Page:Edward Prime-Stevenson - The Intersexes.djvu/477

 Aspects of such blackmail, whether by some single enemy or a league of rascals, whether successful for a week or a lifetime, are continually functional in social life. Of course they are undercurrents of misery frequently masked, first and last. Many intersexuals thus victimized are Uranians of blameless moral, social and religious life and instincts. They can be royal princes or humble citizens. We realize how general a population of the homosexual world in Europe are such social and legal victims, by incessant episodes that find outlets to publicity.

As to the technique of blackmail, its systems are much alike the world over. Differences in legal Codes and in social sentiments of different countries have much to do with it. In North America and in Great Britain any sort of sexual intimacy between men, or between men and youth, is severely punished, and socially is a horror; without much regard to circumstances, age, innocence or un-innocence of either party. Hence the blackmailer has an especially fine field. In France, Holland, Italy, Spain and various other countries; law-questions (as we have seen) dull the blackmailer's sword, unless his victim is ignorant or weak-spirited. But even in Codes that do not recognize mature, voluntary and private homosexuality as a crime, a rascal can bleed and fleece many a trembling lamb. In Germany and Austria-Hungary, the activities of the blackmailer are vigorous and tragic. The Germanic races are especially homosexual; and their General Codes and religious-social feelings are formidable against any homosexualism. Judges and juries must do their legal duty. True, enlightened sentiment in Germany and Austria-Hungary strongly favours dismissing punishment for homosexualism, except under circumstances similar to provisions of adverse Napoleonic Codes. But meantime Germanic Europe is a prolific territory for the blackmailer.