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[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Bennion '''Francis Alan Roscoe Bennion'''] (2 January 1923 – 28 January 2015) was a barrister in the United Kingdom, and lecturer in law at the University of Oxford from 1984 until his retirement in 2002. Francis Bennion was the author of several leading UK legal texts, sometimes working as Parliamentary Counsel and drafting various Acts of Parliament, such as the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex_Discrimination_Act_1975 Sex Discrimination Act 1975]. In relation to [[MAP]]s, [[AAM]]s, and debates around [[pedophilia]] and children's sexuality, Bennion wrote about age-gap sexual contact throughout his life, and would eventually dedicate much effort to criticizing then-burgeoning UK sex offence law. His writings such as ''The Sex Code: Morals for Moderns'' (1991), and ''Sexual Ethics and Criminal Law: A Critique of the Sexual Offences Bill 2003'' (March, 2003), and many more which will be detailed here, criticized the sex negativity and harmful / ineffective sex laws emerging in the UK. | [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Bennion '''Francis Alan Roscoe Bennion'''] (2 January 1923 – 28 January 2015) was a barrister in the United Kingdom, and lecturer in law at the University of Oxford from 1984 until his retirement in 2002. Francis Bennion was the author of several leading UK legal texts, sometimes working as Parliamentary Counsel and drafting various Acts of Parliament, such as the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex_Discrimination_Act_1975 Sex Discrimination Act 1975]. In relation to [[MAP]]s, [[AAM]]s, and debates around [[pedophilia]] and children's sexuality, Bennion wrote about age-gap sexual contact throughout his life, and would eventually dedicate much effort to criticizing then-burgeoning UK sex offence law. His writings such as ''The Sex Code: Morals for Moderns'' (1991), and ''Sexual Ethics and Criminal Law: A Critique of the Sexual Offences Bill 2003'' (March, 2003), and many more which will be detailed here, criticized the sex negativity and harmful / ineffective sex laws emerging in the UK. | ||
Bennion was, at one time, a member of the executive committee of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campaign_Against_Censorship Defence of Literature and the Arts Society] (UK),<ref>Francis Bennion, [https://web.archive.org/web/20160215102657/http://francisbennion.com/pdfs/fb/1977/1977-003-libertine-trial.pdf ''The Libertine Trial''] (1977).</ref> writing for its journal.<ref>Bennion, [https://web.archive.org/web/20160215102709/http://francisbennion.com/pdfs/fb/1977/1977-008-scotching-the-sex-haters.pdf Scotching the Sex Haters] (''The Free Thinker'' – Vol. 97, No. 4 April 1977). [Originally published in ''Uncensored''.]</ref> He consistently defended pornography against censorship and criminalization,<ref>Bennion, Review of [https://web.archive.org/web/20160215102737/http://francisbennion.com/pdfs/fb/1978/1978-010-dont-mind-sex-review.pdf I DON'T MIND THE SEX IT'S THE VIOLENCE by Enid Wistrich], in ''The Freethinker'' - Vol No. 1978.</ref> criticizing the homophobic anti-sex campaigner Mary Whitehouse,<ref>Bennion, [https://web.archive.org/web/20160215102716/http://francisbennion.com/pdfs/fb/1977/1977-012-t014-mary-whitehouse-prosecutes.pdf Mary Whitehouse prosecutes for blasphemy] (''The Times'', 17 June 1977).</ref><ref>Bennion, [https://web.archive.org/web/20160215102733/http://francisbennion.com/pdfs/fb/1978/1978-007-restrictive-attitudes.pdf ATTACK ON RESTRICTIVE ATTITUDES TO SEX], ''The Freethinker'' - Vol 98 No. 1978.</ref> including her book | Bennion was, at one time, a member of the executive committee of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campaign_Against_Censorship Defence of Literature and the Arts Society] (UK),<ref>Francis Bennion, [https://web.archive.org/web/20160215102657/http://francisbennion.com/pdfs/fb/1977/1977-003-libertine-trial.pdf ''The Libertine Trial''] (1977).</ref> writing for its journal.<ref>Bennion, [https://web.archive.org/web/20160215102709/http://francisbennion.com/pdfs/fb/1977/1977-008-scotching-the-sex-haters.pdf Scotching the Sex Haters] (''The Free Thinker'' – Vol. 97, No. 4 April 1977). [Originally published in ''Uncensored''.]</ref> He consistently defended pornography against censorship and criminalization,<ref>Bennion, Review of [https://web.archive.org/web/20160215102737/http://francisbennion.com/pdfs/fb/1978/1978-010-dont-mind-sex-review.pdf I DON'T MIND THE SEX IT'S THE VIOLENCE by Enid Wistrich], in ''The Freethinker'' - Vol No. 1978. Quote: | ||
