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File:Spanish Outreach Poster.pdf

2026-02-03T10:47:03Z

BLueRibbon: Spanish outreach poster courtesy of HumanBeing

== Summary ==
Spanish outreach poster courtesy of HumanBeing

The Manifesto of the Unapologetic MAP

2025-12-21T11:03:47Z

BLueRibbon: /* MAP Censorship is Severe */

<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''The Manifesto of the Unapologetic MAP'''

November 20, 2025 ◆ '''BLueRibbon'''

<hr>

There is no group in the western world more brutally and blatantly oppressed than MAPs. The problem is now so extreme that, shockingly, we see members of our community internalizing the most absurd of aspersions cast against us. Here you will find an unwaveringly proud and unapologetic manifesto intended as a reference point for aggressive pro-MAP activists.

There are no concessions made here. I don't believe that any consensual expression of sexuality is ''necessarily'' harmful, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise. However, for advocacy purposes, I continue to recommend the [[Essay:Pro-Reform:_The_Rational_Middle_Ground|Pro-Reform Framework]] I introduced last year, alongside the other proposals at the bottom of the manifesto.

==A Summary of Truths and Perspectives==

===Be Proud and Accept Yourself!===

* Foremost, MAPs should feel '''absolutely no shame''' over their sexual feelings for people of any age.
* Minor-attraction is not '''not inherently sadistic or abusive'''; it is connected to the same feelings of '''warmth, love and longing''' as any other sexual orientation.
* Minor-attraction is a fixed sexuality like any other, not a disease or mental illness.

It is quite horrific that so many MAPs arrive at message boards like MAP Forum, or regrettably at VirPed, hating themselves for their feelings of love and desire toward young people. There is no explanation for this other than the internalization of society's brutally oppressive discourse and treatment with regard to MAPs. What MAPs truly desire is the ability to fully express their love, not to inflict harm. Instead of feeling bad about supposedly 'wanting to hurt children', MAPs should be ''raging'' against society's horrific mischaracterization and criminalization of their beautiful sexual orientation.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.map-union.org/blog/press-release-addressing-misunderstandings-about-maps Addressing Misunderstandings About MAPs (Mu)], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/some-benefits-of-being-a-map Some Benefits of Being a MAP], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/why-every-responsible-map-should-spend-time-with-children Why Every Responsible MAP Should Spend Time With Children]

===Adult-Minor Sexual Contact is not Abuse===

* Adult-Minor Sexual Contact (AMSC) is typically an '''expression of love''' as well as lust.
* Condemnation of AMSC is derived from puritanical beliefs, later turned into a pseudoscience.
* Claims that harm has been 'proven' are based on studies with notable sample bias.
* Secondary harm is real, and this impacts newer studies on AMSC.

Historically, the age of consent around the world varied from 7 to 12 years old. In the late 19th century, social reformists in the UK and US lobbied relentlessly to raise the age of consent to 16 or 18, as part of a broader range of 'reforms' intended to foist puritanical attitudes upon the public and shore up political support for their various other campaigns and ventures. Later, the burgeoning modern psychiatric industry twisted the reformists' puritanical scorn into a pseudoscience, creating an entirely new 'CSA' industry. The quality of research was poor; it suffered from extreme sample bias, and it failed to distinguish between real and secondary harm. The notion of harm inherent in ''consensual'' sexual activity between adults and minors is almost entirely socially constructed; a result of religious, political and financial profiteering. If you're a MAP, you should '''not''' accept the hurtful accusation that what you desire is automatically and inherently harmful.

'''Further reading''': [[Research:_Prevalence_of_Harm_and_Negative_Outcomes|Prevalence of Harm]], [[Research:_Secondary_Harm|Secondary Harm]], [[Research:_Methodological_flaws_and_syndrome_construction|Methodological Flaws in 'CSA' Research]], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_consent#History_and_social_attitudes Age of Consent (History)]

==='CSAM' is a Lie===

[[File:Iwfpenetrative.png|thumb|Category A is considered the most 'serious', often presented to the media as depicting the violent abuse of children]]

* Much of what is labeled 'CSAM' is '''not children being violently assaulted''', but under-18s posing or playing with peers.
* In many jurisdictions, even lolicon and shotacon can lead to prosecutions and sex offender registration.
* There is no evidence that viewing criminalized depictions of children leads to other criminalized behaviors.
* MAPs need to call out the IWF, law enforcement, and governments as '''liars and profiteers'''.

What do 'charities' like the [[Internet Watch Foundation]], law enforcement organizations such as Europol, and governments seeking to push through new laws have in common? They all insist that criminalized depictions of minors must be labeled 'CSAM'. They claim they are fighting the production and trade of horrific images of videos of young children being violently assaulted. The reality? Evidence indicates that most criminalized depictions of minors are of teenagers messing around on camera, or of nudes not that dissimilar to what may be found in grandma's photo album. Contacts familiar with the 'scene' confirm that images and videos of adults having sex with children do exist, but even these are typically not violent or aggressive, and most sites in fact prohibit anything extreme. Of course, the public cannot legally verify the claims made about 'CSAM', so entities who want to make up stories may do so with impunity. Let's call these entities what they are: '''manipulative, profiteering scum'''. Never use the grossly inaccurate term 'CSAM' to apply to criminalized depictions of minors. And when the topic arises, be sure to let acquaintances know that a lot of criminalized material is actually self-produced.

'''Further reading''': [[Research:_Child_Pornography|Research on Child Pornography]], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/pro-reform-a-logical-approach-to-pim A Logical Approach to PIM], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/the-smoke-and-mirrors-behind-ai-hysteria-in-the-uk Smoke and Mirrors], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/chat-control-how-the-eu-will-exploit-children-for-power Chat Control]

===You Shouldn't Necessarily 'Get Help'===

* '''Being attracted to minors doesn't mean you need to 'get help''''.
* Never disclose illegal activity to a therapist, even if you want to stop. Don't even drop hints.
* If you need help dealing with the stress of living within a brutally oppressive society, contact B4U-ACT (a pro-MAP service).

Being attracted to minors is '''normal''', and even being attracted to pre-pubescent children is not that uncommon. Some MAPs sadly internalize social attitudes that wrongly label these attractions abnormal or harmful, but doing so is not in any way beneficial to the individual. It is worth remembering that you cannot 'cure' your attraction to people of any age or gender, and attempting to do so will likely cause distress. There may be some benefit to counseling for those who are struggling with negative thought patterns and mental health issues connected to their oppression, but disclosing an attraction to minors is ''incredibly dangerous''. Only counselors approved by [[B4U-ACT|B4U-ACT]] are safe; unfortunately, they are also expensive. Regardless of how much you trust your therapist, you must still refrain from disclosing any criminalized actions you have engaged in due to '''mandatory reporting''' requirements.

Peer support groups like LifeLine are also available, and I personally donate time to this highly recommended service.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.b4uact.org B4U-ACT], [https://lifeline.chat LifeLine], [[Research:_Prevalence|Prevalence of Minor-Attraction]], [[Research:_A_%22cure%22_for_pedophilia%3F|No 'Cure' for Pedophilia]], [https://www.brianribbon.com/short-takes/a-sincere-fuck-you-to-the-get-help-brigade A Sincere Fuck You to the Get Help Brigade], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/chemical-castration-nah-here-are-ways-to-increase-your-libido-as-a-map Chemical Castration? Nah.]

===You Should Respect Your Brothers (and Sisters)===

[[File:Flagmf.png|thumb|Credit: MytheBe]]

* MAPs are pushed to the brink by the horrific onslaught of sociolegal oppression.
* Even when MAPs have engaged in behaviors we feel are ethically unsound, we should still support them.
* There is a journey from self-hate, to self-acceptance with limits, to pro-choice enlightenment.
* If MAPs are outright opposed to reformist ideas, we need to gently push them in the right direction.

MAPs are oppressed more than any other group in the western world. We are denied the fundamental right to love, to express our sexuality even in unambiguously harmless ways, to feel safe from being hunted, and to merely share our feelings with family, friends, and medical professionals. Against the backdrop of these extreme and debilitating challenges, it is not surprising that some MAPs behave in ways that are harmful or irresponsible. While it is natural to criticize genuinely harmful behaviors, we should nonetheless remain steadfast in our support of each other as MAPs.

Furthermore, we should (''within reason'') respect those who have differing views on AMSC and other issues, while gently trying to nudge anti-reformist MAPs toward a more logical reformist approach.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.map-union.org/blog/mu-analysis-map-mental-health-crisis MAP Mental Health Crisis], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/pro-reform-thoughts-on-the-push Clarification on 'The Push']

==='Child Protection' is an Industry===

* The modern 'child protection' narrative supports a variety of charities that exaggerate or invent problems to keep funding flowing in.
* The psychology industry makes a fortune treating victims of 'CSA'.
* Governments use 'child protection' to pass increasingly draconian laws.

When 'concerns' about 'abuse' are published in the media, they are often packaged with quotes from charities whose goal is supposedly to prevent abuse. One such charity is the aforementioned Internet Watch Foundation, who have been extremely active in inducing hysteria over AI and 'grooming'. They do this not to protect children, but to ensure their own survival. The IWF, notably, is meaningless in an age of 'CSAM' being mostly AI and kids messing around on camera. Governments are all too happy to work with such organizations to push a hysterical narrative, allowing them to enact extreme draconian laws that give the state sweeping new powers to control citizens. Meanwhile, the psychology industry earns huge sums of money treating 'CSA victims', thus even young people who are not victims must be led to believe they are so at the expense of their well-being.

