# Homosexuality vs pedophilia **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 24, 2011, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homosexuality-vs-pedophilia/575843 "2011-03-24T15:25:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homosexuality-vs-pedophilia/575843/21 "2011-03-24T17:30:01Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > It isn’t exactly crap. Homosexuality used to be consider a mental disorder and the American Psychiatric Association didn’t remove it from their list of disorders until 1973. How does it differ from pica? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homosexuality-vs-pedophilia/575843/22 "2011-03-24T17:38:04Z")
How does being attracted to members of one’s own gender differ from the compulsive eating of dirt and other objects? I don’t know - what do they have in common other than ‘people do them sometimes?’ ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homosexuality-vs-pedophilia/575843/23 "2011-03-24T17:39:46Z")
> [@biddee](#): > > Do you think that if there was a campaign for man/boy love (I think I saw an episode of L&O SVU where they mentioned something along those lines) or a campaign to let old men screw 15 year old girls, people’s minds would change and it would become acceptable in general society. > > I think the argument for bestiality that clairobscur put forward is an extremely rational one. (I think Peta will be coming after both of us now LOL) Actually old men screwing 15 year old girls has only been has only recently been considered squivvy or illegal. Fifteen was a young, but marriageable age for most of U.S. history, if the older men wanted to go the social acceptable route. Fifteen year old or younger prostitutes were the less socially acceptable route, considered a little borish and not to be discussed over Sunday dinner, but largely accepted as just one of those outlets that society had to have. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homosexuality-vs-pedophilia/575843/24 "2011-03-24T17:48:18Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > …No, I don’t. You can’t take out the ‘ick’ factor here, and the lack of consent makes it very different from consenting adults or peers. The only way pedophilia could become anywhere remotely close to being accepted in our society would be if virtual reality becomes advanced enough to realisticly and economincally simulate sexual acts without involving actual children (basically we’d need **Caprica** levels of technology). We can already in theory produce very realistic “child” pornography using CGI without involving any actual children. It’s just way more expensive than using real children (with all the risks involved) and would run into all kinds of problems with obscenity laws. Not to mention that in many jurisdiction current anti-child porn laws apply to material that was produced without the involvement of any actual children. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homosexuality-vs-pedophilia/575843/25 "2011-03-24T19:14:47Z")
> [@biddee](#): > > Do you think that if there was a campaign for man/boy love (I think I saw an episode of L&O SVU where they mentioned something along those lines) or a campaign to let old men screw 15 year old girls, people’s minds would change and it would become acceptable in general society. Why are you thinking it would? There is a fundamental difference between accepting behavior between consenting adults and accepting behavior between and adult and a minor. But there’s also a fundamental difference between a 15 year old (the age of consent in many states is 16) and a 9 year old. It’s conceivable we could lower the age of consent a year (or raise it a year), but it isn’t going to be lowered to pre-puberty age. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homosexuality-vs-pedophilia/575843/26 "2011-03-24T19:22:27Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > …human bodies are generally to a large extent sacred, not uncommonly even perceived as dangerous if not granted some expected level of reverence. And even though it’s not nearly as true in our current society, there’s also an emotional attachment to the body of the deceased. I would like to submit that the consent factor should apply here as well. We have no right to fuck the corpses of people who might not have wanted their corpses fucked. If the will _does_ cover that, then by all means. ---
**Author:** ![biddee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@biddee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/biddee)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homosexuality-vs-pedophilia/575843/27 "2011-03-24T19:24:43Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Why are you thinking it would? There is a fundamental difference between accepting behavior between consenting adults and accepting behavior between and adult and a minor. > > But there’s also a fundamental difference between a 15 year old (the age of consent in many states is 16) and a 9 year old. It’s conceivable we could lower the age of consent a year (or raise it a year), but it isn’t going to be lowered to pre-puberty age. I know that pedophilia below puberty would (and should!) never be sanctioned. I’m thinking more along the lines of 14 and 15 year olds. As an interesting aside, one of the former Prime Ministers in Antigua lowered the age of consent so that he could f\*ck his 14 year old mistress. ---
**Author:** ![biddee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@biddee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/biddee)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homosexuality-vs-pedophilia/575843/28 "2011-03-24T19:25:49Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > I would like to submit that the consent factor should apply here as well. We have no right to fuck the corpses of people who might not have wanted their corpses fucked. > > If the will _does_ cover that, then by all means. I think I’m putting that in my will (anyone who wants to fuck me when I’m dead, go ahead :D) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homosexuality-vs-pedophilia/575843/29 "2011-03-24T19:26:41Z")
> [@biddee](#): > > I know that pedophilia below puberty would (and should!) never be sanctioned. I’m thinking more along the lines of 14 and 15 year olds. Pedophilia is attraction to prepubescent children. You’re not going to find too many 14- and 15-year-olds who haven’t gone through puberty. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homosexuality-vs-pedophilia/575843/30 "2011-03-24T20:27:50Z")
