As scores of people pore over the newly released, and heavily redacted, Epstein files, it is worth examining one very American phenomenon. While the files contain truly monstrous allegations and photos, they also contain things which are not criminal or unethical, but which are all too often lumped in with all of the awful things. And this is the legacy of American puritanism.

None of this is to excuse the crimes of the ruling class, which are copious. And it is not to downplay any of the allegations from the victims. What I have seen so far is absolutely horrifying. But I have also seen an all too typical response among many Americans to its content which has more to do with personal moral standards than any legal wrongdoing. And this bias can create conditions which have been traditionally used as a bludgeon against women and minorities, such as racialized communities, transgender, queer and sex workers.

So, let’s separate the criminal from the salacious. The criminal should be obvious. Sexual abuse of minors, human trafficking, rape are all things that should be unequivocally condemned. But there are other things which are not. Kink, fetishes, masturbation, orgies, adult pornography. These things are not illegal in the US. At least, not yet. They are merely different features of human sexuality and preference. And are perfectly healthy, so long as they are between consenting adults. The reason this is so important is because historically, the latter has been used to oppress, persecute and discriminate against marginalized communities.

Puritanism in America has a persistent, pernicious and cruel legacy. And it stemmed from settler-colonial white men who used religion as a means of protecting their power and stealing land and property. While damning women and queer people for their supposed “sins,” these men were able to commit heinous atrocities which were often either overlooked by judicial bodies or made completely legal for them.

And it extended out toward racialized others. Indigenous societies, which had a long history of gender diversity, were cast as savages. Black men were stereotyped as being sexual predators, a legacy which continues to this day. Black women were often portrayed as sexually promiscuous, as a way of pitting them against supposedly “pure” white women.

And women, as a whole, have been among the most abused by puritanical mores. The infamous Witch Trials in New England did not merely pertain to some accusation of satanic possession. They had more to do with accusing women of “unnatural” sexual relations or for exerting control over their own bodies. And this was most often done to provide cover for stealing the land of unwed or widowed women. We can see contemporary shades of this dark chapter whenever there is a satanic or sex panic in society.

The crimes of the wealthy and powerful men, and some women, in the Epstein Files are indeed monstrous. But it is ironic that they are part of a political system that routinely demonizes transgender people, drag queens, non-binary and sex workers for their identity or choices, while they participate in the most atrocious and abusive behavior toward the most defenseless among us.

It is important to see this distinction as more and more files are revealed. And to understand the power dynamic at play. This is about nonconsensual dominance by people who have no concern for the welfare of their victims. It is about humiliation and exploitation of the most vulnerable human beings in society by the ruling class. But if they are not seen through this lens, there is a very real danger that the ghosts of puritanism will sully their meaning. And if that happens, they can be easily weaponized against people who had nothing to do with these crimes whatsoever.

Kenn Maurice Orfanos, February 2026