I haven’t been this upset about a rumor in a long time. As a survivor of pedophilia (from two men), I have an idea of what it looks and feels like. (I’ll explain later.) When a person close to me said that Biden is a pedophile, I was shocked and, like most rumors going around, I researched it. It started when Don Trump Jr. did an Instagram meme in answer to Biden’s “See you later, alligator.” Trump’s response, was “In a while, pedophile.” When called on it, Trump Tweeted that he was just “joking around” and included a laughing face.
Yes, I saw the so-called damning photos from swearing-in ceremonies, with Biden greeting families and giving extra attention to children. Inappropriate? Possibly. But in front of parents and on camera? Pedophiles enjoy what they’re doing and want to continue, meaning they don’t usually do it in public or on the public record. Instead, they groom the kids, get them ready to accept the sexual actions, carry them out in private, and secure their position by telling the child that it’s their little special secret because Grandma/Auntie/Whoever would be mad and both he and the child would get in trouble.
Now, why does this upset me so? Because pedophilia is serious and life-changing to a child. It’s with the child throughout their life. We “get over it” so we can have a life. But when it’s used as a joke or political ploy, it leads us back to our childhood, and the trivializing or advantage-taking of it hurts…hurts badly.