I wouldn’t be surprised if attraction to young children isn’t something that is inborn like homosexuality or heterosexuality. The problem with it is not the attraction but the issue of consent. A child cannot give consent. It also depends on your defintion of pedophilia. To me it is attraction to children that have yet to go the physical changes of puberty. Some people would consider any person under 18. I’m a gay male and I didn’t meet another gay person till I was 19. Granted this was in the late 70s / early 80s. But when I was 14 I WANTED sex and if I had met a man who was older who was willing, I would’ve had sex and it wouldn’t have been child abuse. I don’t think any kind of sexual attraction to people under the “legal age” by people “over the legal age” will ever be acceptable, simply because of the lack of ability to transfer consent. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homosexuality-vs-pedophilia/575843/31 "2011-03-24T20:33:13Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > It also depends on your defintion of pedophilia. It’s really more about the imprecise use of language than about different definitions. It’s kind of annoying. An adult man who dates a high school girl might be a creep but he’s also not a pedophile. And it’s also true that society didn’t worry so much about consent in the past, but I don’t think that’s about to go away. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homosexuality-vs-pedophilia/575843/32 "2011-03-24T20:33:22Z")
> [@biddee](#): > > Wasn’t buggering young boys a common occurrence in ancient Greece? And perfectly acceptable to society? > > I think my question is more what make socially acceptable behaviour change over the years? Lots of things were socially acceptable in the past that we are not ok with today. ---
**Author:** ![G-SE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f0a364/32.png) [@G-SE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G-SE)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homosexuality-vs-pedophilia/575843/33 "2011-03-24T21:06:47Z")
Most people seem to confuse the terms “pedophilia” and “child molestation”. They are two completely different things. I don’t think that pedophilia would ever become socially acceptable as long as people can’t distinguish between the two. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homosexuality-vs-pedophilia/575843/34 "2011-03-24T21:15:21Z")
Might we have an illustrative example of pedophilia acted upon which is not child molestation? ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homosexuality-vs-pedophilia/575843/35 "2011-03-24T21:16:19Z")
**Homosexuality vs pedophilia** : one night only, _in a cage match to the death_. Live on pay per view. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homosexuality-vs-pedophilia/575843/36 "2011-03-24T21:18:55Z")
Why don’t we just cross that bridge when we come to it? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homosexuality-vs-pedophilia/575843/37 "2011-03-24T21:28:05Z")
> [@biddee](#): > > If we take out the fact that children and animals can’t consent and the ‘ick’ factor of necrophilia, do you think it would be possible in the future that these behaviours will one day be acceptable in our society? It’s _possible_ that such things could become acceptable in society if they are confined to some form of virtual reality; after all, slaughtering thousands is OK now for most people, as long as the victims are just pixels on a screen. It’s the same principle. Although I think “legally tolerated but looked down on” is more likely. Or of course society could simply become so decadent/amoral that most people don’t care about the moral issues. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homosexuality-vs-pedophilia/575843/38 "2011-03-24T21:31:17Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > …Or of course society could simply become so decadent/amoral that most people don’t care about the moral issues. Or a widespread social and economic collapse that results in human life becoming much, much cheaper. ---
**Author:** ![G-SE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f0a364/32.png) [@G-SE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G-SE)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homosexuality-vs-pedophilia/575843/39 "2011-03-24T21:51:22Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > Might we have an illustrative example of pedophilia acted upon which is not child molestation? Obviously, there isn’t… but you are still confusing the terms. One describes a sexual attraction, one describes acting upon that attraction. Just because someone has a desire to do something, doesn’t mean they will do it. “Every pedophile is a child molester” “Every child molester is a pedophile” These two statements are just as wrong as: “Every heterosexual is a rapist” “Every rapist is a heterosexual” ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homosexuality-vs-pedophilia/575843/40 "2011-03-24T21:58:41Z")
> [@G-SE](#): > > …you are still confusing the terms. One describes a sexual attraction, one describes acting upon that attraction. Actually, that was exactly the understanding I had. I thought perhaps _you_ were trying to suggest something else. I still expect that neither the interest nor the act will become socially acceptable. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homosexuality-vs-pedophilia/575843.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homosexuality-vs-pedophilia/575843.md?page=3)