Why “Pedophilia” Was So Normalized in Ancient Greece
And why homosexuality was much more common and accepted
If you’ve spent any time on the internet, you’ve probably heard some disturbing justifications for pedophilia. Some claim it’s just another “sexual orientation” that deserves to be added to the LGBTQ+ spectrum. Others claim that it’s a harmless source of pleasure.
And yet others use a historical justification — they point to Ancient Greece, where sexual relationships between young men and older men were highly idealized.
And yes, it’s true that such relationships were extremely common in ancient Greece. But is it accurate to call them pedophilic?
Sure, Greek “pederasty” involved practices that are usually frowned upon today. After all, the word paiderastia translates to “love of boys.” But it’s not accurate to equate it with modern pedophilia, since it didn’t involve pre-pubescent boys.
Today, pedophiles are defined by their attraction to pre-pubescent children. In ancient Greece, most young men who engaged in pederasty were at least 16, and therefore beyond puberty. The ancient Greeks didn’t fetishize pre-pubescent boys like many modern pedophiles would like us to believe.
