Brodeur on 'Horsing Around' in Washington

By: Lesley Messer When Seattle Times columnist Nicole Brodeur begged the question, ?Can someone tell me why a person would want to have sex with a horse?? in her July 19 column, she already had a few good answers, following interviews with knowledgeable sources.

The column was sparked by news reports that a Washington man had died while horsing around with a stallion at a farm known on the Web as a "destination" spot for those who like that sort of thing. Police also found videos of the act in question. This sparked a story in E&P pondering the question of how journalists should cover such a story, beyond "very carefully."

Brodeur, the popular columnist, wrote her own piece about it. She talked to the county sheriff who explained that she had investigated a bestiality case before, involving a boy having sex with the family dog. The officer asked to ?take a serious look at what the options are,? and Brdodeur went on to say that a state senator was already drafting a bill.

Within no time, a wide array of reader responses poured in.

?I didn?t know what to expect because frankly this story blew me away in the first place,? Brodeur explained to E&P today when asked if she realized how responsive readers would be. ?I would think most people would be like, ?This is freakish and frightening,? and we?d all agree. But isn?t that the beauty of newspapers -- going back and forth with its readers??

Brodeur wrote in her follow-up July 26 column that a man named Wayne answered her initial question in rather too much detail. In fact, Brodeur explained, ?Let?s just say Wayne gave me a biology lesson that made the Hite Report look like Highlights magazine.? However, he was also quick to point out that he does not necessarily know the details through personal experience: "I have no criminal record and have never entertained any animal but the human.?

Wayne also criticized Brodeur for a lack of compassion. ?Did anyone think it unfortunate this man died? How does his family feel?,? he asked. ?You should butt out and mind your own business.? While she may disagree with Wayne's beliefs, Brodeur said she was happy to hear from him.

There were other letters defending the dead man?s actions. Brodeur reported that someone called CES91 wrote, ?Why not a consensual relationship between a human and an animal?? and directed the columnist to two experts on zoophilia after suggesting that a law prohibiting bestiality was unjustified.

And the letters are still coming in. Some of them express their horror with the story while others remain fiercely critical. One that she received today questioned her ability to even tell the story, as the reader claimed she probably didn't even know the difference between bestiality and zoophilia. (The former refers to sexual activity, the latter only attraction.)

Brodeur said that she tries to respond to as many as she can and always appreciates feedback, regardless of tone. ?The day the readers stop writing to us is the day we need to worry,? she said.