The claim that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed a bill redefining sexual orientation to include pedophiles is false. The bill he signed, known as the Take Pride Act, aimed to update the Human Rights Act to protect against LGBTQ+ discrimination and modernize the state’s definition of sexual orientation. The bill proposed removing a line that referenced pedophilia to clarify that sexual orientation does not include a physical or sexual attachment to children by an adult. This led to mischaracterizations that the bill was intended to protect pedophiles from discrimination, which is not the case.
The bill was eventually signed into law by Walz, changing the definition of sexual orientation by removing the reference to pedophilia that had been in place since 1993. However, changing the definition does not mean that pedophiles are now protected from discrimination or legal repercussions. Experts have clarified that sexual orientation has never been legally interpreted to include pedophilia, and the bill has no impact on crimes against children or the prosecution of those who break the law.
Critics have spread false claims about Walz, including one that he allowed Minnesota to “burn” during protests in 2020. Another false claim suggested that he was replaced as governor by Peggy Flanagan after becoming Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate. Various fact-checking organizations have also debunked the claim that Walz’s bill included pedophiles in the definition of sexual orientation.
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