Pedophilia

Did U.S. Senator Ted Cruz say, "Let's stop attacking pedophiles" at a congressional hearing? Yes, he did, but his spokesperson described that as a gaffe, "a verbal slip", and clarified that the senator opposed such crimes. The overall context of Cruz's remarks did not contradict his press office's clarification. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) published on X…

The conclave to elect Pope Francis' successor is set to start on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. It is a centuries-old ceremony entrenched in secrecy and powerful rituals, which strikes the world's imagination. This year, 135 cardinals from 71 countries across the five continents (of which Pope Francis has appointed 108, and 12 come from countries that never had a cardinal…

Did Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz sign into law a new definition of "sexual orientation" to protect adults who are physically and sexually attracted to children? No, that's not true: Pedophilia is not considered a legally protected sexual orientation in Minnesota. Changes to the law removed some language specifically excluding pedophilia from the definition of protected sexual orientations. But, that does…

Did the World Economic Forum develop a treaty including "pedophiles" in the "legally protected minority" category? No, that's not true: The site that posted the claim included a disclaimer that it makes "NO REPRESENTATIONS ABOUT THE ... ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION ... CONTAINED ON THE SITE." Lead Stories found no evidence such a treaty ever existed. The publications boosting the…

Does an image show a legitimate "pedosexual" acceptance flyer that lumps pedophilia into the acronym LGBT? No, that's not true: The "flyer" is a fabricated document designed and spread by online networks that are biased against LGBTQ+ causes. Pedophilia is not an accepted sexuality under the LGBTQ+ umbrella. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) on X, formerly Twitter,…

Did the World Economic Forum declare that "pedophilia 'sexual orientation' must be added to LGBTQ+," as an article published by The People's Voice reported? No, that's not true: A representative of the international non-governmental organization told Lead Stories that "such claims are completely unfounded and do not reflect the values, goals, or activities of the World Economic Forum." A spokesperson…

Does a video on social media show an authentic 12-year-old child bride with an adult groom in Times Square in New York City? No, that's not true: These two individuals were part of a staged "social experiment" to record reactions from passers-by. The original footage is from a 2016 YouTube video with "(Child Marriage Social Experiment)" in the title, but…

Does a video of minors in provocative clothes show an LGBT parade in Spain? No, that's not true: It was filmed at a carnival. The marchers' troupe aimed to satirize both the right and the left political parties, according to Spanish news coverage of the event. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) on X, formerly known as Twitter,…

Did the Walt Disney Company lose 23 million subscribers after "trying to cancel Elon Musk"? No, that's not true: This claim appeared in an article on a satirical website known for publishing fabricated content. The website has a disclaimer that reads, "Everything on this website is fiction." The claim appeared in an article published by The Dunning-Kruger Times on November…

Is Bill Gates facing life behind bars on child rape charges due to his alleged inclusion on convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein's supposed client list? No, that's not true: The article making the claim offers no proof that any charges have been filed against billionaire Gates as of November 6, 2023. Gates' ex-wife Melinda did not post a social media message…