'''Further reading''': [[Debate_Guide:_Child_abuse_industry|Child Abuse Industry (Debate Guide)]], [https://www.map-union.org/blog/the-crime-and-policing-bill-teardown-what-you-need-to-know-as-a-map The Crime and Policing Bill Teardown]

==='Child Protection' is an Excuse for Hate===

[[File:Hate1.png|thumb|A typical example of anti-MAP commentary]]

* Most people hate MAPs '''simply for existing'''.
* Anything a MAP does (including looking at lolicon, etc.) is spuriously labeled 'harmful' to keep up the '''pretense''' of 'protecting children'.
* There is '''little difference''' between hating MAPs, black people, Jewish people, or LGBT people.

Virtually all of the hatred that would have been slung at gays, blacks, or Jews is now directed at MAPs. In the modern world, however, expressing hatred over simply being grossed out is much less acceptable. Therefore, most people use 'child protection' as a mask. "Children can't consent" is as absurd as stating that "gays molest children" or "women are incapable of ''x''". Claims that MAPs are dangerous are no different to claims that "black people are criminals" or "Jews take everyone's money". There have always been supposedly 'reasonable' excuses for hate, yet hate has remained the driving force.

Watching criminalized images allegedly 'harms children' through some voodoo magic. It is a pure logical absurdity. Even AI images of children apparently somehow threaten the cosmically aligned ''souls'' of children as a whole.

We need to be honest about the fact that '''humanity is no better than it's ever been''', and hating MAPs is no different to hating any other group based on who they are. Let's call our detractors out for their blind hatred dishonestly masked as 'protection' and 'harm prevention'.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/illuminating-the-horror Illuminating the Horror], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/what-can-a-bizarre-video-teach-us-about-combating-map-hate What Can a Bizarre Video Teach Us About Combating MAP Hate?], [[List_of_anti-MAP_quotes|Anti-MAP Quotes]]

===MAP Censorship is Severe===

* Online and offline speech are censored by corporations and MAPphobia
* '''Effective free speech is challenging''', with MAPs relegated to obscure low-traffic websites.
* Harmless expressions of sexuality are criminalized

While MAPs may theoretically enjoy the same legal protections regarding free speech as any other group, the reality is quite different. Almost every major platform censors pro-MAP comments, even comments that are incredibly benign. Likewise, harmless of expressions of MAP sexuality through arts are criminalized in many jurisdictions; this can include drawings, writings, AI generations, even statues! In practice, MAPs can only express themselves very cautiously on their own sites hosted by 'bulletproof' hosting companies. This is not ''effective'' free speech or expression.

'''Further reading''': [[Bluesky_pedophilia_controversy|Bluesky Pedophilia Controversy]], [[Censorship|Newgon Wiki's Article on Censorship]], [[Wikipedia_censorship_of_MAP_related_topics|Wikipedia Censorship]], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/locked-in-the-toybox-weston-wikipedia-and-the-modern-web Locked in the Toybox], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/the-unfortunate-inevitability-of-political-violence The Unfortunate Inevitability of Political Violence], [https://www.boychat.org/messages/1646399.htm Effective Free Speech], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/legal-map-sites-under-attack-in-australia-and-the-uk Legal MAP Sites Under Attack]

===MAPs are Victims of Mass Violence===

[[File:threat.jpg|thumb|A YouTube commentator advertising his 'cure' for pedophilia. He would later go on to doxx and threaten a prominent MAP activist]]

* Vigilante attacks are increasing.
* Arrest and/or imprisonment for non-violent offenses constitutes violence.
* MAPs convicted of 'crimes' are coerced to take drugs that inhibit natural sexual feelings

MAPs are increasingly victims of violence. One particularly disturbing 'trend' is that of vigilante attacks, where MAPs are brutally beaten with hammers or hunted down like animals with crossbows. The public can do anything they like to MAPs, amounting essentially to torture, and the authorities will complain only about their cases being tainted or about 'innocent' people potentially getting caught up in the fracas. Meanwhile, MAPs are increasingly coerced to take chemical castratants or even undergo ''physical castration'' when the problem is not their sexual orientation, but absurd laws that criminalize even consensual behavior and the mere viewing of images that typically do not depict abuse. We should also call out the large-scale imprisonment over non-violent offenses for what it is: '''mass violence perpetrated against our community'''.

'''Further reading''': [https://gigazine.net/gsc_news/en/20250402-pedophile-hunting-violence Social Media Vigilantes], [https://armaghi.com/news/craigavon-news/paedophile-hunter-armed-with-crossbow-charged-with-litany-of-offences/63304 Report on Crossbow Attack], [https://apnews.com/article/louisiana-castration-sex-crimes-dc6763a2b6a144cf05d92174df032a63 Physical Castration in Louisiana], [[Vigilantism|Newgon Wiki's Article on Vigilantism]]

===You Should Defend Yourself Against Violence===

* MAPs '''should not co-operate with authorities''' beyond what is legally required.
* MAPs should not take any medicines that inhibit their natural sexual feelings.
* MAPs '''should defend themselves against physical violence''' to the extent they are lawfully allowed to do so.

As will be elaborated below, MAPs should be as resistant toward police (state-sponsored thugs) as legally possible. The police may ''act nice'', but they are tasked with perpetrating violence against MAPs through their enforcement of insanely MAPphobic laws.

MAPs should not allow themselves to be drugged unless they have a genuine problem with sexual ''violence''; their sexual orientation is not in any way an illness or disease to be treated. If necessary, you may state that you will take the medicine, but then '''not actually take it'''.

Finally, MAPs should defend themselves against physical violence using whatever methods of self-defense are legally permissible, instead of pathetically cowering and begging for forgiveness. Being caught in a vigilante sting does '''not''' necessitate tolerating violence; the MAP is the '''victim''' and should stand up for themself. In some jurisdictions, use of lethal force is permitted when threatened.

'''Further reading''': [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand-your-ground_law Stand-your-ground Laws], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_castration Chemical Castration and its Harms], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/the-miserable-little-bully-named-slyboy The Miserable Little Bully]

===You Should Secure Your Device===

[[File:Veracrypt.png|thumb|Securing your device is vital as a MAP activist]]

''This section is written from the position that MAPs are endangered even if they are not engaging in criminalized activity. It is not intended to assist with concealing evidence of criminalized behavior.''

* Secure operating systems such as TAILS and Whonix protect you from being traced.
* Mobile devices are never secure.
* Encryption programs (VeraCrypt, etc.) offer a variety of tools to secure your data, even in authoritarian countries like the UK.
* Although it sounds obvious, '''don't be careless'''.

To keep yourself safe as a MAP, you need to practice good operational security. This starts with a secure operating system; the absolute safest options are Tails and Whonix. Mobile devices, especially cell phones, should be avoided. To keep your MAP-related activity secure on your computer, use full-disk encryption. Consider also a hidden container if you live in a country where courts can order the disclosure of a password; you would be able to comply with the order without endangering yourself.

Equally important is ''not doing anything stupid''. Do not allow your computer monitor to be visible through a window, do not leave your data unencrypted while going to the store or taking a shower even if it's 'convenient', and do not disclose excessive personal information about yourself.

'''Further reading''': [https://tails.net/ Tails], [https://www.whonix.org/ Whonix], [https://veracrypt.io/en/Downloads.html VeraCrypt], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/ripa-in-reality-why-british-people-should-still-encrypt RIPA in Reality (UK Law)]

===Never Co-operate!===

* Police will often act nice if they don't have a warrant.
* Never try to argue your innocence to police.
* Co-operating doesn't help you.

If police show up at your door, they may or may not have a warrant. Should they have a search warrant, allow them to serve it and let your legal representative later try to challenge it. Should they ''not'' have a warrant, they will likely not be direct or aggressive, but nicely and non-threateningly ask if they can enter your property ("do you mind if we come in for a moment?"). The answer to this should be "'''No, I don't want to let you in'''". If they ask why, remind them that you are not required to give a reason and that you do not wish to talk to them. They may tell you they believe you're innocent, or they just want to clear up a misunderstanding, or some other bullshit that encourages you to try to 'prove your innocence'. Do not fall for this.

If police have a warrant, comply only to the extent that you are required. If they make ''any'' request of you, ask if you are legally required to comply. If you are not legally required to comply, do not co-operate. Do not volunteer any devices. Do not volunteer any passwords. In some jurisdictions, a court can order you to provide a password, but police cannot force you to do this without that specific lawful order.

Remember that no matter how nice they act, and no matter what they say, the police are your '''enemy'''.

'''Further reading''': [https://zakfisherlaw.com/index.php/2025/02/25/six-ways/ Police Manipulation Tactics]

===Enemies of the MAP Community===

[[File:Finkelhorlarge.jpeg|thumb|David Finkelhor is one of the primary architects of 'CSA' hysteria]]

* 'Charities' that profit through spreading hysteria (example: Internet Watch Foundation).
* Law enforcement figures who threaten and slander MAPs, or misrepresent issues (example: Europol).
* 'Professionals' who kickstarted and maintain the CSA industry (example: David Finkelhor).
* Politicians who garner attention via anti-MAP rhetoric (example: Anna Paulina Luna).
* Vigilante groups (example: Dads Against Predators).
* Social media corporations who censor MAPs (example: Bluesky).
* Content creators who bully MAPs to gain a following (example: Liam Bennett Smith (Sly Boy)).

The MAP community has many enemies. These include charities who profiteer by spreading hysteria, law enforcement organizations that exaggerate the 'horrors' they have to deal with (most cases are non-violent and fairly harmless), politicians who push extreme laws to get attention, violent vigilante groups who often violently attack MAPs, the 'professionals' in the psychology industry who spread the 'CSA' narrative, the platforms that censor anyone identifying as a MAP, and those who use us to make a name for themselves.

