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
Pedro Lugo Borges
I never thought about it but after reading this article I now think that pediphile should belong into an abnomal sexual preference community, that being said the action of sexually assaulting a child should remain illegal for various of important reason. By normalizing the idea of pedophilia being a biological defect that is uncontrollable by nature, it might make our society a lot better because these people can go get help or segregated into a community, or more open to admitting it without instantly becoming a social pariah. The argument that recognizing pedophilia as an uncontrollable biological disorder will cause the legalization of sexual assault of a minor is the same argument that allowing transgender people entering there genders restroom will cause perverts to get away with being perverts, but it doesn’t and now the general population has accepted the latter but not the first statement. Considering all that normalizing this disorder will actually lower the threat and incidents of sexual assault due to actual pedophiles.
18/10/2020
9:42 am
Paula Salinas Gonzalez
Before your article, I hadn’t heard or read anything about pedophilia being a sexual orientation. Although people have their urges and preferences, I do not think that as a society, this should be accepted. If we normalize this “sexual orientation”, it would definitely decriminalize attacks against minors and make them even more vulnerable than they are now. I believe that by having scientific proof, these people can get the help they need before they ruin their and someone else’s life.
23/01/2021
9:42 am
Celeste Loera
I remember this debate about whether or not pedophilia should be accepted into the lgbt movement and it always unsettled me. I do believe however that people with these kind of thoughts should get help and that having a platform that helps them is huge. Many pedophiles do have things wrong with their brain that makes them have these thoughts, like this article stated. Although these are horrible thoughts it is good that some reach out and get help and not act out on these thoughts. This is a very controversial topic and you wrote about it well.
28/01/2021
9:42 am
Jacqueline Guardia
This is an interesting topic. Yes, you are right the majority of people won’t talk about pedophilia because it makes them uncomfortable, however, the chances that pedophilia might be a preexisting condition is a “game-changer” for people who have malicious intentions. I remember seeing on Facebook a video explaining the situation about pedophilia being a sexual orientation, and reading the comments was sickening. Some of the people in the comments (of the video) were posting some horrible ideas that weren’t diplomatic nor ethical referring to the topic. I hope that people can understand that sexual activity involving minors is by no means acceptable.
10/02/2021
9:42 am
Caroline Medina
I never heard about pedophilia being included as a sexual orientation and I don’t necesarilly like it either. Although, I do see the importance of differentiating between pedophilia and child molestation. I would never want to normalize pedophilia because it would decriminalize child molesters. I will always believe it is disgusting and wrong.
16/02/2021
9:42 am
Maria Moreno
This must have been a very difficult article to write without your words being manipulated into seeming to approve of this topic. I had never thought of it before, I know it repulsing and 100% wrong but I never thought of people actually just having a sexual orientation towards children. Its hard to say that this is a mental illness because people could misinterpret it as saying all the other sexual orientations could be an illness as well, but there is something wrong about liking kids in a sexual way. I can’t say I would name someone as “gold-star” because they can control themselves, because they might not show it but in the inside they are still having nasty thoughts. Thank you for writing this article and informing us about these new “revelations”, its a very difficult topic.
22/02/2021
9:42 am
Hailey Lechuga
Very interesting article! It is always disturbing and uncomfortable to have a conversation about sexual deviations as horrendous as pedophilia. I believe this is a sickness but a crime that is in no case excusable by any means, and this sickness needs to be addressed and treated. It should never be normalized, yet unfortunately in our society there are often subtle inclinations in society and that are indeed normalized. Nonetheless, it is not an orientation and should never be considered one, I think acceptance as an orientation would lead society to think it is justifiable and okay but it never is.
28/02/2021
9:42 am
Eva Lizarraga
I appreciate how your standpoint on this topic very clear, that even though you were finding resources and research that will help you/us understand an uncomfortable topic, it doesn’t mean you support the illegal behavior and/or action that takes places because of it. I found your findings about the “gold-star” community and also the biology behind pedophilia to be especially interesting, and feel much more educated about the topic. Even though pedophilia is disturbing and uncomfortable, it’s best for us to be open to learning about the unknown rather than afraid of it.
16/03/2021
9:42 am
Shecid Sanchez
This article was different, it talks about a subject that talks about a very uncomfortable sickness. To me its crazy that some people think it’s a sexual orientation. Pedophilia is not by any means normal, it should be taken as a sickness and not being normalized. I understand why people were upset when it became a “sexual orientation”
01/09/2022
9:42 am
Vianka Medina
I did hear about this but never looked into it. I do not like the idea you stated of how pedophilia being labeled as a sexual orientation that it will be decriminalized child sex abuse. I do not like the sound of that, I do not think pedophilia is a sign of normal in any kind of way, you are suppose to growth with someone who is mature and capable of loving. Child molestation or any kind of abuse or actions done with a child, physically or sexually, is just flat out wrong is disgusting.
12/10/2020
9:42 am