''The folly of censorship is that it supposes one human mind competent to decree what shall be | |||
admitted to other human minds. This supposition is self-evidently false, but persists. That is because | |||
many adults, uneasy at their loss of infant-dependence, yearn for parent-figures to direct them. They | |||
long for a God-our-father and create one wherever they can. That comforts them, but it is a child's | |||
comfort.'' | |||
''Censorship shows distrust of people. They are not to be allowed to form their own judgments based | |||
(as true judgment must be) on all the evidence. Other, better adjusted minds must intervene. What | |||
the masses see must be filtered by those with a loftier view, a better balance and a firmer base. No | |||
censor supposes that censors can be corrupted by what they see. Censors are supermen, above | |||
corruption. They thus confess themselves heirs of Nietsche, Bowdler and Adolf Hitler. However | |||
well meaning, they fail to see that the adult mind needs to grapple with unfiltered reality.''</ref> criticizing the homophobic anti-sex campaigner Mary Whitehouse,<ref>Bennion, [https://web.archive.org/web/20160215102716/http://francisbennion.com/pdfs/fb/1977/1977-012-t014-mary-whitehouse-prosecutes.pdf Mary Whitehouse prosecutes for blasphemy] (''The Times'', 17 June 1977).</ref><ref>Bennion, [https://web.archive.org/web/20160215102733/http://francisbennion.com/pdfs/fb/1978/1978-007-restrictive-attitudes.pdf ATTACK ON RESTRICTIVE ATTITUDES TO SEX], ''The Freethinker'' - Vol 98 No. 1978.</ref> including her book | |||
==Francis Bennion on the Age of Consent, Age-Gap Sex, and Sex Offence Law== | ==Francis Bennion on the Age of Consent, Age-Gap Sex, and Sex Offence Law== | ||
Revision as of 00:33, 12 September 2025
Francis Alan Roscoe Bennion (2 January 1923 – 28 January 2015) was a barrister in the United Kingdom, and lecturer in law at the University of Oxford from 1984 until his retirement in 2002. Francis Bennion was the author of several leading UK legal texts, sometimes working as Parliamentary Counsel and drafting various Acts of Parliament, such as the Sex Discrimination Act 1975. In relation to MAPs, AAMs, and debates around pedophilia and children's sexuality, Bennion wrote about age-gap sexual contact throughout his life, and would eventually dedicate much effort to criticizing then-burgeoning UK sex offence law. His writings such as The Sex Code: Morals for Moderns (1991), and Sexual Ethics and Criminal Law: A Critique of the Sexual Offences Bill 2003 (March, 2003), and many more which will be detailed here, criticized the sex negativity and harmful / ineffective sex laws emerging in the UK.
Bennion was, at one time, a member of the executive committee of the Defence of Literature and the Arts Society (UK),[1] writing for its journal.[2] He consistently defended pornography against censorship and criminalization,[3] criticizing the homophobic anti-sex campaigner Mary Whitehouse,[4][5] including her book
Francis Bennion on the Age of Consent, Age-Gap Sex, and Sex Offence Law
Bennion had written about unlawful age-gap sex since at least the 1970s, having reviewed Parker Rossman's
Selected Writings
References
- ↑ Francis Bennion, The Libertine Trial (1977).
- ↑ Bennion, Scotching the Sex Haters (The Free Thinker – Vol. 97, No. 4 April 1977). [Originally published in Uncensored.]
- ↑ Bennion, Review of I DON'T MIND THE SEX IT'S THE VIOLENCE by Enid Wistrich, in The Freethinker - Vol No. 1978. Quote: The folly of censorship is that it supposes one human mind competent to decree what shall be admitted to other human minds. This supposition is self-evidently false, but persists. That is because many adults, uneasy at their loss of infant-dependence, yearn for parent-figures to direct them. They long for a God-our-father and create one wherever they can. That comforts them, but it is a child's comfort. Censorship shows distrust of people. They are not to be allowed to form their own judgments based (as true judgment must be) on all the evidence. Other, better adjusted minds must intervene. What the masses see must be filtered by those with a loftier view, a better balance and a firmer base. No censor supposes that censors can be corrupted by what they see. Censors are supermen, above corruption. They thus confess themselves heirs of Nietsche, Bowdler and Adolf Hitler. However well meaning, they fail to see that the adult mind needs to grapple with unfiltered reality.
- ↑ Bennion, Mary Whitehouse prosecutes for blasphemy (The Times, 17 June 1977).
- ↑ Bennion, ATTACK ON RESTRICTIVE ATTITUDES TO SEX, The Freethinker - Vol 98 No. 1978.