'''Further reading''': [https://absolutezerounites.blogspot.com/ Blog About Anti-MAP Vigilantes], [https://forum.map-union.org/viewtopic.php?t=2517 Mu Forum Vigilante Thread], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/fuck-the-kids-in-every-way-but-that-or-why-america-is-a-hypocritical-monster "Fuck The Kids In Every Way But That" (Profiteering Politicians)], [https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-56404743 Police Chief Simon Bailey Threatens Non-Offending MAPs], [[NSPCC]], [[David Finkelhor]], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/the-miserable-little-bully-named-slyboy Sly Boy]

==A Crucial Elaboration on Mischaracterizations of MAP Attraction and AMSC==

[[File:Mentorsmall.png|thumb|This is what an AF-YF relationship looks like]]

* MAP fantasies are typically warm and loving.
* AMSC is normally consensual, playful and tender.
* Any condemnation based on the realities of MAP attraction and AMSC are borne of ignorance and intolerance.

Beyond the obvious hatred of a person simply being ''different'' - a consistent motivator of discrimination, incarceration, and murder throughout human history - the '''false framing of MAP fantasies and sexual interactions''' represents a huge barrier to liberation. Most people likely imagine MAP fantasies and interactions as violent assaults, or acts of extreme manipulation.

The reality could hardly be more different. While the motivations and fantasies of MAPs do vary as with any other sexual orientation, Mu's 2024 community survey revealed a major tendency toward emotional and romantic attraction. This goes hand-in-hand with tender and playful fantasies that are notably ''less'' aggressive than those of regular straight or gay men.

Most MAPs who admit to having had sexual contact with minors describe situations in which the young person was curious, or simply sexually worked up. Interactions were typically youth-focused; for example, a man might perform oral on a happy boy. This is particularly common among hebephilic men, and represents nothing more than a young person involving a close adult companion in normal youthful activities. In fact, as a cautious boylover who has had many platonic friends in the 11-13 year-old age range, I have had to turn down both implied and rather less subtle advances from some quite attractive boys who were curious about sex. That is ''simply absurd''.

Far from being sadistic hypersexuals, most MAPs are romanticists who would simply like to participate in a child or teen's world, including the sexual components.

At least one of the following must be true:

* Regular straight and gay people are viewing MAP fantasies and relationships through their own sadistic lens.
* Regular straight and gay people are fully onboard with the wanton demonization of an entire group of people, without evidence.
* Regular straight and gay people are simply disgusted by AMSC, even if it's loving and harmless.

==MAPs Need to Stop Pretending This is All OK==

===My feelings===

Our community should be absolutely outraged by the utter evisceration of our lives and futures. No other people face the same global condemnation and subjugation, to be left with absolutely nowhere safe to go. We cannot confidently share our thoughts and feelings with anyone, not even the therapists whom the vile public scream at us to go and visit. Mainstream platforms block us with the most miserable of excuses, and nobody cares.

Any representation of a minor is deemed 'harmful', even when it's merely pencil on a page, justified through lies proliferated by the most disgusting of 'charities' that profiteer at our expense. Our beautiful desire for loving and tender relationships with young people is framed as violent and sadistic, the equivalent of a brutal and monstrous rape. Should anyone say "''fuck it''" and follow their heart, their lives will be permanently destroyed along with the lives of any young lovers left in the wake.

The public don't really want to protect children; that is just an excuse to mask the horrific bad-faith brutality of the human race. 'Modern' people enjoy the blood sport of hunting down our brothers and sisters, no matter how 'virtuous' they may be. They cheer like medieval brutes at the gallows as they watch a timid young man get twenty years for porn. They would murder us for our thoughts if they could... and perhaps that's only a matter of time.

[[File:Maprev4.jpeg|thumb]]

If you're a MAP, remember this. Other MAPs are your friends, and the rest of humanity deserves a reckoning for what it has done to us. That doesn't mean going out and rioting, but it does mean standing up proud and not letting the world's vicious and cynical demonization of our community cloud your love for yourself. MAP love is beautiful. Never feel ashamed!

Go out and make young friends; our enemies hate nothing more. Express yourself to the fullest extent you can without risking legal trouble. The world has stripped us of almost everything, but we should make the absolute most of what is left, while fighting back aggressively over what has been stolen.

===Why you should feel angry too===

'''See also: [[Essay:A_Call_for_the_Abolition_of_Apathy | ''A Call For The Abolition of Apathy'']]'''

When a friend advertised some of my writing on a darknet forum, the responses relayed back to me were truly horrifying. Many people took a disinterested approach in their oppression. "Why be angry?", they asked.

MAPs are presently forced to choose between two utterly terrifying outcomes:

* Living a completely clean life without ever expressing one's sexuality, even in the most detached artistic form.
* The constant fear and risk of imprisonment, possible violence or even murder in prison, one's life permanently ruined.

The sexual frustration is huge for a large number of MAPs, especially those in the rotten jurisdictions that criminalize AI and cartoon images, but that's only part of it. What really gets to me is the legal impossibility of safe and lawful intimacy. Sex is not just about ejaculating, but about truly expressing your love, and MAPs are denied this under threat of being incarcerated and permanently tarred. A boylover who performs oral on a boy may well be labeled a ''rapist'' in the eyes of the law, and in media articles that equate his tender expression of love with violent penetration of a tiny, screaming child.

For those that do get caught up in the system, the outcome can be brutal. [[Essay:A_Call_for_the_Abolition_of_Apathy#Prison_Violence | Nitro's story]], of having his ankle shattered during his incarceration for merely possessing Azov movies, is one particularly enraging example. A man in Louisiana will be facing [https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/louisiana-pedophile-agrees-physical-chemical-castration-cut-prison-time-what-know-about-1741843 physical castration] prior to release, thanks to a new law passed in that state in 2024. Meanwhile, there are many cases of men being murdered after being [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/mu-lowdown-10-times-americas-sex-offender-registry-was-used-with-lethal-effect stalked] using the public sex offender registries that exist in countries like the US.

Those who fully trust in the darknet to keep themselves safe cannot sit comfortably either. Authorities are now [[Essay:A_Call_for_the_Abolition_of_Apathy#No_Safe_Place_to_Hide | able]] to monitor the Tor network to detect a proportion of users connecting to hidden services whose real IP address has been discovered (something which eventually happens to all hidden services targeted by the authorities). The process relies on random luck for the police, or bad luck for the MAP, and there's little anyone can do to ensure their safety if visiting such sites.

Should a MAP struggle with these impossible choices, there are few safe avenues for support. Peer support sites like LifeLine exist, but the volunteers are not trained counselors. B4U-ACT can connect MAPs with qualified counselors who are happy to talk with MAPs, but these people are mostly in America, and unaffordable for the majority. Likewise, MAPs have to constantly hide their sexual orientation from friends and even family, adding to the emotional burden. I know a number of MAPs who are married and not even out to their wife.

What MAPs actually want, in most cases, is to care for and love a young person, and to also express that love sexually. To have this so cynically exploited and reduced to accusations of sadism, soul-stealing, or whatever they want to call it, is incredibly hurtful. But it's not just about 'hurtful accusations'; the actual effects of MAP hysteria are crushing, often life destroying. If you're a MAP and don't feel angry about this, take your fingers out of your ears and rip the blindfold off your face.

==Rational First Steps to Improve our Situation==

[[File:MAPFteacher20.png|thumb|Credit: Beefriend]]

As you may perhaps have inferred from the few paragraphs above, I am enraged with regular people for what they have done to us, and you should feel the same way! But going on a killing spree would not help anyone, including us, so instead let's discuss step-by-step reform. It's altogether less gory, and you can even do it while sipping a nice glass of whiskey.

===Be Proud===

The first step you can take is to fully accept yourself as a MAP. This means not feeling bad no matter who you love, whether you're attracted to teenagers or toddlers. Your self-acceptance should ''not'' be predicated on statements like "I have these feelings but I know that acting on them would be horrific". While I won't recommend sexual contact with minors due to the risk of secondary harm and other sociolegal consequences, it is ''vital'' to understand that what you desire is ''not inherently harmful''. Furthermore, if you do have fantasies that would be genuinely harmful if acted upon, you need to understand that the same could be said for people of any orientation; 'normal' men regularly fantasize about women who wouldn't consent to sex with them in reality.

===Be Honest... to an Extent===

While you can't realistically advocate decriminalization of AMSC to your friends, or on social media, you can encourage moderate perspectives as opposed to the current extremist takes. When MAP-related issues come up during conversations with acquaintances, consider making comments such as:

* "I heard that most pornographic videos of kids are self-produced by teenagers."
* "I actually read that most sex offenders don't re-offend."
* "Apparently there are a lot more pedophiles than we think, just most don't act on it."
* "I feel kind of sorry for people who are into kids but never hurt anyone."
* "Maybe it's just me, but I was a horny kid. If a hot woman (guy) had gotten with me, I'd probably have been pretty happy."

Making comments like this is not suspicious. It can even make people feel a bit embarrassed if they're expressing an excessively extreme or violent opinion. Pretty much everyone knows a MAP; if more of us did this (without coming out), it would act as something of a check to the perception that society wholesale tolerates extremity against MAPs.

===Re-Frame MAP Fantasies and AMSC===

[[File:Hug.png|thumb|AF-YF love is beautiful and should be celebrated]]

When writing on sites that permit such advocacy, which are admittedly few and far between, it is important to clarify the reality of MAP fantasies and AMSC.

These realities have already been discussed at length above, and there is no need to repeat here.

===Support Your MAP Friends===

I am guilty of having made comments that are excessively critical of the anti-contact community, despite my work as a teen MAP essentially being a precursor to the modern NOMAP movement. I do feel that anti-contact advocacy is problematic, relying entirely on the highly questionable claim that protection of children is the primary motivator of MAP hate. I also feel that NOMAPs are almost universally disbelieved, even when they are genuine.

However, it is important for all members our community to respect each other, even when disputes occur over contact stances and other divisive issues. Earlier this year, I made forum posts accusing anti-contact MAPs of being traitors, which was unhelpful to say the least. Pro-choice MAPs should support anti-contact MAPs on their journey from self-hate, to anti-contact self-acceptance, to full philosophical acceptance of both feelings and expression. This goes both ways, however; anti-contact MAPs should also respect those who have 'offended', recognizing the extreme challenges MAPs face in such a hostile world.

