roup sex between consenting adults is neither prostitution nor a threat to society, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled on Wednesday, dismissing arguments that the sometimes raucous activities of so-called "swingers" clubs were dangerous. In a ruling that radically changes the way Canadian courts determine what poses a threat to the population, the court threw out the conviction of a Montreal man who ran a club where members could have group sex in a private room behind locked doors. "Consensual conduct behind code-locked doors can hardly be supposed to jeopardize a society as vigorous and tolerant as Canadian society," said the opinion of the seven-to-two majority, written by Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin.The decision does not affect existing laws against prostitution because no money changed hands between the adults having sex. The court was reviewing an appeal by Jean-Paul Labaye, who ran the L'Orage (Thunderstorm) club. He had been convicted of running a "bawdy house" -- defined as a place where prostitution or acts of public indecency could take place.
| I have to reluctantly agree with Hizzoner. If it's behind closed doors it's not "public," regardless of the number of participants. Nor is it "prostitution" when all you're paying for is the room and drinks and little blue pills. Strictly as a matter of taste, I'm not impressed. That might be because at my age I try to keep all my attempts at assault with a dead weapon hidden away from the eyes of the world, but even when a young and vigorous fellow I thought there was something tacky about the idea of gathering large numbers of people to share bodily fluids. One on one (well, maybe once or twice two on one, but we won't discuss the di Angelis sisters) was enough for me. |