December 8, 2018
“There is nothing in any research that says somehow they are not responsible for their behavior… I think society as a whole would be better off if these people had an alternative. If they had someone or someway that they can turn to some group, some institution, some help line in order to prevent them from going from just a pedophilia to an actual child molester.” -Dr. James Cantor16
As author of this article I would like to clarify that I do not believe that pedophilia belongs in the LGBTQIA+ community, nor do I believe it is acceptable to hurt children. First and foremost, children cannot give consent. Sexual assault of a child, child pornography, and any other crimes against children will and shall always be illegal. My interest in this topic was sparked when I came across studies suggesting that pedophilia could somehow be treated in the brain. My curiosity that one day in the future people could “treat” a pedophile interested me, and I wrote the article to better understand this argument. As I stated in the article, “Neurobiologists, psychologists, pedophiles, and parents all agree that child sexual abuse should remain illegal.” I, like all of you commenting and reading, strongly hold that all sexual abuse of children should be criminally prosecuted. I felt I must revisit this article given the current political climate, and how it seems more people are trying to support the idea that pedophiles belong in the LGBTQIA+ community. As the author of this article, I had no intent to push this outlandish idea and I hope the readers know I in no way support child molesters and child sex abusers attempting to be normalized in society.child molestation
Pedophilia
sexual orientation
Averie Mendez
I liked how unbiased this article was. The research you did was very apparent, and it shows in all of the information provided. However, I don’t believe pedophilia should be considered a sexual orientation. To lump it into the LGBT community feels almost like normalizing or justifying the sexual attraction to children. It’s comforting that these people are attempting to reach out for help, but it’s difficult for me to view pedophilia as anything more than a mental illness.
22/01/2019
9:42 am
Makenzie Santana
This article was very well written, considering that this is such a sensitive and uncomfortable topic of discussion. I don’t really understand how it had come to be seen by anyone that pedophilia might be considered a “sexual orientation”, as it feels like it’s some way of trying to normalize the acts of such. I had so many questions as to how this was almost pushed into the LGBT community and how anyone could of possibly thought that there might be any support from them for something like this. Making the fight side tracked and could also possibly bring the LGBT community a step back from their rights. Knowing this information angers me as well.
27/01/2019
9:42 am
Brianna Nevarez
This article is very well written, it expresses both points of view clearly and effectively. However, I stick to my viewpoint that Pedophilia is something that should stay illegal. It cannot be treated as a sexual orientation because it a fantasy that would hurt children. There is nothing more pure than a child, nothing more innocent than them. Hurting or molesting a child who cannot give consent is not acceptable, even if this condition or mentality was developed in the womb.
29/01/2019
9:42 am
Priscilla Reyes
I applaud the author for having the courage to describe the efforts and reasons why scientists are considering pedophilia a sexual orientation. I agree in that the intentions of these scientists are good, but it does put the children at a vulnerable position. The more a pedophile is in tune with his or her desires and feelings, then it is to expect that they will act on it. Pedophilia should still be considered a crime, because a child cannot give consent nor would understand what they’re getting themselves into.
30/01/2019
9:42 am
Tyler Reynolds
In all honesty, I’m not surprised that there are people out there normalizing pedophilia. There’s a reason they put a “+” at the end of LGBTQ+, they couldn’t assign a letter for every made up “sexuality”. I have no doubt that there will be people, if this hasn’t already happened, that claim zoophilia(attraction to animals) or technosexual(attraction to robots) is normal and should be accepted. Instead of becoming a better person and rejecting dark desires and urges, these people are told to wallow in whatever fantasy or fetish they desire. All the while, their mental afflictions continue to harm and damage them.
03/02/2019
9:42 am
Oscar Ortega
This article is incredible. It always remains unbiased and offers precise facts. It neither demonizes nor romanticizes pedophilia and never clouds it’s overall message that pedophilia and child molestation are two separate things, and that the latter is inexcusable. As mentioned, pedophilia itself is not something that is often actually questioned by those outside the scientific community, and the idea that pedophilia as a condition is the result of biological factors instead of purely mental ones is a thought-provoking one, and one supported by evidence and study. Being mature, this article poses an idea that it supports through data and reason very well, and does an incredible job of educating people about a topic rarely actually thought about.
06/02/2019
9:42 am
Joseph Radicke
I think this was a well written article and it must have taken quite a bit of courage to pick such a controversial subject. I won’t give my opinions on this subject but I did like the way the author put this together and expressed the views from both sides. While I don’t agree with pedophilia being a sexual orientation, this article lets you hear from pedophiles who have never acted on their urges and gives you a better understanding of what they are thinking and feeling, and why. I can also completely understand why the LGBTQ community does not want pedophilia to be included into their category, and I agree. Having a teenage daughter myself, a sexual assault on her by a pedophile is perhaps one of my greatest fears for my kids.
07/02/2019
9:42 am
Octaviano Huron
In no way, shape, or form should pedophilia become “normalized” as a sexual orientation. The urges and fantasies that these people have are disgusting, and I hope that they continue to get their desired help and never harm any children. Although the article gives scientific evidence to prove that these tendencies aren’t technically the pedophiles’ fault, it also states that acting on their tendencies IS their fault. Overall, very well-written.
10/02/2019
9:42 am
Victoria Salazar
I think this article and other forms of awareness are needed for this cause. Although I do not agree that pedophilia should be seen as a “sexual orientation,” I do think that people need to be aware that it is a real disorder that starts at a biological level. I am glad that it can be agreed among neurobiologists, psychologists, pedophiles, and parents that although it is a real disorder, it should not be “normalized.”
10/02/2019
9:42 am
Leeza Cordova
This article left me curious as to what exactly “gold-star” pedophiles do in order to stop this urge, and how they are rewarded. It also surprised me to know that 3% of the male population has these thoughts, which made me wonder if anyone that I know has it. Personally, I would not not consider this a sexual orientation, and I think that many of the people who have these liking should seek help in order to not help anyone.
20/01/2019
9:42 am