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Anti-Fracking Activist Advocated Bizarre Child Sexuality Theories

Vera Scroggins / AP
August 29, 2013

A prominent environmental activist advocated bizarre theories about child sexuality, saying parents should have sexual relationships with their children and expose them to sexually explicit imagery at a young age.

Vera Scroggins, an outspoken anti-hydraulic fracturing activist from Pennsylvania and a director of Citizens for Clean Water, made the remarks in emails to a Yahoo group in 2001.

"Are there cultures that mothers or fathers pleasure their children and teenagers sexually or genitally and also possibly initiate them into sexual expression at some point?" Scroggins asked in one message.

"I have had intuitive thoughts that such would be a healthy way for parents to interact with their children and introduce their children to sensual/sexual pleasure and bonding and loving practices," Scroggins said.

"Who better to do it, than the parents first?" she added.

Scroggins posted those and other controversial comments on sexuality in a Yahoo group called "Peacelist."

The group says it is "dedicated to the advancement of the human species by restoring its natural peacefulness, through the means of affectionate parenting and sexual freedom."

It was moderated by German author and deputy director of the Wikimedia Foundation Erik Möller, who advocated "the importance of ‘Mothering’ and of youth affectional sexual relationships for peaceful and loving behaviors."

In another posting to the group, Scroggins recalled seeing a sexually suggestive music video at a Texas bar. Her sister covered the eyes of her 9-year-old son and asked that the video be turned off.

Scroggins said she "thought it was strange that something natural, beautiful, and human should be kept hidden, especially from children. Children can lead the way in showing us sexuality and sensuality in their own, unique, innocent, way if allowed from birth to own their bodies in every pleasurable and expressive way."

Scroggins gained notoriety recently after a tirade against filmmaker Phelim McAleer, whose documentary, FrackNation, dispelled dire environmentalist warnings about the oil and gas extraction technique hydraulic fracturing.

"You’re an Irish freak. Go drink some alcohol," she exclaimed. "You’re not even an American. Do not speak to an American."

"She has this strategy of harassing people by putting a camera in their face for a really, really long period of time whilst insulting or attacking them, hoping they will overreact and she gets her YouTube moment," McAleer told the Washington Free Beacon.

He said that he was aware of Scroggins’ controversial views on children and sexuality.

"Now when she does it to me I hold my phone up to the camera and ask her for help—that I'm searching Google for the place where she advocates having sex with children I ask her for help with the search terms," McAleer added.

Scroggins did not respond to a request for comment.

In addition to her controversial views on child sexuality, Scroggins used Peacelist to advocate nudism.

"I do feel comfortable and not a sex object at nudist gatherings and lovely to be surrounded by all sizes and shapes—feel innocent and like a child, playful," she wrote.