This is going to be something hard to read, because it is a topic that moves our emotions deeply, but I do consider it is necessary to talk about it, so I am going to do my best summarizing how come pedophilia is now considered a sexual orientation and it's implications.
In 2013, the American Psychological Association changed the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, this is something they do every now and then because new studies are published every day, and the understanding we had of certain psychological conditions change, hence, the diagnostic criteria change.
That year, they considered pedophilia a sexual orientation, why? The definition for S.O according to the APA is:
Sexual orientation refers to an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic and/or sexual attractions to men, women or both sexes (...) sexual orientation is not merely a personal characteristic within an individual. Rather, one's sexual orientation defines the group of people in which one is likely to find the satisfying and fulfilling romantic relationships that are an essential component of personal identity for many people (...) To date, there has been no scientifically adequate research to show that therapy aimed at changing sexual orientation (sometimes called reparative or conversion therapy) is safe or effective.
Pedophilia is understood as the sexual attraction to prepubescent children, according to some reasearches, and the APA in 2013, this attraction starts with puberty, it is not chosen, it is self-discovered, and does not change with time.
To make it short, pedophilia, under these criteria, is a sexual orientation because it starts with the arrival of the puberty, it is permanent, and does not change with time. Just like the other sexual orientations already defined.
Does That Mean Is Okay?
Hell. NO.
To see it as a sexual orientation, does not changes the fact that it is, still and always will be, an attraction that will interfere with the pedofile's social development with society and themselves.
The reason homosexuality, heterosexuality, asexuality, and bisexuality are not considered a mental disorder is that they do not interfere with the person's development. Although we already know that the gay community has gone through a lot, because of social reasons; being sexually or emotionally attracted to the same sex does not harm you or others in any way, while feeling this toward children, actually does.
Differences Between Paraphilia and Pedophilic Disorder
So, how exactly can we have a sexual orientation (socially accepted most of them) but also a mental disorder? How does this works? Although now pedophilia is seeing as a sexual orientation, it is also a paraphilia, for the reasons mentioned before.
A paraphilia is the experience of intense sexual arousal to atypical objects, situations, fantasies, behaviors, or individuals. You would be amazed by how long the list of paraphilias is, but I will talk about that some other day.
A paraphilic disorder is a paraphilia that is currently causing distress or impairment to the individual or a paraphilia whose satisfaction has entailed personal harm, or risk of harm, to others. A paraphilia is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for having a paraphilic disorder, and a paraphilia by itself does not necessarily justify or require clinical intervention.
Basically, what the DMS-V did was separating the pedophilia (seen as a sexual orientation) from the pedophilic disorder:
If they report an absence of feelings of guilt, shame, or anxiety about these impulses and are not functionally limited by their paraphilic impulses (according to self-report, objective assessment, or both), and their self-reported and legally recorded histories indicate that they have never acted on their impulses, then these individuals have a pedophilic sexual orientation but not pedophilic disorder.
And how did they came with that? Noticing the three criteria for pedophilic disorder in DSM-5:
A. Over a period of at least 6 months, recurrent, intense sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors involving sexual activity with a prepubescent child or children (generally age 13 years or younger).
B. The individual has acted on these sexual urges, or the sexual urges or fantasies cause marked distress or interpersonal difficulty.
C. The individual is at least age 16 years and at least 5 years older than the child or children in Criterion A.
So, to summarize, a pedophile is A and C, basically somebody who is attracted to children in different ways but hasn't done anything to consumate those desires, and someone with a pedophilic disorder, matches all 3.
Public Opinion
If you have read this far, you are probably angry or confused or frustrated, and that is exactly how many people felt in 2013 when the APA made these changes, they even wrote a statement clarifying exactly what I am explaning you here, that they do not support this behaviour and certainly do not promote it either.
A famous TED talk about this topic went viral, and the misleading news titles saying that the APA and this woman promote pedofilia began.
Some go beyond that and compare pedophilia with homosexuality under falacies like "they are both dangerous", and of course, some members of the LGBT community jumped to say they have nothing to do with pedophiles and that it is not a sexual orientation, but a mental disorder.
Okay, So Why Should It Be Treated as a Sexual Orientation?
I still do not have an opinion, as a Social Psychologist, about this question. I, as you are, also have lots of questions and biased thoughts about this issue.
What I did find was some scientific opinions:
A culture that no longer demonizes pedophiles, he argues, may be one in which pedophiles themselves are more willing to seek help — and therefore one in which children are less likely to be abused.
What I think they are trying to say is, pedophiles as they describe them, are people who still hasn't done anything wrong (unless we bring to the table ethical and moral issues), while people with a pedophile disorder, have.
I think what the APA and some other psychologist try to do is open the talks about this topic to understand better what this is about and to help pedophiles before they develop a pedophilic disorder, and if you ask me, it seems reasonable, because so far, all we see is treatment for the victims and ways to prevent child abuse, but direct to the family and children, not to the potential abusers.
And yeah. I know what you are thinking, why would I want to help someone who could threaten such an innocent creature like a kid? I do not think it's about helping them, but helping you and the society we live in.
Pedophiles hide, most of them at least, they understand what they feel is wrong, and it's harder to look for help when everybody on earth demonizes you (and with reasons).
So maybe, this is an attempt to make them feel "safer" to ask for help and avoid more children being harmed. And I belive the most obvious excuse for this is how big the child pornography industry is and the number of sexually abused children in the US (and probably the world).
Groups such as B4U-ACT and Virtuous Pedophiles are non-profit organizations that promote mental health services, public understanding, and mutual support for minors attracted persons to help them lead fulfilling lives while remaining within the boundaries of the law (Levay, 2015). There are many safe ways to express pedophilic interests, such as role-playing and other power dynamics with consenting adults. Media has unfortunately exaggerated this sexual interest into a deviant, uncontrollable atrocity
Any thoughts on this? Do you agree with the APA? Do you think it will only make things worst?