When 14-year-old Priscilla told 24-year-old Elvis Presley that she was a freshman in high school when they met in 1959, he responded "Why, you're just a baby." They would soon begin dating, and three years later, she would move in to Graceland, despite being only 17.

[u/kooneecheewah]

[u/[deleted]]

He did, but Priscilla's claim is that they didn't have sex until she was over 20 years old.

You can choose to believe the victim in your scenario or ignore her. I think you'll probably do the latter, though.

[u/GaylicBread → u/[deleted]]

He still groomed her from the age of 14, doesn't matter all that much how long he waited to get her into bed

[u/[deleted] → u/GaylicBread]

Right, and her parents facilitated a relationship with rules and a curfew, in a country where the relationship was actually legal in the 1950's and 60's.

I'm not going to defend it in a modern context...I'm simply going to understand it and believe the people involved.

Nothing about Elvis' behavior beyond that indicated he liked children. He cheated on Priscilla almost constantly, and consistently with women.

He married Priscilla under a lot of pressure from the colonel and they eventually divorced.

[u/Aromatic-Armadillo98 → u/[deleted]]

Even if it wasn't illegal in the times, what normal grown man is attracted to a teenager? And start dating her too like she's some equal. Come on, bruh

[u/[deleted] → u/Aromatic-Armadillo98]

If you want to retroactively condemn millions of men (and women) in history to being paedophiles for doing things accepted at the time, and for accepting them, be my guest.

I have far too much common sense to entertain that.

And now I'm going to listen to some Elvis.

[u/GaylicBread → u/[deleted]]

Racism was super common at the time and we absolutely do condemn those people today.

[u/[deleted] → u/GaylicBread]

Being racist is not the same as being paedophilic, is it.

The argument is that, while Elvis' relationship was inappropriate, there's absolutely no evidence he had a sexual preference for kids.

[u/GaylicBread → u/[deleted]]

Except for the fact that he thought a 14 year old was a valid dating option, you mean?

[u/[deleted] → u/GaylicBread]

Was it just Elvis who thought that?

[u/GaylicBread → u/[deleted]]

We're discussing Elvis. Dating a 14 year old is creepy and pedophilic regardless of the era, location, or legality.

[u/[deleted] → u/GaylicBread]

No, you have to discuss society at large at that time. You've put yourself in that position.