Dear ILGA:

The history of male homosexuality is intertwined with pederasty, age disparity in relationships, and the artistic and literary appreciation of younger males, from the Ancient Greeks to the Cinequecento italians, to the Uranian Poets - none of which have any connection with abuse. The early LGBT rights activists, like Harry Hay Jr. and author Larry Kramer - men who arguably made the ILGA coalition possible - had no qualms about accepting organizations like NAMBLA in their movement, despite their differences. Meanwhile, you account only for the comparison of heterosexual and homosexual ages of consent, while completely disregarding their intrinsic value. You have responded to conservatives' ridiculous accusations of homosexuality as a hotbed of pedophilia by pandering to them and joining in the chorus of their moralist rhetoric, and making it one of your political pillars (I'm guessing this was politically expedient). Just as heteronormativity exists, there is in the 'gay rights' movement that you sponsor the normativity of androphilia. A whole rich past and a relevant present have been swept under the rug.

As a 19 year old - someone who, according you, has barely left childhood - I feel I am patronized, not defended, by you, when you claim that youth rights amount to protection from abuse, then say nothing about the sexual freedom of post-pubescent legal minors, which, as anyone with real life amd knowledge of LGBT people knows, is often expressed with adults to the harm of no party involved.

I'd like to know why it is I should consider you to be defenders of my rights, when you are selective in the tolerance you preach. I am irked by hypocrisy.