Queer Theory, Pedophilia Jeopardy with Derrick Jensen

This is a transcript of Derrick Jensen’s speech that was interrupted by male whims’ activists. The original (fabulous) video is now no longer available so I am glad I did this (As of 02/04/2021 I found a new one uploaded). The intent was to dub the video into French. The translation is available here.

Please note that Audience 1 and Audience 2 (or 3) refer to different people speaking from the audience. There is no number associated with any given speaker as it would have been difficult to identify the voices precisely. ‘Audience’ refers to the group reaction.

Derrick Jensen: There is a long correlation between anarchism and pedophilia and support for pedophilia.

Audience: Outbursts of anger.

Audience 1: Can you talk about something relevant?

Derrick Jensen: Oh wait wait wait that’s a beautiful line, thank you so much for asking ‘How about something relevant? I’ve been talking about rape culture all day and pedophilia and the support of pedophilia is not rape culture?

Actually, you’re acting as if this were a spurious connection so we’re gonna play Jeopardy. We’re gonna play Queer theory, pedophilia Jeopardy.

Ok, answer: Commonly called the godfather of queer theory.

Audience 1: Foucault.

Audience 2: Who is Foucault?

Derrick Jensen: Who is Foucault?! Ok 100 points!

Hum Foucault, another way to ask this is: Who argued?… No I guess the answer would be: ‘Argued for the eradication of age of consent laws as in down to infants’.

Audience 1: Who is Foucault?

Audience 2: Thank you.

Derrick Jensen: Ok, next one: The author of the founding document of queer theory.

Audience 1: Who is Gayle Rubin?

Derrick Jensen: Who is Gayle Rubin?!

What percentage?… No, no the answer is: 50%. Question is?

Audience 1: The amount in that article that was a defense of pedophilia, specifically the defense of Boy Lovers who were men not boys.

Audience: Applause.

Derrick Jensen: And since you’re not believing me: quote, quote, this is in the founding document of queer theory:

‘Like communists and homosexuals in the 1950s, Boy Lovers are so stigmatized that it is difficult to find defenders of their civil liberties let alone for their erotic orientation.’

That’s in the founding document of queer theory. Oh I’m sorry I’m using facts!

Audience: Laughter, applause.

Derrick Jensen: A thousand a thousand apologies: one must never let facts on the way!

Oh she also compared by the way pedophilia, (outbursts of anger in the room) she compared pedophilia to a preference for spicy food. The thing is I have never heard of anyone who asked to have years of therapy because they ate hot harissa soup.

Audience: Applause.

Derrick Jensen: Ok so up to 200. Now it is, now it is pedophilia and queer theory for 300. That would be: Author of Macho Sluts and Public Sex.

Audience 1: Pat Califia !

Derrick Jensen : Pat Califia !

Audience 2: Derrick Jensen is an eco-fascist

Audience: Laughter.

Derrick Jensen: Wait, wait, wait, what was it that somebody said? Stay relevant!

Audience: Laughter, applause, complaints.

Derrick Jensen: Ok, let’s talk about Pat Califia.

Audience: Complaints.

Audience 1: Fucking transphobe.

Audience: Complaints.

Derrick Jensen: Here is something from one of Pat Califia’s books.

Audience: Complaints.

Derrick Jensen: You know it’s really interesting that when I actually start talking about the relationship between queer theory and anarchism and pedophilia that hum it becomes… they really want to shut me up now.

Audience 1: They sure do.

Audience: Outbursts of anger

Derrick Jensen: Ok so here’s Pat Califia.

Audience: Complaints.

Audience: Indistinct debate.

Audience 1: You’re a homophobe.

Derrick Jensen: Pat Califia… Oh wait wait wait, just a second, just a second I was accused of homophobia because I am against pedophilia… Who is it who actually makes the connection between that?

Audience: Applause.

Derrick Jensen: Ok here’s something by Pat Califia.

Audience: Complaints.

Derrick Jensen: Pat Califia has written:

‘any child old enough to decide whether or not he or she wants to eat spinach, play with trucks or wear shoes is old enough to decide whether or not she wants to run around naked in the sun, masturbate, sit in someone’s lap or engage in sexual activity.’

By which she does not mean play doctor, she means with adults, she’s very clear about that because she also says that pedophiles should be more and not less invested in children’s lives.

Ok so we were at 300, 400! Is the most famous queer theorist of today, answer!

Audience 1: Judith Butler.

Derrick Jensen: No, it is not Judith Butler! It is ‘Who is Judith Butler’?

Audience: Laughter.

Derrick Jensen: Ok Judith Butler is the most famous queer theorist of the day.

Audience 1: We see you all of you supporting here. You do not care about trans people’s lives.

Audience: Complaints.

Derrick Jensen: Ok, ok here’s a great quote from Judith Butler. Here’s a great quote from Judith Butler.

Audience: Indistinct debate.

Audience 1: That’s the fucking truth. You don’t care about trans people’s lives.

Derrick Jensen: Ok, so Judith Butler wrote:

‘So, I keep adding this qualification: “when incest is a violation, suggesting that I think there may be occasions in which it is not. Why would I talk that way? Well, I do think that there are

Audience 1: We see you!

Well, I do think that there are probably forms of incest that are not necessarily traumatic or which gain their traumatic character by virtue of the consciousness of social shame that they produce.’

Yeah that’s Judith Butler, that’s one of the queer heroes.

Ok now we have for 500, we have the last one in the Queer theory and pedophilia. The answer is: queer theorist who has spoken out strongly against pedophilia?

Audience 1: 0

Audience 2: 0

Audience 3: Who is no one?

Derrick Jensen: Who is no one? Not a single one. Because the entire thing is based on transgressing.

Audience 1: Dear fucking God.

Derrick Jensen: Yeah, I know, dear fucking God!