A New Sort of Sin: A Study on Historic Connections of Lesbians to Satanism
to turn to an equally frightening cause (to deflect from the more uncomfortable idea that it was really people they knew and trusted that were sexually abusing their children): Satanists. The reason why Satanists in particular were blamed is thought to be found in a book — “Michelle Remembers” by Lawrence Pazder and Michelle Smith — in which a woman (Michelle) supposedly recounts the abuse she suffered at the hands of Satanists. Although its claims were quickly disproved, its rhetoric took hold and Satanists became the perceived perpetrators of child abuse. Lesbians have also been scapegoats of similar moral panics and have been closely connected
Written by Emma Blakely Illustrated by Kelly Doherty
In the broader scheme of American history, the Satanic Panic was one of many moral panics that got mainstream culture whipped up into a frenzy about the supposed threatened integrity of the ideals they held near and dear to their hearts. These moral panics were often a misdirected reaction to underlying issues; the public’s reaction to this was often to scapegoat other groups to deflect from the true cause of these issues. In America during the 1980s, the sexual abuse of children was finally being confronted after years of being ignored; and the public’s response to that frightening prospect was 10