Disclaimer: Whenever I use the words "romance," "attracted," "crush," and "infatuation," as well as their variations, I am using them in a platonic sense. References to sex are platonic, unless specifically stated otherwise. When I say "pedophile," I am referring to an adult with a platonic attraction to children. "Child molester" is exactly what it sounds like. Summary: In this second of a 5-part essay, I discuss the meaning of pedophilia, and how child molesters are different from pedophiles. Now let's talk about the main reason pedophiles are so hated. Whenever a child gets hurt--even non-sexually--it's always "pedophile scum this, sick pedo bastard that." Usually, what they really mean is "child molester." Then again, we ARE talking about people who don't know the definitions of words like rape, teenager, child, and pedophilia, and yet use them all in the same sentence quite often. Here's the disturbing truth about pedophiles: Pedophiles. Hate. Child. Molesters. Let's use a dictionary, shall we? A pedophile is an adult who is sexually attracted to children. The use of word "sexually" isn't explained, but let's say it is referring to romance, minus sex. A child molester is an adult who rapes kids. That said, let me spell it out in a different way. Pedophiles generally love<i/> children. They like to see children happy. They don't want to see them in pain. They want to give them love, protection, and respect. And here's another plot twist for you: some have no interest in sex. Child molesters don't need a description. Remember when I told you I don't watch child porn? Well, it's not because it's illegal. It's not because I'm afraid to get caught. It's not because it gives people like me a bad name. It's because I (and many other pedophiles) believe that an adult having sex with a child in real life is disgusting. Period. Hell, we would gladly help enforce laws that keep molesters away from kids. We'd even create new ones that actually work without infringing the rights of innocent people while making it easier for real molesters to do what they do. And don't vary from state to state. We want them dead just as badly as "normal" people do. We get just as sick and upset from the testimonies from victims as anyone else does. Yes, there are pedos who have powerful urges. Yes, there are pedos who couldn't care less about the child's well-being. But those are more sexual problems than a deformed orientation (for lack of a better word). Some "normal" adults feel the same way about other adults and may or may not go out rape people for feeling that way. In those cases, we know it's a sexual problem. Why look at a "normal" case any differently than that of a pedo case? After all, "child molester" is nothing more than a rapist with a different label. Other than who they like, the same rules should apply. Pedophiles, like every other group of people, have good individuals and bad ones. Some husbands rape their wives. Do you think all husbands do it? Most reported child molestation cases are committed by parents. Does that mean parents who deprive their kids of playing outside because of the news reports about child molesters are the real criminals? Bosses, cab drivers, and I can go on. With that in mind, how does branding all pedophiles as molesters make any sense? I can't even say child molesters make us look bad. Pedophiles are the only type of people with an official label for "our" rapists. Where's "homo molester" and "race molester"? When adults rape adults, it's just rape. "Normal" people choose to put us all in the "child molester" group they created. I don't know why when half of the time, they just say "pedophile" as if all of us are like that. That's their own ignorance talking, which isn't the molesters' fault. No matter how you categorize it, rape has little to do with who a person is attracted to, and everything to do with them being sick enough to force others to have sex with them. As a matter of fact, rapists are not always attracted to their victims. Some straight men rape other men because they are addicted to sex and happen to be stranded with all men. Some pedophiles rape adults because they know that taking out their frustrations on a child will earn a much worse punishment. Rape is something that you do, have control over, and can get help for. And deserve a very violent punishment for doing. Attraction is something you can't control, but you can control the actions associated with it. With practice, you can even choose when not to get aroused. At the end of the day, pedophile is nothing more than a label. A label that most people clearly don't know the definition of. Seriously, why is that word used when talking about 18-year-olds dating 17-year-olds? Why is it that some countries and states allow adults to have sex with 16-year-olds, while doing the same in other places makes them a pedophile? Why are people throwing it at men who look at the half-naked teenagers walking by? Why in the bloody blue hell do people call elderly men that for marrying 20-year-old girls? I would go into detail about how stupid that is, but one of my pet peeves is when people go off the topic of pedophilia to talk about attraction to young people over 12 years old. I didn't find out about the pedophile label or what society thought of it until my mid-teens. Until then, I thought the way I felt was normal, even going as far as to nearly out myself to friends on a few occasions by telling them when I thought a preteen girl looked hot or opening gawking when a girl bent over. When I heard the supposed definition for my label--that supposed definition being child molester--I knew even then that it was distorted BS. Even then, I knew how stupid it is that the official definition of a pedophile is "an adult who has a sexual attraction to children." That's not something you want to use to describe yourself, regardless of who you love. The average person isn't mature enough for the word "sex." They think to be sexually active is to be a slut or rapist, or obsessed with perverted jokes. Ignorant of the fact that the word "sex" could simply stand for a loving relationship with no intercourse at all. It's a disgrace that I even need my disclaimer on all of these rants and have to repeat so many points, but some people desperately need it. I can't vouch for all of us, but some pedos would be happy with a romantic relationship with kids, minus the sex. Most people hear the word "pedophilia" and instantly assume that a person is either having sex with a child or plotting to. Many, including some pedos, think pedophilia is a fetish. I refer to it as an orientation, but I know it really isn't. It would be much better if there was a label for "one who is capable of infatuation with kids." At least then, we wouldn't be damn near calling ourselves rapists. Then again, people would mess that label up, too. Rapists are the last people who need categories in the first place. Is a label really supposed to somehow make one type better than another? Why not stone all of the rapists to death first, then worry about their orientation?