(Disclaimer: I have not read through the whole thread, just the first 20 or so posts)

It's true that pedophilia is not synonymous with homosexuality; different pedophiles victimize different sets of youngsters ~ same sex, opposite sex, or both.

Still, when a (very) public figure is so strongly implicated in pedophilic activities, it should not be surprising that criticism and ridicule arise in popular culture, including but not limited to playground rhymes. And when said public figure is male and his victims are boys, how could the ridicule/criticism NOT include reference to the homosexual aspect of the violations?

I do not believe that this taking-to-task of Michael Jackson should be labelled as "homophobic." Jackson did not put himself in a position to be ridiculed by engaging in gay sex with other consenting adults ~ he did so by ("allegedly") preying upon children, specifically male children. Certainly, the homosexual aspect of these incidents is part of what is being ridiculed ~ but the pedophilic aspect is the basic (and most disturbing) thing about the entire situation.

The Greek-derived suffix "phobia" means "fear-of." The neologism "homophobia" has come to mean prejudice against homosexuality, which is not really the same thing as fear of it. I think that this popular usage is misleading and incorrect.

Admittedly, some negativity towards gay people on the part of some "haters" is based upon insecurity about one's own (hetero)sexuality ~ fear that one might himself be homosexual, or unduly susceptible to seduction ("recruitment") by homosexuals.

However, I believe that it is unfair, and an oversimplification, to characterize all criticism of, and discomfort with, same-sex orientation as being grounded exclusively in fear. Prejudice and hatred against gay people is no more a "phobia" than white supremecy or racism is "negrophobia." Fear may be part of the picture in some cases, even in many cases, but fear is not the whole story, not by a long shot.