united-states sexual-offences
Do young animals count as pedophilia?
<p>So, someone has been accusing me of pedophilia since I have an attraction to young animals. I know that it's pedophilia if the person is attracted to young human children, but does it count as pedophilia if the person is attracted to animals instead of humans?</p>

<p><strong>No</strong>. According to the Section 18 of the U.S. Code, § 2251:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>(a) Any person who employs, uses, persuades, induces, entices, or coerces any <strong>minor</strong> to engage in, or who has a minor assist any other person to engage in, or who transports any minor in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, or in any Territory or Possession of the United States, with the intent that such minor engage in, any sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct or for the purpose of transmitting a live visual depiction of such conduct,shall be punished as provided under subsection (e) [...]</p>
</blockquote>

<p>and a minor is defined (Section 18 of the U.S. Code, § 2256) as "any <strong>person</strong> under the age of eighteen years".</p>

<p>As such, you cannot be considered a pedophile. However, if you have sexual intercourses with animals, depending on the State laws on the matter, you might be charged with bestiality or similar offences.</p>
