In 1970, a national poll stated that 70% of Americans believed that "homosexuals are dangerous as teachers or youth leaders because they seek to have sexual involvement with children" (Herek ). The idea that homosexuals are prone to child molestation has declined in subsequent years, however, another survey conducted in 1999 stated that 19% of heterosexual men and 10% of heterosexual women believed that gay men were prone to molest children (Herek). Catholic officials are considering whether to ordain homosexuals as priests. This debate was sparked by accusations, mostly from young boys and men, that priests sexually harassed them. The Boy Scouts of America has said homosexuals are not welcome in their organization, despite the fact that scoutmasters accused of molestation tend to be married. Fundamentalist Christians are determined to keep homosexuals away from children, claiming that “homosexuals molest children at a much higher rate than heterosexuals” (Traditional). This statement is wrong and constitutes an unfounded stereotype. Homosexuals are no more prone to child molestation than anyone else. In this article I will show the lack of correlation between homosexuality and child molestation. Please note that this article is exclusively about homosexual and heterosexual men. This is because research on sexual harassment perpetrated by women is not as well developed, and women tend to make up an almost immeasurably small percentage of harassers overall. Also note that I am using the term “child molester” almost exclusively. This is because there is a difference between a pedophile and a child molester. Pedophilia is a psychological disorder in which a sexually mature adult is attracted, preferentially or exclusively, to prepubescent children... middle of paper... attraction to underage persons. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 7(3), 175-181. Herek, Gregory M. “Facts about Homosexuality and Child Molestation.” 2002. Sexual Orientation: Science, Education, and Policy. November 29, 2002. “Homosexual Urban Legends: The Series” 2002. Traditional Values ​​Coalition. December 1, 2002. Jenny, C., Roesler, T. A., & Poyer, K. L. (1994). Are children at risk of sexual abuse by homosexuals? Pediatrics, 94(1), 41-44. Johnson, Nick “Spatula”. “People who live in glass houses…” November 2, 2001. morons.org. November 30, 2002. Lee, I. “How to Write a Bibliography: MLA-Style Examples.” November 17, 2002. A Guide to Research for Students. December. 2, 2002.