at the point now, that I almost view sex-abuse as normal (whether we would normalize it, or not). It's like some kind of rite-of-passage... which is kinda fucked up, actually.
@basedbagel - But I guess the point your post brings to mind, is this: Whatever we have been doing up til now, to prevent sex abuse of children... It's not working.
All the paranoia, and the general alienation of men from children... It's not working (assuming abuse prevention is even the goal). I know more molested people than non-molested people.
Maybe it's a variation on a theme, something like: avoiding pain leads to pain.