The [[Essay:Pro-Reform:_The_Rational_Middle_Ground|Pro-Reform Framework]] offers a moderate middle ground for those who are neither fully pro-choice, nor entirely anti-contact in philosophy.

===Make MAPness Normal===

As a MAP who actually loves children, not a representative of mainstream society that hates MAPs and only pretends to be concerned about children, I believe harm reduction is paramount. I don't want to abandon ''harm reduction'' arguments; avoiding harm to young people is extremely important to me. However, I think our community is engaging sub-optimally with the public when focusing only on why MAPness or its expression is not harmful. The reality is that most people hate MAPs because they think we're weird, disgusting, deviant.

We are often accused of trying to 'normalize' MAPness, and while I'm not sure that's really accurate, it ''is'' something we should be focusing on. If MAP hate is predicated on hatred of grossness and deviance, then desensitization and promotion of MAP feelings as normal are crucial angles of attack. Perhaps the reason our detractors are so terrified of 'normalization' is that it strikes at the very heart of what sustains their witch hunt.

One way of achieving this goal is by ''trolling''. Outrage over the plan to hold a 'MAP Camp', while not an attempt at ragebait, resulted in pro-MAP messages being published by the traditional media and on social media platforms. We can intentionally [[Essay:"Pedophile trolling"?|generate]] such drama by publishing content that we know will lead to similar reactions.

===Be a Great AF===

Before getting knee-deep in activism, I had a lot of platonic YFs. I met some of them through work; others were simply neighbors. Granted, this is much easier in the country I reside in. However, I've heard of MAPs making YFs in unlikely ways even in absolutely hysterical countries like the US and the UK; it's not impossible.

If you would like to live in a less paranoid country and also work with beautiful boys or girls, consider teaching abroad. There are job opportunities in virtually every country, some much better than others. Most TEFL positions require a degree and a background check, while international school jobs will have stricter requirements.

Whatever you do, be a ''good'' AF who leaves their YFs with positive memories of the friendship. If every MAP did this, there would be a lot of former YFs walking around who are at least highly supportive of adult-minor friendships. Ultimately, this is a way of making MAPness normal.

I've published a [https://forum.map-union.org/viewtopic.php?t=1867 guide] and [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/why-every-responsible-map-should-spend-time-with-children article] on making young friends, and I'm happy to help those who do not express criminalized intentions.

===Don't be an Easy Target===

[[File:Manwithgun.jpeg|thumb|Defend yourself to the fullest extent of the law]]

One of the reasons why MAPs are so voraciously hunted is because we are a very easy target. Pretty much every avenue of sexual expression is a crime, and yet many people do reckless things. Police may look the other way when vigilantes attack us, assuming a report is even made. And so, we are targeted mercilessly.

'''We have to stop allowing ourselves to be easy targets.'''

This means not doing stupid things like downloading criminalized images from file-sharing networks or messengers like Discord. It means not keeping MAP-related data unencrypted on your device. Likewise, using phones or other mobile devices for MAP-related matters is a bad idea. Improving your technical security requires a learning curve, but it isn't hard once you get used to it. If you can learn how to play a computer game, or how to do a semi-skilled job, you can set up a system that will keep you safe.

If police do show up at your door, don't throw yourselves to the wolves. Without a warrant, the police will almost certainly pretend to be your friends, but they are in fact your enemy. Their job is to do whatever it takes to get you to say anything that can be used against you. Don't talk about the weather, or the sports game you saw last night. Don't try to prove your innocence; telling them that you only have legal pictures of children will not help your case. Should they actually have a warrant, ask them if you are legally compelled to do whatever they ask of you, and refuse to co-operate beyond the absolute legal minimum. You do not have to give police your passwords ''without a specific order'', one which they won't have at the time of a raid.

Finally, self-defense. I do not recommend meeting up with minors you talked to online, ''ever''; it is almost always a sting. That said, if you are ever in a position where you feel you may be attacked for being a MAP, be ready to defend yourself lawfully. One of the reasons why people bully MAPs so frequently is that most targets cower in fear and grovel for forgiveness, which gives the bullies exactly what they want. This has to change. Note that if you live in a stand-your-ground jurisdiction, you may even be legally permitted to use lethal force to defend yourself.

===Video-based Advocacy===

These days, a lot of people source their information from videos posted on sites like YouTube and even TikTok. However, the number of MAPs making videos is extremely small. First of all, major platforms are highly censorious, especially when it comes to pro-MAP content. Second, most MAPs are unwilling to show their faces, for obvious reasons. Nonetheless, the [https://fstube.net FreeSpeechTube] platform offers low-censorship hosting, and is particularly popular with MAPs. And for those who are rightly afraid, it is possible to make videos without showing your face, albeit less effective. What I would question most is why the hundreds of thousands of MAPs who have already been outed do not publish pro-MAP videos when so many of them have very little left to lose. Come on, guys...

===Fiction-based Advocacy===

Most people are, unfortunately, more readily swayed by emotions than facts. While it is remarkably difficult to become a ''prominent'' author, those who have a talent for writing fiction may consider publishing stories that have a subtle pro-MAP message. In fictional works, the reader tends to side with the protagonist even when they would ordinarily not side with such a person. Pushing people to empathize with a fictional MAP may well nudge them closer to supporting MAPs in real life.

With self-publishing features offered by sites like Amazon, it is not hard to get started as a writer. The challenge, of course, is in finding an audience.

==Resources==

'''[https://wiki.yesmap.net Newgon Wiki]''' - Contains a plethora of resources to help you publish and defend pro-MAP arguments.

'''[https://www.map-union.org MAP Union]''' - A moderate pro-MAP advocacy group.

'''[https://forum.map-union.org MAP Forum]''' - An activism-based forum for MAPs.

'''[https://www.brianribbon.com Brian Ribbon]''' - My personal blog, offering fresh insights and commentary on MAP-related and other issues.

'''[https://fstube.net Free Speech Tube]''' - A place to publish pro-MAP videos.

'''[https://b4uact.org B4U-ACT]''' - The ''only'' people you should ever contact if you need professional mental health support.

'''[https://lifeline.chat LifeLine Chat]''' - Peer support service for MAPs (open only when a volunteer is available).

==Contact==

Feel free to contact me at ''contact (at) brianribbon (dot) com''.

Alternatively, come and join the discussion at Mu's '''MAP Forum''', where I frequently hang out.

The Manifesto of the Unapologetic MAP

2025-12-21T11:02:40Z

BLueRibbon: /* 'Child Protection' is an Excuse for Hate */

<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''The Manifesto of the Unapologetic MAP'''

November 20, 2025 ◆ '''BLueRibbon'''

<hr>

There is no group in the western world more brutally and blatantly oppressed than MAPs. The problem is now so extreme that, shockingly, we see members of our community internalizing the most absurd of aspersions cast against us. Here you will find an unwaveringly proud and unapologetic manifesto intended as a reference point for aggressive pro-MAP activists.

There are no concessions made here. I don't believe that any consensual expression of sexuality is ''necessarily'' harmful, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise. However, for advocacy purposes, I continue to recommend the [[Essay:Pro-Reform:_The_Rational_Middle_Ground|Pro-Reform Framework]] I introduced last year, alongside the other proposals at the bottom of the manifesto.

==A Summary of Truths and Perspectives==

===Be Proud and Accept Yourself!===

* Foremost, MAPs should feel '''absolutely no shame''' over their sexual feelings for people of any age.
* Minor-attraction is not '''not inherently sadistic or abusive'''; it is connected to the same feelings of '''warmth, love and longing''' as any other sexual orientation.
* Minor-attraction is a fixed sexuality like any other, not a disease or mental illness.

It is quite horrific that so many MAPs arrive at message boards like MAP Forum, or regrettably at VirPed, hating themselves for their feelings of love and desire toward young people. There is no explanation for this other than the internalization of society's brutally oppressive discourse and treatment with regard to MAPs. What MAPs truly desire is the ability to fully express their love, not to inflict harm. Instead of feeling bad about supposedly 'wanting to hurt children', MAPs should be ''raging'' against society's horrific mischaracterization and criminalization of their beautiful sexual orientation.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.map-union.org/blog/press-release-addressing-misunderstandings-about-maps Addressing Misunderstandings About MAPs (Mu)], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/some-benefits-of-being-a-map Some Benefits of Being a MAP], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/why-every-responsible-map-should-spend-time-with-children Why Every Responsible MAP Should Spend Time With Children]

===Adult-Minor Sexual Contact is not Abuse===

* Adult-Minor Sexual Contact (AMSC) is typically an '''expression of love''' as well as lust.
* Condemnation of AMSC is derived from puritanical beliefs, later turned into a pseudoscience.
* Claims that harm has been 'proven' are based on studies with notable sample bias.
* Secondary harm is real, and this impacts newer studies on AMSC.

Historically, the age of consent around the world varied from 7 to 12 years old. In the late 19th century, social reformists in the UK and US lobbied relentlessly to raise the age of consent to 16 or 18, as part of a broader range of 'reforms' intended to foist puritanical attitudes upon the public and shore up political support for their various other campaigns and ventures. Later, the burgeoning modern psychiatric industry twisted the reformists' puritanical scorn into a pseudoscience, creating an entirely new 'CSA' industry. The quality of research was poor; it suffered from extreme sample bias, and it failed to distinguish between real and secondary harm. The notion of harm inherent in ''consensual'' sexual activity between adults and minors is almost entirely socially constructed; a result of religious, political and financial profiteering. If you're a MAP, you should '''not''' accept the hurtful accusation that what you desire is automatically and inherently harmful.

