ABSTRACT

Childhood sexuality is both contested and underexplored in academic philosophy. Where the subject of childhood and sex is discussed within philosophy, typically what is at issue is the protection of children from adult sexuality or the best route for children to become happy, competent adult sexual beings. There is almost no attention paid to childhood sexuality in its own right, let alone how to nourish children’s sexuality, beyond protecting them from adult harm. This chapter encourages philosophers to continue to investigate the nature of childhood, especially as it relates to innocence, childhood autonomy, and the ability or inability of children to consent to sexual activity, sex education, access to sexual health services, parental rights, and the goods of childhood.