On the gay/not gay issue:
I think the issue is WAY more complex than that. You'll often hear "the gay lobby" argue that pedophiles who are attracted to the same sex are NOT GAY. I don't think it's that simple either. I think that people are gay or straight or some range of both, and ALSO are or are not pedophiles, AND they may or may not be attracted to the same sex children or both. I think that the pedophile component of the mix is independent, and I think that's what the
Fact Sheet on Pedophilia is saying:
"Some individuals prefer females, usually 8- to 10-year-olds. Those attracted to males usually prefer slightly older children. Some prefer both sexes. While some are sexually attracted only to children, others ALSO are sometimes attracted to adults."
This is actually an important thing for people to understand CLEARLY. If you're feeling warning signs about a possible same-sex pedophile, it's a HORRIBLE HORRIBLE mistake to assume that because they appear happily married, they probably are fine...
During the ayres trial, Weinberg went to great lengths to DISPLAY Solveig (ayres' wife) and his son Robert. They even went to the trouble to mention his daughter, and said that she was unfortunately not able to be there. This was CLEARLY a maneuver to snow the more ignorant members of the jury.
On Solveig:
I think it's a mistake to make the assumption that Solveig is not attracted to the same kinds of things that ayres is. This seems to ruffle feathers when I say that. People seem to assume some level of sympathy for the wife who's world is crumbling apart. Here are some things to think about before giving the benefit of the doubt:
A. The spouse very often is one of the first to know that there is a "problem" and they are also the first to ignore and deny it. In engaging in this denial, they allow further damage. This in itself is BAD.
B. With Solveig specifically, she actively defends her husband in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. This is not normal behavior. Public anger is normal behavior. (Even Hillary Clinton STILL distances herself from Billy, and theirs is CLEARLY a marriage of expedience.)
C. There are PLENTY of famous and not so famous cases where the spouse is actively engaged in or at least knowledgeable of the criminal activity. Elizabeth Smart, Jaycee Dugard, etc. I personally know of one not-famous case where the wife was not (according to testimony) actively engaged in the abuse, but was there while it was taking place, and doesn't deny it. She argued that it's what her husband needed, so it was OK.
D. Pedophiles seek other pedophiles. It IS UNUSUAL for women to be pedophiles, but not THAT unusual.