Recently there have been internet ads and posters claiming pedophilia is now a part of the LGBTQ community. To be clear, the LGBTQ community does not include or condone pedophilia as a sexuality.

This internet emergence on pedophilia and the LGBTQ community began as a movement to disenfranchise the LGBTQ community and its movement towards change. Pedophilia and the threat of releasing child predators on the public have been a long-told narrative against the LGBTQ community.

This propaganda from the LGBTQ community’s enemies has scared the public for generations and has caused a political and social rift. Now these fears have resurfaced, and for some, it’s working to dissuade support from the LGBTQ community.

To be clear, the posters depicting pedophilia as an inclusive portion of the LGBTQ community is completely falsified. They were simply made up to harm the LGBTQ community, claiming to be associated with NAMBLA, an association formed in 1978 in advocacy for man/boy love, but lacking support, events and members. The LGBTQ community, as a whole, do not support NAMBLA.

Then Mirjam Heine, a German medical student at the University of Wurtzberg, gave a Ted Talk on pedophiles and how pedophilia is and should be considered a sexual orientation, that pedophiles should be more accepted to decrease isolation and risk an attack of a child.

Heine’s points were argued against by doctors in the field. According to a CBN News interview, therapist and behavioral psychology expert Dr. Linda Mintle said, “Pedophilic disorder is a mental disorder. It is one type of mental disorder in the category of paraphilias.”

She says pedophilia is difficult to treat, but says that “treatment –– understand, empathize, restrict, and intervene … involves helping the offender take on the perspective of the victim and in identification with the victim, understand the harm that has been done.”

The LGBTQ community advocates consensual love between two equals. The goals of the LGBTQ community is to advance human rights by decriminalizing homosexuality (still an issue in other countries) and pushing for anti-discrimination laws to protect the rights and safety of the LGBTQ community.

The LGBTQ community wants to bring more awareness to the plight of the community and how everyday people like you and me can help by voting, advocating for change and simply supporting those who may not have as many open allies on their side.