'''Further reading''': [[Research:_Prevalence_of_Harm_and_Negative_Outcomes|Prevalence of Harm]], [[Research:_Secondary_Harm|Secondary Harm]], [[Research:_Methodological_flaws_and_syndrome_construction|Methodological Flaws in 'CSA' Research]], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_consent#History_and_social_attitudes Age of Consent (History)]

==='CSAM' is a Lie===

[[File:Iwfpenetrative.png|thumb|Category A is considered the most 'serious', often presented to the media as depicting the violent abuse of children]]

* Much of what is labeled 'CSAM' is '''not children being violently assaulted''', but under-18s posing or playing with peers.
* In many jurisdictions, even lolicon and shotacon can lead to prosecutions and sex offender registration.
* There is no evidence that viewing criminalized depictions of children leads to other criminalized behaviors.
* MAPs need to call out the IWF, law enforcement, and governments as '''liars and profiteers'''.

What do 'charities' like the [[Internet Watch Foundation]], law enforcement organizations such as Europol, and governments seeking to push through new laws have in common? They all insist that criminalized depictions of minors must be labeled 'CSAM'. They claim they are fighting the production and trade of horrific images of videos of young children being violently assaulted. The reality? Evidence indicates that most criminalized depictions of minors are of teenagers messing around on camera, or of nudes not that dissimilar to what may be found in grandma's photo album. Contacts familiar with the 'scene' confirm that images and videos of adults having sex with children do exist, but even these are typically not violent or aggressive, and most sites in fact prohibit anything extreme. Of course, the public cannot legally verify the claims made about 'CSAM', so entities who want to make up stories may do so with impunity. Let's call these entities what they are: '''manipulative, profiteering scum'''. Never use the grossly inaccurate term 'CSAM' to apply to criminalized depictions of minors. And when the topic arises, be sure to let acquaintances know that a lot of criminalized material is actually self-produced.

'''Further reading''': [[Research:_Child_Pornography|Research on Child Pornography]], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/pro-reform-a-logical-approach-to-pim A Logical Approach to PIM], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/the-smoke-and-mirrors-behind-ai-hysteria-in-the-uk Smoke and Mirrors], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/chat-control-how-the-eu-will-exploit-children-for-power Chat Control]

===You Shouldn't Necessarily 'Get Help'===

* '''Being attracted to minors doesn't mean you need to 'get help''''.
* Never disclose illegal activity to a therapist, even if you want to stop. Don't even drop hints.
* If you need help dealing with the stress of living within a brutally oppressive society, contact B4U-ACT (a pro-MAP service).

Being attracted to minors is '''normal''', and even being attracted to pre-pubescent children is not that uncommon. Some MAPs sadly internalize social attitudes that wrongly label these attractions abnormal or harmful, but doing so is not in any way beneficial to the individual. It is worth remembering that you cannot 'cure' your attraction to people of any age or gender, and attempting to do so will likely cause distress. There may be some benefit to counseling for those who are struggling with negative thought patterns and mental health issues connected to their oppression, but disclosing an attraction to minors is ''incredibly dangerous''. Only counselors approved by [[B4U-ACT|B4U-ACT]] are safe; unfortunately, they are also expensive. Regardless of how much you trust your therapist, you must still refrain from disclosing any criminalized actions you have engaged in due to '''mandatory reporting''' requirements.

Peer support groups like LifeLine are also available, and I personally donate time to this highly recommended service.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.b4uact.org B4U-ACT], [https://lifeline.chat LifeLine], [[Research:_Prevalence|Prevalence of Minor-Attraction]], [[Research:_A_%22cure%22_for_pedophilia%3F|No 'Cure' for Pedophilia]], [https://www.brianribbon.com/short-takes/a-sincere-fuck-you-to-the-get-help-brigade A Sincere Fuck You to the Get Help Brigade], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/chemical-castration-nah-here-are-ways-to-increase-your-libido-as-a-map Chemical Castration? Nah.]

===You Should Respect Your Brothers (and Sisters)===

[[File:Flagmf.png|thumb|Credit: MytheBe]]

* MAPs are pushed to the brink by the horrific onslaught of sociolegal oppression.
* Even when MAPs have engaged in behaviors we feel are ethically unsound, we should still support them.
* There is a journey from self-hate, to self-acceptance with limits, to pro-choice enlightenment.
* If MAPs are outright opposed to reformist ideas, we need to gently push them in the right direction.

MAPs are oppressed more than any other group in the western world. We are denied the fundamental right to love, to express our sexuality even in unambiguously harmless ways, to feel safe from being hunted, and to merely share our feelings with family, friends, and medical professionals. Against the backdrop of these extreme and debilitating challenges, it is not surprising that some MAPs behave in ways that are harmful or irresponsible. While it is natural to criticize genuinely harmful behaviors, we should nonetheless remain steadfast in our support of each other as MAPs.

Furthermore, we should (''within reason'') respect those who have differing views on AMSC and other issues, while gently trying to nudge anti-reformist MAPs toward a more logical reformist approach.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.map-union.org/blog/mu-analysis-map-mental-health-crisis MAP Mental Health Crisis], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/pro-reform-thoughts-on-the-push Clarification on 'The Push']

==='Child Protection' is an Industry===

* The modern 'child protection' narrative supports a variety of charities that exaggerate or invent problems to keep funding flowing in.
* The psychology industry makes a fortune treating victims of 'CSA'.
* Governments use 'child protection' to pass increasingly draconian laws.

When 'concerns' about 'abuse' are published in the media, they are often packaged with quotes from charities whose goal is supposedly to prevent abuse. One such charity is the aforementioned Internet Watch Foundation, who have been extremely active in inducing hysteria over AI and 'grooming'. They do this not to protect children, but to ensure their own survival. The IWF, notably, is meaningless in an age of 'CSAM' being mostly AI and kids messing around on camera. Governments are all too happy to work with such organizations to push a hysterical narrative, allowing them to enact extreme draconian laws that give the state sweeping new powers to control citizens. Meanwhile, the psychology industry earns huge sums of money treating 'CSA victims', thus even young people who are not victims must be led to believe they are so at the expense of their well-being.

'''Further reading''': [[Debate_Guide:_Child_abuse_industry|Child Abuse Industry (Debate Guide)]], [https://www.map-union.org/blog/the-crime-and-policing-bill-teardown-what-you-need-to-know-as-a-map The Crime and Policing Bill Teardown]

==='Child Protection' is an Excuse for Hate===

[[File:Hate1.png|thumb|A typical example of anti-MAP commentary]]

* Most people hate MAPs '''simply for existing'''.
* Anything a MAP does (including looking at lolicon, etc.) is spuriously labeled 'harmful' to keep up the '''pretense''' of 'protecting children'.
* There is '''little difference''' between hating MAPs, black people, Jewish people, or LGBT people.

Virtually all of the hatred that would have been slung at gays, blacks, or Jews is now directed at MAPs. In the modern world, however, expressing hatred over simply being grossed out is much less acceptable. Therefore, most people use 'child protection' as a mask. "Children can't consent" is as absurd as stating that "gays molest children" or "women are incapable of ''x''". Claims that MAPs are dangerous are no different to claims that "black people are criminals" or "Jews take everyone's money". There have always been supposedly 'reasonable' excuses for hate, yet hate has remained the driving force.

Watching criminalized images allegedly 'harms children' through some voodoo magic. It is a pure logical absurdity. Even AI images of children apparently somehow threaten the cosmically aligned ''souls'' of children as a whole.

We need to be honest about the fact that '''humanity is no better than it's ever been''', and hating MAPs is no different to hating any other group based on who they are. Let's call our detractors out for their blind hatred dishonestly masked as 'protection' and 'harm prevention'.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/illuminating-the-horror Illuminating the Horror], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/what-can-a-bizarre-video-teach-us-about-combating-map-hate What Can a Bizarre Video Teach Us About Combating MAP Hate?], [[List_of_anti-MAP_quotes|Anti-MAP Quotes]]

===MAP Censorship is Severe===

* Online and offline speech are censored by corporations and MAPphobia
* '''Effective free speech is challenging''', with MAPs relegated to obscure low-traffic websites.
* Harmless expressions of sexuality are criminalized

While MAPs may theoretically enjoy the same legal protections regarding free speech as any other group, the reality is quite different. Almost every major platform censors pro-MAP comments, even comments that are incredibly benign. Likewise, harmless of expressions of MAP sexuality through arts are criminalized in many jurisdictions; this can include drawings, writings, AI generations, even statues! In practice, MAPs can only express themselves very cautiously on their own sites hosted by 'bulletproof' hosting companies. This is not ''effective'' free speech or expression.

'''Further reading''': [[Bluesky_pedophilia_controversy|Bluesky Pedophilia Controversy]], [[Censorship|Newgon Wiki's Article on Censorship]], [[Wikipedia_censorship_of_MAP_related_topics|Wikipedia Censorship]], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/locked-in-the-toybox-weston-wikipedia-and-the-modern-web Locked in the Toybox], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/the-unfortunate-inevitability-of-political-violence The Unfortunate Inevitability of Political Violence], [https://www.boychat.org/messages/1646399.htm Effective Free Speech]

===MAPs are Victims of Mass Violence===

[[File:threat.jpg|thumb|A YouTube commentator advertising his 'cure' for pedophilia. He would later go on to doxx and threaten a prominent MAP activist]]

* Vigilante attacks are increasing.
* Arrest and/or imprisonment for non-violent offenses constitutes violence.
* MAPs convicted of 'crimes' are coerced to take drugs that inhibit natural sexual feelings

MAPs are increasingly victims of violence. One particularly disturbing 'trend' is that of vigilante attacks, where MAPs are brutally beaten with hammers or hunted down like animals with crossbows. The public can do anything they like to MAPs, amounting essentially to torture, and the authorities will complain only about their cases being tainted or about 'innocent' people potentially getting caught up in the fracas. Meanwhile, MAPs are increasingly coerced to take chemical castratants or even undergo ''physical castration'' when the problem is not their sexual orientation, but absurd laws that criminalize even consensual behavior and the mere viewing of images that typically do not depict abuse. We should also call out the large-scale imprisonment over non-violent offenses for what it is: '''mass violence perpetrated against our community'''.

