But this then strays into the problem of gay acceptance in the first place, whereas we can say it's needlessly cruel to forcibly try to convert gay people to be "normal" does the same not ring true for pedophiles?

On the plus side, this is where trans acceptance is the trap card [pun not intended] that shoots pedophiles in the foot: If we accept that gender identity and sexuality is different [you can be a trans straight person or a trans gay person], then we can assume for pedophilia age and sexuality is different [a male pedo can be a gay pedophile who likes men and boys, or a straight pedophile who likes women and girls]- and therefore, it's not conversion therapy anymore to say "go to therapy until you only like men/women."