‘So, the Moral Is: Do Not Take Nude Pictures’: Paternalism, Discrimination and Negative Social Sanctions

ABSTRACT Sometimes, adults with educational roles, for example, teachers or parents, in particular paternalise children from certain groups with the motive of protecting them from unjustified social sanctions. This paper analyses a case where a teacher seeks to prevent girls, not boys, from sharing intimate pictures of themselves. We argue that the case represents an example of the broader phenomenon of paternalistic discrimination . Based on an analysis of the case, we identify three ways in which paternalistic discrimination protecting people (including children) against negative and unjustified social sanctions can be wrong. Specifically, we argue that the teacher's action involves (i) disrespectful assignment of burden of responsibility, (ii) differential paternalistic disrespect and (iii) disrespectful generalisations. While paternalism towards children is often considered to be uncontroversial, paternalistic discrimination protecting children against unjustified social sanctions is not. At least, we submit that the three wrong‐making features should be included in the evaluation of specific acts of this kind.