Pedophile
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A pedophile is someone who is sexually attracted to (wants to have sex with) children more than adults or people their own age. In most of the world, people believe something is very wrong with pedophiles. The word "pedophile" does not, by definition, mean someone who has committed crimes against children, though it is sometimes wrongly used this way. The word "pedophile" only describes them as having an attraction to children, it does not have anything to do with their actions.
The condition of being a pedophile is called "pedophilia". Pedophilia is a type of paraphilia.
People are only considered pedophiles if the "children" they are attracted to haven't reached puberty or are just starting puberty. People attracted to youth past puberty are called hebephiles or ephebophiles. Those attracted to children 0-3 are called nepiophiles.
[edit] As a sexual orientation
Some people feel pedophilia should be considered a sexual orientation. People who do not think it should be considered one say that a sexual orientation only means what gender people prefer (and therefore the only sexual orientations would be heterosexuality, homosexuality, and bisexuality). Supporters say that children's bodies are different enough from adults' bodies for a pedophile's attractions to be considered different.
[edit] Advocacy
Several groups want to make society more accepting of pedophiles. Some of them want to make it legal for adults to have sex with children (but many groups do not want this, and even pedophiles often think that's not a good idea). Groups that support adult-child sex include NAMBLA and MARTIJN.
Some pedophiles like to emphasize that they are non-sadistic and interested in children for who they are mentally (and physically). These people prefer the terms "childlovers", or more specifically, "girllovers" or "boylovers".
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