The claim: The LGBT acronym has expanded to include a “P,” for “pedosexual.”
Numerous images circulating on Facebook in the past few weeks show a poster with the acronym LGBTP, which images claim stands for “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and pedosexual.” Under the acronym, the poster includes the words “Equality and acceptance.”
A user who posted that image, which went viral, did not respond to a request from USA TODAY for comment or substantiation.
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Another viral composite photo includes text that claims to be from the LGBT Foundation and show the words “Love is gender and age-blind,” and text that claims to be from FCKH8 that reads “Some people are child lovers. Get over it.” Both are emblazoned on gay pride flags, and accompanied by tweets from a now-deactivated account that uses the hashtag “LGBTP.”
Jordan McMillian, a user who posted the composite to Facebook, told USA TODAY that her intent was to debunk the claim. The post was “not intended to imply that pedosexuality is real or part of the LGBTQ community,” McMillian explained.
“It was to show that there is a group of pedophiles trying to justify their sick sexual desires. It was to raise awareness to the fact that they are trying to be accepted like the LGBTQ+ people are,” she wrote. “I’m extremely against this movement. I have personal ties to this subject and feel passionately about raising awareness to and stopping pedophilia.”
LGBTQ groups: Community does not support pedophilia
The posts are not representative of the LGBTQ community, several groups said.
Rich Ferraro, the chief communications officer at GLAAD, wrote in an email to USA TODAY that “LGBTP” is not an acronym used or supported by the community.
“No LGBTQ organization has condoned pedophilia or advocated for a ‘P’ to be added to the acronym in support of pedophiles,” Ferraro wrote. “It pains me to have to clarify that no, the LGBTQ community does not embrace pedophilia, and LGBTP is not an acronym used or supported by the LGBTQ community.”
Nick Morrow, the interim communications director for the Human Rights Campaign, also wrote in an emailed statement that the movement rejects all non-consensual behavior, including pedophilia.
“The LGBTQ movement absolutely rejects any suggestion that our community is linked to nonconsensual interpersonal behaviors, including the horrific actions of pedophiles,” Morrow wrote.
The LGBT Foundation put out a statement disavowing the image that used its logo and said love is “age-blind.”
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Joe Nellist, the communications coordinator at the LGBT Foundation, which is based in Manchester, England, wrote in an email to USA TODAY that the LGBT Foundation is “in no way associated with these graphics.”
“Someone has used our logo and our website address without our knowledge or permission in a malicious attempt to smear our organisation and the communities we serve,” Nellist wrote.
FCKH8 did not respond to a request for comment from USA TODAY.
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Rooted in history of bigotry
The assertion that the LGBTQ community condones or supports pedophilia is not only false, but rooted in a history of bigotry.
“There is a long-standing, homophobic and transphobic tactic of inaccurately comparing LGBTQ people to pedophiles and being LGBTQ to pedophilia,” Ferraro wrote. “It’s debased and vile.”
That comparison has been used to stigmatize LGBTQ individuals in the past, but there is no scientific basis to the claim.
In fact, a study of nearly 270 children who had experienced sexual abuse found that 82% of alleged offenders were a heterosexual partner of a close relative of the child. It concluded the children were “unlikely” to have been molested by a gay or lesbian individual.
Organizations dedicated to ending child sexual abuse — including the Zero Abuse Project and the Stop Abuse Campaign — also state on their websites that most abusers are heterosexual, and there is no link between the LGBTQ community and pedophilia.
“For decades, people who are homophobic, biphobic and transphobic have attempted to connect LGBT communities with paedophilia in an attempt to stir up fear, hatred and discrimination,” Nellist wrote. “There is no movement to recognise paedophiles as part of LGBT communities, and we are very clear that we in no way condone paedophilia.”
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An old claim, previously debunked
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Claims like this have surfaced online previously.
In 2017, Snopes traced the posts back to an anti-gay misinformation campaign that started on 4chan in 2016, the hope of which was to trick the LGBTQ community into expressing support for pedophiles.
In May, Reuters debunked similar posts that had begun to recirculate online.
GLAAD has reported these posts and had them removed by Facebook in the past, Ferraro wrote. But he hopes Facebook will take more proactive steps to address the recurrence of bigoted posts on the platform.
“Facebook should research and investigate the anti-LGBTQ pages and users pushing these fabricated images to smear our community,” Ferraro wrote.
In recent months, Facebook has come under fire for failing to remove hate speech from its platform. Earlier in July, a civil rights audit found that the company’s inability to curb toxic speech, racism and misinformation could impact the upcoming election. USA TODAY has reached out to Facebook for comment on Ferraro’s remarks.
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Our rating: False
Based on our research, the claims that the LGBTQ community has expanded to include “pedosexuals,” pedophiles, or any relationship between adults and minors are FALSE. Such claims also draw on a history of undeserved stigma and stereotypes toward the LGBTQ community.
Our fact-check sources:
- Rich Ferraro, Chief Communications Officer, GLAAD
- Nick Morrow, Interim Communications Director, Human Rights Campaign
- Joe Nellist, Communications Coordinator, LGBT Foundation
- LGBT Foundation, “Pedosexual Statement”
- PubMed, National Library of Medicine, “Are children at risk for sexual abuse by homosexuals?”
- Zero Abuse Project, “Sexuality of Offenders”
- Stop Abuse Campaign, “Are most sex abusers heterosexual?”
- Snopes, “Is ‘LGBT’ Adding a ‘P’ for Pedosexuals?”
- Reuters, “Fact check: The LGBTQ community is not adding ‘P’ to their acronym”
- USA TODAY, “Boycott Facebook: Civil rights groups call on big advertisers to yank ads over hate speech policies”
- USA TODAY, “Facebook civil rights audit warns of Trump, voter suppression ahead of presidential election”
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Our fact check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.
Source: https://t-tees.com
Category: WHICH
