To spank or not to spank (WITH POLL)

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Spanking is a sexual act that should only happen between consenting adults. The buttocks are an erogenous zone. In most cultures the butt is considered to be a sex symbol, and some people fetishize it.

If an adult touches another adult's butt without consent, it is sexual assault.

Hitting a child in any other way is bad enough. But striking a child on the butt takes it one step further and crosses the line into sexual abuse.

Most people just don't know any better, so they shouldn't necessarily have their children taken away because of it. But it should definitely be illegal, and people who do it should be required to take some parenting classes and go for counseling. Many parents spank out of ignorance and frustration and not knowing what else to do. I believe many people would be glad to learn better ways to parent their child so they don't have to resort to hitting them.

A person who still insists on the right to spank has a much deeper problem that needs therapy.

I've voted that it should be illegal. I'm also glad the 60s unfolded they way that they did, until 1967. I've never been one for tradition.

I honestly wouldn't know, I was never spanked as a child because I was usually very thoughtful and self aware of my actions. My siblings got spanked a few times though when they were being highly irrational. Regardless, I'll probably never hit my children, if I ever have any, and the concept will mostly disappear from American culture within the next 50 years or so anyways.

I was raised by very conservative parents who believed strongly in corporal punishment. Basically, if I made a mistake I was spanked. By hand, with a leather belt, with a wooden hairbrush.

And it taught me a few things:
- First, I am nothing. My right to my bodily sovereignty can be violated if someone is angry enough at me.
- Second, even those closest to me can't be trusted to not physically harm me out of anger.
- Third, I should never let my guard down because as a child with not-great eyesight, sensory issues, OCD, moderate face blindness, my own spot on the autistic spectrum, auditory processing disorder, and more, I never knew what I'd done wrong or when I'd next be punished.
- Fourth, it taught me to take my sense of Self and hide it away, even from me, so it wouldn't get hurt. I learned to construct someone who was far more acceptable to those who loved me. That's the goal of all conversion therapies, right?

So, yeah. I guess like bullying, all sorts of good came of it. I'm just glad I'm not bitter or sad about the experience.

I was raised by conservative parents who Believed in corporal punishment. Basically, if I made a mistake I was spanked. By hand, with a leather belt, with a wooden hairbrush. Long enough that I was sore the next day.

And it taught me a few things:
- First, I am nothing. My right to my bodily sovereignty can be violated if someone is angry enough at me, and that is supposed to be a good thing.
- Second, even those closest to me - my parents - can't be trusted to not physically harm me.
- Third, I should never let my guard down because as a child with not-great eyesight, sensory issues, OCD, moderate face blindness, my own spot on the autistic spectrum, auditory processing disorder, and more, I never knew what I'd done wrong or when I'd next be punished.
- Fourth, it taught me to take my sense of Self and hide it away, even from me, so it wouldn't get hurt. I learned to construct someone who was far more acceptable to those who loved me. That's the goal of all conversion therapies, right?

So, yeah. I guess like bullying, all sorts of good came of it.

My parents would hit me growing up (not just spanking). Looking back, I understand why they did it when they did it. For me, it was like Cesar Milan (the dog whisperer) using a quick soft strike and a loud "SHH!" to snap a dog out of it's aggressive or excited behavior; at least that's how I came to understand it after seeing Cesar do that on T.V.

I would rather they had hit me multiple times each day than berate me for my odd and/or annoying behaviors throughout my entire life as they have done; I love them anyway.

I am a parent myself now and I never hit my son, though I get incredibly frustrated with him at times. I use much gentler techniques to correct his behavior (where correction is possible)

To be fair... try to understand that parenting can be a mind-numbingly difficult role to navigate, regardless of preparation and it takes patience to engage a child to positive effect when they are misbehaving.

My message to the younger Aspies / AS folks:
Please, forgive your parents if they have hit you but if they are HARMING you tell someone immediately.
Life isn't perfect or an exact science but NOONE should have to endure damaging physical violence simply for misbehaving.

medical studies show that spanked children are more likely to be anxious, angry, and delinquent and have slower brain development. when they grow up, they are more likely to be obese and have consequent cardiovascular disease and arthritis. the science is in. spanking should be out.