The trans Old Dominion professor, who defended a pedophile saying society should refer to him as a ‘Minor Attracted Person’, has finally resigned after 15,000 people appealed to an online petition to remove him from his teaching role. have signed.
Dr. Elin Walker, 34, who goes by pronouns, was placed on leave by Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, following outrage over his comments and views last week.
Working as an assistant professor of sociology and criminal justice since 2019, Walker has written a book that seeks to dismantle pedophilia and encourages people to refer to pedophiles as ‘Minor Attracted People’. is, saying that they should not be excommunicated for their insistence, which cannot be helped.
In his research, Dr Walker also suggested that pedophiles should be provided sex dolls like children in order to satisfy their desires.
Dr. Elin Walker (pictured) has agreed to step down from her role as assistant professor of sociology and criminal justice at Old Dominion University, which was formally announced in May, following backlash over comments that sought to denigrate pedophiles. He is on administrative leave before leaving his post. , when their contract expires
Pictured: Anti-pedophilia graffiti scattered in colored chalk is seen on the campus of Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, after students and others voiced their complaints about Dr. Walker.
And promoting his book, Long Dark Shadows: Minor Attracted People and Their Pursuit of Dignity, he said: ‘Many people when they hear the word pedophile automatically assume it means sex offender. it is not true. And this leads to a lot of misconceptions.’
They believe that pedophiles do not ‘choose’ who to be attracted to, so they should not be considered ‘immoral’.
“I want to be very clear that child sexual abuse is never okay,” he said, adding that pedophiles should be offered “help” and are not “destined” to act on physical urges.
There was immediate and intense outrage among students, who said the professor was using a ‘blanket’ word for pedophilia and was apologetic to the perpetrators.
According to the university website, Walker earned her PhD at the CUNY Graduate Center in 2017, and specializes in mental health, the court system, queer criminology, and “resilience to the abuser.”
The university’s own Trans Advisory Board issued a statement calling Walker’s remarks “reprehensible,” damaging to victims of pedophilia and not reflecting the views of the trans community at large.
And earlier this month, the university sent Dr Walker on leave, saying it was for his own safety.
An online petition was set up, now signed by 14,470 people, calling for Walker to be fired and seeking to know why the university would not terminate his employment.
When those questions were submitted, a university spokesperson told DailyMail.com: ‘Your questions address private personnel matters that it is our policy not to discuss publicly.’
Image: Walker’s book that attempts to destroy pedophiles who they say shouldn’t be excommunicated because they can’t help their desires
Now, however, Dr Walker has agreed to step down from his role at the university, remaining on administrative leave when his contract expires, before formally leaving his position in May.
in a joint StatementDr Walker, along with the university’s president, Brian Hemphill, stated that their research sought to prevent child sexual abuse and that their research was ‘misguided’, claiming that their and ‘generally’ Threats were made against the ‘campus community’. ,
He continued: ‘I would like to thank the ODU Department of Public Safety for giving Old Dominion University the opportunity to teach me and do my research, and for monitoring the threats against me and the community.
‘I am particularly grateful for the support of many people in the ODU community, as well as others in my research fields, who have publicly affirmed the value of my work in advancing child safety.’
Mr Hemphill said: ‘We have concluded that this result is the best way forward.
‘We hope today’s action will help close our Monarch family. As we move forward, I encourage all members of the Monarch family to continue their efforts toward healing and civic discourse.
‘The safety and security of individual monarchs and our collective premises is of the utmost importance. For ODU, these will always be top priorities as we advance our mission in a caring, inclusive and supportive community that respects academic freedom and allows us to discuss controversial ideas in an environment free from bullying or violence. is ready for.’
The university’s own trans advisory board previously issued a statement calling Walker’s remarks “reprehensible,” damaging to victims of pedophilia and not reflecting the views of the trans community at large.
Earlier this month, Dr. Walker made a statement with Old Dominion University to clarify the controversial comments.
Walker said: ‘I want to be clear: child sexual abuse is an unforgivable crime.
‘As an assistant professor of sociology and criminal justice, the goal of my research is to prevent crime.
‘I began this research hoping to gain an understanding of a group that has not previously been studied to identify ways to protect children.’
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