'''Further reading''': [https://gigazine.net/gsc_news/en/20250402-pedophile-hunting-violence Social Media Vigilantes], [https://armaghi.com/news/craigavon-news/paedophile-hunter-armed-with-crossbow-charged-with-litany-of-offences/63304 Report on Crossbow Attack], [https://apnews.com/article/louisiana-castration-sex-crimes-dc6763a2b6a144cf05d92174df032a63 Physical Castration in Louisiana], [[Vigilantism|Newgon Wiki's Article on Vigilantism]]

===You Should Defend Yourself Against Violence===

* MAPs '''should not co-operate with authorities''' beyond what is legally required.
* MAPs should not take any medicines that inhibit their natural sexual feelings.
* MAPs '''should defend themselves against physical violence''' to the extent they are lawfully allowed to do so.

As will be elaborated below, MAPs should be as resistant toward police (state-sponsored thugs) as legally possible. The police may ''act nice'', but they are tasked with perpetrating violence against MAPs through their enforcement of insanely MAPphobic laws.

MAPs should not allow themselves to be drugged unless they have a genuine problem with sexual ''violence''; their sexual orientation is not in any way an illness or disease to be treated. If necessary, you may state that you will take the medicine, but then '''not actually take it'''.

Finally, MAPs should defend themselves against physical violence using whatever methods of self-defense are legally permissible, instead of pathetically cowering and begging for forgiveness. Being caught in a vigilante sting does '''not''' necessitate tolerating violence; the MAP is the '''victim''' and should stand up for themself. In some jurisdictions, use of lethal force is permitted when threatened.

'''Further reading''': [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand-your-ground_law Stand-your-ground Laws], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_castration Chemical Castration and its Harms], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/the-miserable-little-bully-named-slyboy The Miserable Little Bully]

===You Should Secure Your Device===

[[File:Veracrypt.png|thumb|Securing your device is vital as a MAP activist]]

''This section is written from the position that MAPs are endangered even if they are not engaging in criminalized activity. It is not intended to assist with concealing evidence of criminalized behavior.''

* Secure operating systems such as TAILS and Whonix protect you from being traced.
* Mobile devices are never secure.
* Encryption programs (VeraCrypt, etc.) offer a variety of tools to secure your data, even in authoritarian countries like the UK.
* Although it sounds obvious, '''don't be careless'''.

To keep yourself safe as a MAP, you need to practice good operational security. This starts with a secure operating system; the absolute safest options are Tails and Whonix. Mobile devices, especially cell phones, should be avoided. To keep your MAP-related activity secure on your computer, use full-disk encryption. Consider also a hidden container if you live in a country where courts can order the disclosure of a password; you would be able to comply with the order without endangering yourself.

Equally important is ''not doing anything stupid''. Do not allow your computer monitor to be visible through a window, do not leave your data unencrypted while going to the store or taking a shower even if it's 'convenient', and do not disclose excessive personal information about yourself.

'''Further reading''': [https://tails.net/ Tails], [https://www.whonix.org/ Whonix], [https://veracrypt.io/en/Downloads.html VeraCrypt], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/ripa-in-reality-why-british-people-should-still-encrypt RIPA in Reality (UK Law)]

===Never Co-operate!===

* Police will often act nice if they don't have a warrant.
* Never try to argue your innocence to police.
* Co-operating doesn't help you.

If police show up at your door, they may or may not have a warrant. Should they have a search warrant, allow them to serve it and let your legal representative later try to challenge it. Should they ''not'' have a warrant, they will likely not be direct or aggressive, but nicely and non-threateningly ask if they can enter your property ("do you mind if we come in for a moment?"). The answer to this should be "'''No, I don't want to let you in'''". If they ask why, remind them that you are not required to give a reason and that you do not wish to talk to them. They may tell you they believe you're innocent, or they just want to clear up a misunderstanding, or some other bullshit that encourages you to try to 'prove your innocence'. Do not fall for this.

If police have a warrant, comply only to the extent that you are required. If they make ''any'' request of you, ask if you are legally required to comply. If you are not legally required to comply, do not co-operate. Do not volunteer any devices. Do not volunteer any passwords. In some jurisdictions, a court can order you to provide a password, but police cannot force you to do this without that specific lawful order.

Remember that no matter how nice they act, and no matter what they say, the police are your '''enemy'''.

'''Further reading''': [https://zakfisherlaw.com/index.php/2025/02/25/six-ways/ Police Manipulation Tactics]

===Enemies of the MAP Community===

[[File:Finkelhorlarge.jpeg|thumb|David Finkelhor is one of the primary architects of 'CSA' hysteria]]

* 'Charities' that profit through spreading hysteria (example: Internet Watch Foundation).
* Law enforcement figures who threaten and slander MAPs, or misrepresent issues (example: Europol).
* 'Professionals' who kickstarted and maintain the CSA industry (example: David Finkelhor).
* Politicians who garner attention via anti-MAP rhetoric (example: Anna Paulina Luna).
* Vigilante groups (example: Dads Against Predators).
* Social media corporations who censor MAPs (example: Bluesky).
* Content creators who bully MAPs to gain a following (example: Liam Bennett Smith (Sly Boy)).

The MAP community has many enemies. These include charities who profiteer by spreading hysteria, law enforcement organizations that exaggerate the 'horrors' they have to deal with (most cases are non-violent and fairly harmless), politicians who push extreme laws to get attention, violent vigilante groups who often violently attack MAPs, the 'professionals' in the psychology industry who spread the 'CSA' narrative, the platforms that censor anyone identifying as a MAP, and those who use us to make a name for themselves.

'''Further reading''': [https://absolutezerounites.blogspot.com/ Blog About Anti-MAP Vigilantes], [https://forum.map-union.org/viewtopic.php?t=2517 Mu Forum Vigilante Thread], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/fuck-the-kids-in-every-way-but-that-or-why-america-is-a-hypocritical-monster "Fuck The Kids In Every Way But That" (Profiteering Politicians)], [https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-56404743 Police Chief Simon Bailey Threatens Non-Offending MAPs], [[NSPCC]], [[David Finkelhor]], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/the-miserable-little-bully-named-slyboy Sly Boy]

==A Crucial Elaboration on Mischaracterizations of MAP Attraction and AMSC==

[[File:Mentorsmall.png|thumb|This is what an AF-YF relationship looks like]]

* MAP fantasies are typically warm and loving.
* AMSC is normally consensual, playful and tender.
* Any condemnation based on the realities of MAP attraction and AMSC are borne of ignorance and intolerance.

Beyond the obvious hatred of a person simply being ''different'' - a consistent motivator of discrimination, incarceration, and murder throughout human history - the '''false framing of MAP fantasies and sexual interactions''' represents a huge barrier to liberation. Most people likely imagine MAP fantasies and interactions as violent assaults, or acts of extreme manipulation.

The reality could hardly be more different. While the motivations and fantasies of MAPs do vary as with any other sexual orientation, Mu's 2024 community survey revealed a major tendency toward emotional and romantic attraction. This goes hand-in-hand with tender and playful fantasies that are notably ''less'' aggressive than those of regular straight or gay men.

Most MAPs who admit to having had sexual contact with minors describe situations in which the young person was curious, or simply sexually worked up. Interactions were typically youth-focused; for example, a man might perform oral on a happy boy. This is particularly common among hebephilic men, and represents nothing more than a young person involving a close adult companion in normal youthful activities. In fact, as a cautious boylover who has had many platonic friends in the 11-13 year-old age range, I have had to turn down both implied and rather less subtle advances from some quite attractive boys who were curious about sex. That is ''simply absurd''.

Far from being sadistic hypersexuals, most MAPs are romanticists who would simply like to participate in a child or teen's world, including the sexual components.

At least one of the following must be true:

* Regular straight and gay people are viewing MAP fantasies and relationships through their own sadistic lens.
* Regular straight and gay people are fully onboard with the wanton demonization of an entire group of people, without evidence.
* Regular straight and gay people are simply disgusted by AMSC, even if it's loving and harmless.

==MAPs Need to Stop Pretending This is All OK==

===My feelings===

Our community should be absolutely outraged by the utter evisceration of our lives and futures. No other people face the same global condemnation and subjugation, to be left with absolutely nowhere safe to go. We cannot confidently share our thoughts and feelings with anyone, not even the therapists whom the vile public scream at us to go and visit. Mainstream platforms block us with the most miserable of excuses, and nobody cares.

Any representation of a minor is deemed 'harmful', even when it's merely pencil on a page, justified through lies proliferated by the most disgusting of 'charities' that profiteer at our expense. Our beautiful desire for loving and tender relationships with young people is framed as violent and sadistic, the equivalent of a brutal and monstrous rape. Should anyone say "''fuck it''" and follow their heart, their lives will be permanently destroyed along with the lives of any young lovers left in the wake.

The public don't really want to protect children; that is just an excuse to mask the horrific bad-faith brutality of the human race. 'Modern' people enjoy the blood sport of hunting down our brothers and sisters, no matter how 'virtuous' they may be. They cheer like medieval brutes at the gallows as they watch a timid young man get twenty years for porn. They would murder us for our thoughts if they could... and perhaps that's only a matter of time.

[[File:Maprev4.jpeg|thumb]]

If you're a MAP, remember this. Other MAPs are your friends, and the rest of humanity deserves a reckoning for what it has done to us. That doesn't mean going out and rioting, but it does mean standing up proud and not letting the world's vicious and cynical demonization of our community cloud your love for yourself. MAP love is beautiful. Never feel ashamed!

Go out and make young friends; our enemies hate nothing more. Express yourself to the fullest extent you can without risking legal trouble. The world has stripped us of almost everything, but we should make the absolute most of what is left, while fighting back aggressively over what has been stolen.

