NC's Michele Morrow falsely says the ‘plus’ in ‘LGBTQ+’ includes support for pedophilia

The Republican nominee to lead North Carolina’s public schools is attacking her Democratic opponent while accusing gay rights advocates of promoting pedophilia.

State superintendent candidate Michele Morrow targeted her Democratic opponent, Mo Green, on social media Monday for accepting an endorsement from Equality North Carolina, a group that champions the LGBTQ+ community, which includes people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer. 

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Morrow pointed to Equality NC’s mission statement, which says it aims to build "LGBTQ power." Morrow claimed that the group uses a broader umbrella term — LGBTQ+ — in its mission statement, saying: "NEWSFLASH … the ‘+’ includes [pedophilia]!!" She added: "Mo Green will not keep our children safe!"

In a statement, Green’s campaign rejected Morrow’s comments and said they prove she’s "unfit to lead our public schools."

Equality NC refers to LGBTQ+ on its website, although not in its mission statement as Morrow claims. And Morrow’s claim about the meaning of LGBTQ+ is wrong. 

The plus symbol in LGBTQ+ is intended to "recognize those not captured within or represented by the acronym LGBTQ," according to the American Psychological Association. It aims to show inclusivity toward  people with other sexual orientations and gender identities, said Jazmynne Cruz, a spokesperson for Equality NC. The group doesn’t support pedophilia, Cruz said.

Pedophilia is a disorder "in which sexual acts or fantasies involving prepubertal children are the persistently preferred or exclusive method of achieving sexual excitement," according to the psychological association. 

There is no evidence the LGBTQ+ community aims to incorporate pedophilia into its advocacy, national fact-checking organization PolitiFact has previously found. The narrative is rooted in past anti-gay movements and is tied to a history of longstanding false claims that gay, lesbian and bisexual people molest children at higher rates than people who are not LGBTQ+. Research shows that notion is not supported by evidence. Studies of child sexual abuse have shown that most child molesters identify as heterosexual. 

According to a guide compiled by the Human Rights Coalition, the plus sign in LGBTQ+ could include people who are:

• Asexual: meaning they have little or no sexual desire.
• Intersex: meaning people are born with a variety of differences in their sex traits and reproductive anatomy.
• Nonbinary: meaning someone who does not identify exclusively as a man or a woman.

Contrary to Morrow’s post, Cruz said safety is a primary concern of Equality NC. "We aim to ensure that every North Carolinian sees themselves reflected in this movement for equality, working together to create a safer, more equitable world for all marginalized individuals," Cruz said in an email. 

Cruz added that the group’s political action committee "endorses Mo Green for many reasons, including his public commitment to ensuring that all students are safe at school and have access to education that prepares them to be the driving force in their future."

Morrow’s campaign didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment.

The state’s superintendent of public instruction oversees hundreds of employees and education initiatives. The officeholder is responsible for recommending policies and academic standards updates to the State Board of Education, which votes on them. 

The public instruction department distributes and tracks more than $13 billion in state and federal funding. The superintendent can also set priorities for the department and push lawmakers for changes.

Green is a former superintendent of Guilford County Schools and administrator in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. He first began working with public schools as a lawyer in Charlotte.

Green said Morrow’s claim shows she’s the "wrong role model" for North Carolina students.

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"Every child deserves to learn, and every staff member deserves to work, in an environment that is safe, welcoming, and inclusive," Green said. "Politicians like Morrow use schools as battlegrounds for their culture wars, and it’s simply unacceptable."

Morrow, a former nurse and a homeschool co-op teacher, has never sent her children to North Carolina’s public schools. She says she’s running because she hears concerns from her neighbors and friends about the quality of public schools.

Morrow has previously faced criticism for social media posts, calling public schools "indoctrination centers" and urging people not to send their children to them. She’s also promoted numerous conspiracy theories, and called for the assassination of many Democratic leaders and philanthropists. She also pushed for the use of military intervention to keep former President Donald Trump in power on Jan. 6, 2021.

PolitiFact, the national fact-checking partner of WRAL-TV, has fact-checked multiple claims falsely linking pedophilia to the LGBTQ+ community. 

On Aug. 6, RNC Research, an X account run by former President Donald Trump’s campaign and the Republican National Committee, falsely accused Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz Aug. 6 of signing a bill "redefining ‘sexual orientation’ to include pedophiles." 

In July, a website known for spreading misinformation claimed that "LGBTQ+ leaders" signed a treaty to "accept pedophiles as 'legally protected minority." PolitiFact rated that claim Pants on Fire, meaning the statement is inaccurate and makes a ridiculous claim.

Morrow said the plus in LGBTQ+ includes pedophilia.

That’s ridiculous. The plus sign in the widely-used acronym "LGBTQ+" recognizes  sexual orientations and gender identities that are not represented by the other five letters. There is no evidence of a connection between gay, lesbian or bisexual people and child molestation. And studies of child sexual abuse have shown that most child molesters identify as heterosexual. 

There’s no evidence to support Morrow’s claim. We rate it Pants on Fire!

PolitiFact Staff Writers Grace Abels and Madison Czopek contributed to this report.