I don't go around flaunting it, but when it comes to friends and family, I generally don't make any efforts to hide it. I will intentionally withhold it from the occasional person if I strongly suspect they would not be able to overcome the prejudice, but that's because I don't want the drama, not because I actually care.

I actually have had someone who is a CSA victim who was able to accept me once she was able to get past the hazy terminology and see that I was not, in fact, akin to the man who molested her.

I have... at least four close friends, three male, one female, who are actually happy for me that I am able to have such a close relationship with a LGF, and describe our interactions as "cute".

I have some number of siblings who have actually requested that I have strong relationships with any future children they may have, knowing who I am.

I think we tend to underestimate the general population's ability to adapt to new information. It doesn't take a particularly special type of person to accept a pedophile... the only criteria is a willingness to listen, and rethink. Most people are capable of doing that.

I strongly believe that if pedophilia is to be accepted by society, it needs to be done on a personal level. One by one, we have to come out, and show our family and friends - our loved ones - that besides our sexuality, we are no different from anyone else. When enough people have done this - when enough attitudes have changed - then we will begin to make waves.

Once you put a human face on the orientation - especially the face of someone you already know to be a loving and caring individual - it becomes much more difficult to condemn.

20+ people in my life knowingly love and accept a pedophile, and counting. I'm willing to bet at least half of them would support a different approach to pedophilia on a social level.

The longer we lurk in the shadows, the longer otherwise-friendly nons will be able to call us monsters.

- RBL