===Why you should feel angry too===

'''See also: [[Essay:A_Call_for_the_Abolition_of_Apathy | ''A Call For The Abolition of Apathy'']]'''

When a friend advertised some of my writing on a darknet forum, the responses relayed back to me were truly horrifying. Many people took a disinterested approach in their oppression. "Why be angry?", they asked.

MAPs are presently forced to choose between two utterly terrifying outcomes:

* Living a completely clean life without ever expressing one's sexuality, even in the most detached artistic form.
* The constant fear and risk of imprisonment, possible violence or even murder in prison, one's life permanently ruined.

The sexual frustration is huge for a large number of MAPs, especially those in the rotten jurisdictions that criminalize AI and cartoon images, but that's only part of it. What really gets to me is the legal impossibility of safe and lawful intimacy. Sex is not just about ejaculating, but about truly expressing your love, and MAPs are denied this under threat of being incarcerated and permanently tarred. A boylover who performs oral on a boy may well be labeled a ''rapist'' in the eyes of the law, and in media articles that equate his tender expression of love with violent penetration of a tiny, screaming child.

For those that do get caught up in the system, the outcome can be brutal. [[Essay:A_Call_for_the_Abolition_of_Apathy#Prison_Violence | Nitro's story]], of having his ankle shattered during his incarceration for merely possessing Azov movies, is one particularly enraging example. A man in Louisiana will be facing [https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/louisiana-pedophile-agrees-physical-chemical-castration-cut-prison-time-what-know-about-1741843 physical castration] prior to release, thanks to a new law passed in that state in 2024. Meanwhile, there are many cases of men being murdered after being [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/mu-lowdown-10-times-americas-sex-offender-registry-was-used-with-lethal-effect stalked] using the public sex offender registries that exist in countries like the US.

Those who fully trust in the darknet to keep themselves safe cannot sit comfortably either. Authorities are now [[Essay:A_Call_for_the_Abolition_of_Apathy#No_Safe_Place_to_Hide | able]] to monitor the Tor network to detect a proportion of users connecting to hidden services whose real IP address has been discovered (something which eventually happens to all hidden services targeted by the authorities). The process relies on random luck for the police, or bad luck for the MAP, and there's little anyone can do to ensure their safety if visiting such sites.

Should a MAP struggle with these impossible choices, there are few safe avenues for support. Peer support sites like LifeLine exist, but the volunteers are not trained counselors. B4U-ACT can connect MAPs with qualified counselors who are happy to talk with MAPs, but these people are mostly in America, and unaffordable for the majority. Likewise, MAPs have to constantly hide their sexual orientation from friends and even family, adding to the emotional burden. I know a number of MAPs who are married and not even out to their wife.

What MAPs actually want, in most cases, is to care for and love a young person, and to also express that love sexually. To have this so cynically exploited and reduced to accusations of sadism, soul-stealing, or whatever they want to call it, is incredibly hurtful. But it's not just about 'hurtful accusations'; the actual effects of MAP hysteria are crushing, often life destroying. If you're a MAP and don't feel angry about this, take your fingers out of your ears and rip the blindfold off your face.

==Rational First Steps to Improve our Situation==

[[File:MAPFteacher20.png|thumb|Credit: Beefriend]]

As you may perhaps have inferred from the few paragraphs above, I am enraged with regular people for what they have done to us, and you should feel the same way! But going on a killing spree would not help anyone, including us, so instead let's discuss step-by-step reform. It's altogether less gory, and you can even do it while sipping a nice glass of whiskey.

===Be Proud===

The first step you can take is to fully accept yourself as a MAP. This means not feeling bad no matter who you love, whether you're attracted to teenagers or toddlers. Your self-acceptance should ''not'' be predicated on statements like "I have these feelings but I know that acting on them would be horrific". While I won't recommend sexual contact with minors due to the risk of secondary harm and other sociolegal consequences, it is ''vital'' to understand that what you desire is ''not inherently harmful''. Furthermore, if you do have fantasies that would be genuinely harmful if acted upon, you need to understand that the same could be said for people of any orientation; 'normal' men regularly fantasize about women who wouldn't consent to sex with them in reality.

===Be Honest... to an Extent===

While you can't realistically advocate decriminalization of AMSC to your friends, or on social media, you can encourage moderate perspectives as opposed to the current extremist takes. When MAP-related issues come up during conversations with acquaintances, consider making comments such as:

* "I heard that most pornographic videos of kids are self-produced by teenagers."
* "I actually read that most sex offenders don't re-offend."
* "Apparently there are a lot more pedophiles than we think, just most don't act on it."
* "I feel kind of sorry for people who are into kids but never hurt anyone."
* "Maybe it's just me, but I was a horny kid. If a hot woman (guy) had gotten with me, I'd probably have been pretty happy."

Making comments like this is not suspicious. It can even make people feel a bit embarrassed if they're expressing an excessively extreme or violent opinion. Pretty much everyone knows a MAP; if more of us did this (without coming out), it would act as something of a check to the perception that society wholesale tolerates extremity against MAPs.

===Re-Frame MAP Fantasies and AMSC===

[[File:Hug.png|thumb|AF-YF love is beautiful and should be celebrated]]

When writing on sites that permit such advocacy, which are admittedly few and far between, it is important to clarify the reality of MAP fantasies and AMSC.

These realities have already been discussed at length above, and there is no need to repeat here.

===Support Your MAP Friends===

I am guilty of having made comments that are excessively critical of the anti-contact community, despite my work as a teen MAP essentially being a precursor to the modern NOMAP movement. I do feel that anti-contact advocacy is problematic, relying entirely on the highly questionable claim that protection of children is the primary motivator of MAP hate. I also feel that NOMAPs are almost universally disbelieved, even when they are genuine.

However, it is important for all members our community to respect each other, even when disputes occur over contact stances and other divisive issues. Earlier this year, I made forum posts accusing anti-contact MAPs of being traitors, which was unhelpful to say the least. Pro-choice MAPs should support anti-contact MAPs on their journey from self-hate, to anti-contact self-acceptance, to full philosophical acceptance of both feelings and expression. This goes both ways, however; anti-contact MAPs should also respect those who have 'offended', recognizing the extreme challenges MAPs face in such a hostile world.

The [[Essay:Pro-Reform:_The_Rational_Middle_Ground|Pro-Reform Framework]] offers a moderate middle ground for those who are neither fully pro-choice, nor entirely anti-contact in philosophy.

===Make MAPness Normal===

As a MAP who actually loves children, not a representative of mainstream society that hates MAPs and only pretends to be concerned about children, I believe harm reduction is paramount. I don't want to abandon ''harm reduction'' arguments; avoiding harm to young people is extremely important to me. However, I think our community is engaging sub-optimally with the public when focusing only on why MAPness or its expression is not harmful. The reality is that most people hate MAPs because they think we're weird, disgusting, deviant.

We are often accused of trying to 'normalize' MAPness, and while I'm not sure that's really accurate, it ''is'' something we should be focusing on. If MAP hate is predicated on hatred of grossness and deviance, then desensitization and promotion of MAP feelings as normal are crucial angles of attack. Perhaps the reason our detractors are so terrified of 'normalization' is that it strikes at the very heart of what sustains their witch hunt.

One way of achieving this goal is by ''trolling''. Outrage over the plan to hold a 'MAP Camp', while not an attempt at ragebait, resulted in pro-MAP messages being published by the traditional media and on social media platforms. We can intentionally [[Essay:"Pedophile trolling"?|generate]] such drama by publishing content that we know will lead to similar reactions.

===Be a Great AF===

Before getting knee-deep in activism, I had a lot of platonic YFs. I met some of them through work; others were simply neighbors. Granted, this is much easier in the country I reside in. However, I've heard of MAPs making YFs in unlikely ways even in absolutely hysterical countries like the US and the UK; it's not impossible.

If you would like to live in a less paranoid country and also work with beautiful boys or girls, consider teaching abroad. There are job opportunities in virtually every country, some much better than others. Most TEFL positions require a degree and a background check, while international school jobs will have stricter requirements.

Whatever you do, be a ''good'' AF who leaves their YFs with positive memories of the friendship. If every MAP did this, there would be a lot of former YFs walking around who are at least highly supportive of adult-minor friendships. Ultimately, this is a way of making MAPness normal.

I've published a [https://forum.map-union.org/viewtopic.php?t=1867 guide] and [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/why-every-responsible-map-should-spend-time-with-children article] on making young friends, and I'm happy to help those who do not express criminalized intentions.

===Don't be an Easy Target===

[[File:Manwithgun.jpeg|thumb|Defend yourself to the fullest extent of the law]]

One of the reasons why MAPs are so voraciously hunted is because we are a very easy target. Pretty much every avenue of sexual expression is a crime, and yet many people do reckless things. Police may look the other way when vigilantes attack us, assuming a report is even made. And so, we are targeted mercilessly.

'''We have to stop allowing ourselves to be easy targets.'''

This means not doing stupid things like downloading criminalized images from file-sharing networks or messengers like Discord. It means not keeping MAP-related data unencrypted on your device. Likewise, using phones or other mobile devices for MAP-related matters is a bad idea. Improving your technical security requires a learning curve, but it isn't hard once you get used to it. If you can learn how to play a computer game, or how to do a semi-skilled job, you can set up a system that will keep you safe.

If police do show up at your door, don't throw yourselves to the wolves. Without a warrant, the police will almost certainly pretend to be your friends, but they are in fact your enemy. Their job is to do whatever it takes to get you to say anything that can be used against you. Don't talk about the weather, or the sports game you saw last night. Don't try to prove your innocence; telling them that you only have legal pictures of children will not help your case. Should they actually have a warrant, ask them if you are legally compelled to do whatever they ask of you, and refuse to co-operate beyond the absolute legal minimum. You do not have to give police your passwords ''without a specific order'', one which they won't have at the time of a raid.

