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Pederasty (from greek paiderastia, love of boys) is used for

1. the ancient Greek custom of passing erotic and mentoring relationships between usually younger men and teen-age boys;
2. similar customs in other places and times by way of generalisation ;
3. male Homosexuality in general (and also specifically anal intercourse). This usage dominates in the 15.–20. centuries. It replaced the older term Sodomy to avoid its religious connotations.

The term derives from the ancient Greek custom, and describes a relationship between a man and a boy as well as the sociological ideal behind it.

[edit] History

The original form of pederasty was a sanctioned relationship by the governmental authorities during Ancient Greece in where a mentor and a pupil would be bonded into a relationship, usually sexual in nature. The practice was commonplace at the time, and reflects that homosexual relationships, particularly intergenerational man/boy relationships, were an accepted and honored practice in society. This is backed by several popular myths and legends at the time, most notably Zeus and Ganymede.

The belief and practice of pederasty was carried on even into Roman times until Christianity prevailed and even then was common place for centuries in varying forms. Not until modern times have pederastic practices been frowned upon in such a mass scale.

An important note is that one did not need to have been primarily pedophilic in orientation to practice pederasty. Since man/boy relationships were much more openly regarded as acceptable, one could easily imagine otherwise heterosexual individuals taking part in these types of relationships.

[edit] Culture

Another important thing to regard is the labels of homosexual vs. heterosexual were also under a different light. Some cultures today still shed different light as to their opinions regarding male/male sexual relations. In particular, one article cites the sexual relations of adolescent boys in Swaziland. The practice is seen as "becoming a man". In recent years, western labels and ideals have been bleeding into the culture, causing conflict and resulting in declined male/male sexual practice.

Some boys passed into manhood and got married but now and then they still need some man's wood to remain pure men," say's Mr Bhokondvo Nkosi, a Maths teacher of Emagogeni high school. "The difference before the western influence is that it was ok to practice this type's of sexuality and now most African parents are considering it as "homosexuality" as it is labelled and therefore it is regarded as a silly influence from the civilised countries and as a western disease." (From the article amantanyula by Ishi)

It's only fair to guess that similar regards toward man/boy relationships could be applied to this type of cultural ideal. Not until the Victorian era did the label of becoming purely "homosexual" or "heterosexual" come into foundation.

no space for that shit over here...

And blind unquestioning hatred of a sexual minority does? Pedophiles/Ephebophiles have just as much right to be anarchists as anyone else.