is pedophilia an orientation or a disorder?

## is pedophilia an orientation or a disorder?

#### 1 April 2025
from new p words

### bly

| The key question that public and experts are debating to understand the nature of attraction to children. We get why people ask this, but It actually doesn't matter whether it's a sexual orientation or a disorder. Both terms are more subjective than people think. When used legally, both confer different protections, but ones that pedophiles never get. Otherwise, the difference is symbolic in an empty culture war debate. Some great articles on more meaningful topics are linked below. Thanks! About the author: I have been writing and talking about the experience of being a pedophile since 2017. Once on twitter until my account was banned in 2020, I co-led Virtuous Pedophiles from 2021 to 2025. I now continue to look for ways to improve the lives of pedophiles, but never at the expense of harming children. I have never viewed illegal material, and never sought or engaged in sexual activity with any child. The rest of my life is countryside walking, friends, Radio 3 and feeling doleful about ageing. |

tags for this item

tags for this item

maptivism23
media portrayals27
professional issues13
public perception40
p word 10121
science of pedophilia 12

other relevant items

other relevant items

a strange and terrible unicorn |  | comfortably numb |  | we have to protect children, even the ones you hate
emma artless The musings of a non-offending, female pedophile |  | ender a journey through realization, despair, lethargy, awakening and acceptance |  | bly A group of adolescents, many thousands strong, are struggling with self-hatred and fear, and most people don't think that's a problem.

a strange and terrible unicorn emma artless The musings of a non-offending, female pedophile
comfortably numb ender a journey through realization, despair, lethargy, awakening and acceptance
we have to protect children, even the ones you hate bly A group of adolescents, many thousands strong, are struggling with self-hatred and fear, and most people don't think that's a problem.