Finally, self-defense. I do not recommend meeting up with minors you talked to online, ''ever''; it is almost always a sting. That said, if you are ever in a position where you feel you may be attacked for being a MAP, be ready to defend yourself lawfully. One of the reasons why people bully MAPs so frequently is that most targets cower in fear and grovel for forgiveness, which gives the bullies exactly what they want. This has to change. Note that if you live in a stand-your-ground jurisdiction, you may even be legally permitted to use lethal force to defend yourself.

===Video-based Advocacy===

These days, a lot of people source their information from videos posted on sites like YouTube and even TikTok. However, the number of MAPs making videos is extremely small. First of all, major platforms are highly censorious, especially when it comes to pro-MAP content. Second, most MAPs are unwilling to show their faces, for obvious reasons. Nonetheless, the [https://fstube.net FreeSpeechTube] platform offers low-censorship hosting, and is particularly popular with MAPs. And for those who are rightly afraid, it is possible to make videos without showing your face, albeit less effective. What I would question most is why the hundreds of thousands of MAPs who have already been outed do not publish pro-MAP videos when so many of them have very little left to lose. Come on, guys...

===Fiction-based Advocacy===

Most people are, unfortunately, more readily swayed by emotions than facts. While it is remarkably difficult to become a ''prominent'' author, those who have a talent for writing fiction may consider publishing stories that have a subtle pro-MAP message. In fictional works, the reader tends to side with the protagonist even when they would ordinarily not side with such a person. Pushing people to empathize with a fictional MAP may well nudge them closer to supporting MAPs in real life.

With self-publishing features offered by sites like Amazon, it is not hard to get started as a writer. The challenge, of course, is in finding an audience.

==Resources==

'''[https://wiki.yesmap.net Newgon Wiki]''' - Contains a plethora of resources to help you publish and defend pro-MAP arguments.

'''[https://www.map-union.org MAP Union]''' - A moderate pro-MAP advocacy group.

'''[https://forum.map-union.org MAP Forum]''' - An activism-based forum for MAPs.

'''[https://www.brianribbon.com Brian Ribbon]''' - My personal blog, offering fresh insights and commentary on MAP-related and other issues.

'''[https://fstube.net Free Speech Tube]''' - A place to publish pro-MAP videos.

'''[https://b4uact.org B4U-ACT]''' - The ''only'' people you should ever contact if you need professional mental health support.

'''[https://lifeline.chat LifeLine Chat]''' - Peer support service for MAPs (open only when a volunteer is available).

==Contact==

Feel free to contact me at ''contact (at) brianribbon (dot) com''.

Alternatively, come and join the discussion at Mu's '''MAP Forum''', where I frequently hang out.

The Manifesto of the Unapologetic MAP

2025-12-21T11:02:00Z

BLueRibbon: /* Be Proud and Accept Yourself! */

<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''The Manifesto of the Unapologetic MAP'''

November 20, 2025 ◆ '''BLueRibbon'''

<hr>

There is no group in the western world more brutally and blatantly oppressed than MAPs. The problem is now so extreme that, shockingly, we see members of our community internalizing the most absurd of aspersions cast against us. Here you will find an unwaveringly proud and unapologetic manifesto intended as a reference point for aggressive pro-MAP activists.

There are no concessions made here. I don't believe that any consensual expression of sexuality is ''necessarily'' harmful, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise. However, for advocacy purposes, I continue to recommend the [[Essay:Pro-Reform:_The_Rational_Middle_Ground|Pro-Reform Framework]] I introduced last year, alongside the other proposals at the bottom of the manifesto.

==A Summary of Truths and Perspectives==

===Be Proud and Accept Yourself!===

* Foremost, MAPs should feel '''absolutely no shame''' over their sexual feelings for people of any age.
* Minor-attraction is not '''not inherently sadistic or abusive'''; it is connected to the same feelings of '''warmth, love and longing''' as any other sexual orientation.
* Minor-attraction is a fixed sexuality like any other, not a disease or mental illness.

It is quite horrific that so many MAPs arrive at message boards like MAP Forum, or regrettably at VirPed, hating themselves for their feelings of love and desire toward young people. There is no explanation for this other than the internalization of society's brutally oppressive discourse and treatment with regard to MAPs. What MAPs truly desire is the ability to fully express their love, not to inflict harm. Instead of feeling bad about supposedly 'wanting to hurt children', MAPs should be ''raging'' against society's horrific mischaracterization and criminalization of their beautiful sexual orientation.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.map-union.org/blog/press-release-addressing-misunderstandings-about-maps Addressing Misunderstandings About MAPs (Mu)], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/some-benefits-of-being-a-map Some Benefits of Being a MAP], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/why-every-responsible-map-should-spend-time-with-children Why Every Responsible MAP Should Spend Time With Children]

===Adult-Minor Sexual Contact is not Abuse===

* Adult-Minor Sexual Contact (AMSC) is typically an '''expression of love''' as well as lust.
* Condemnation of AMSC is derived from puritanical beliefs, later turned into a pseudoscience.
* Claims that harm has been 'proven' are based on studies with notable sample bias.
* Secondary harm is real, and this impacts newer studies on AMSC.

Historically, the age of consent around the world varied from 7 to 12 years old. In the late 19th century, social reformists in the UK and US lobbied relentlessly to raise the age of consent to 16 or 18, as part of a broader range of 'reforms' intended to foist puritanical attitudes upon the public and shore up political support for their various other campaigns and ventures. Later, the burgeoning modern psychiatric industry twisted the reformists' puritanical scorn into a pseudoscience, creating an entirely new 'CSA' industry. The quality of research was poor; it suffered from extreme sample bias, and it failed to distinguish between real and secondary harm. The notion of harm inherent in ''consensual'' sexual activity between adults and minors is almost entirely socially constructed; a result of religious, political and financial profiteering. If you're a MAP, you should '''not''' accept the hurtful accusation that what you desire is automatically and inherently harmful.

'''Further reading''': [[Research:_Prevalence_of_Harm_and_Negative_Outcomes|Prevalence of Harm]], [[Research:_Secondary_Harm|Secondary Harm]], [[Research:_Methodological_flaws_and_syndrome_construction|Methodological Flaws in 'CSA' Research]], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_consent#History_and_social_attitudes Age of Consent (History)]

==='CSAM' is a Lie===

[[File:Iwfpenetrative.png|thumb|Category A is considered the most 'serious', often presented to the media as depicting the violent abuse of children]]

* Much of what is labeled 'CSAM' is '''not children being violently assaulted''', but under-18s posing or playing with peers.
* In many jurisdictions, even lolicon and shotacon can lead to prosecutions and sex offender registration.
* There is no evidence that viewing criminalized depictions of children leads to other criminalized behaviors.
* MAPs need to call out the IWF, law enforcement, and governments as '''liars and profiteers'''.

What do 'charities' like the [[Internet Watch Foundation]], law enforcement organizations such as Europol, and governments seeking to push through new laws have in common? They all insist that criminalized depictions of minors must be labeled 'CSAM'. They claim they are fighting the production and trade of horrific images of videos of young children being violently assaulted. The reality? Evidence indicates that most criminalized depictions of minors are of teenagers messing around on camera, or of nudes not that dissimilar to what may be found in grandma's photo album. Contacts familiar with the 'scene' confirm that images and videos of adults having sex with children do exist, but even these are typically not violent or aggressive, and most sites in fact prohibit anything extreme. Of course, the public cannot legally verify the claims made about 'CSAM', so entities who want to make up stories may do so with impunity. Let's call these entities what they are: '''manipulative, profiteering scum'''. Never use the grossly inaccurate term 'CSAM' to apply to criminalized depictions of minors. And when the topic arises, be sure to let acquaintances know that a lot of criminalized material is actually self-produced.

'''Further reading''': [[Research:_Child_Pornography|Research on Child Pornography]], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/pro-reform-a-logical-approach-to-pim A Logical Approach to PIM], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/the-smoke-and-mirrors-behind-ai-hysteria-in-the-uk Smoke and Mirrors], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/chat-control-how-the-eu-will-exploit-children-for-power Chat Control]

===You Shouldn't Necessarily 'Get Help'===

* '''Being attracted to minors doesn't mean you need to 'get help''''.
* Never disclose illegal activity to a therapist, even if you want to stop. Don't even drop hints.
* If you need help dealing with the stress of living within a brutally oppressive society, contact B4U-ACT (a pro-MAP service).

Being attracted to minors is '''normal''', and even being attracted to pre-pubescent children is not that uncommon. Some MAPs sadly internalize social attitudes that wrongly label these attractions abnormal or harmful, but doing so is not in any way beneficial to the individual. It is worth remembering that you cannot 'cure' your attraction to people of any age or gender, and attempting to do so will likely cause distress. There may be some benefit to counseling for those who are struggling with negative thought patterns and mental health issues connected to their oppression, but disclosing an attraction to minors is ''incredibly dangerous''. Only counselors approved by [[B4U-ACT|B4U-ACT]] are safe; unfortunately, they are also expensive. Regardless of how much you trust your therapist, you must still refrain from disclosing any criminalized actions you have engaged in due to '''mandatory reporting''' requirements.

Peer support groups like LifeLine are also available, and I personally donate time to this highly recommended service.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.b4uact.org B4U-ACT], [https://lifeline.chat LifeLine], [[Research:_Prevalence|Prevalence of Minor-Attraction]], [[Research:_A_%22cure%22_for_pedophilia%3F|No 'Cure' for Pedophilia]], [https://www.brianribbon.com/short-takes/a-sincere-fuck-you-to-the-get-help-brigade A Sincere Fuck You to the Get Help Brigade], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/chemical-castration-nah-here-are-ways-to-increase-your-libido-as-a-map Chemical Castration? Nah.]

===You Should Respect Your Brothers (and Sisters)===

[[File:Flagmf.png|thumb|Credit: MytheBe]]

* MAPs are pushed to the brink by the horrific onslaught of sociolegal oppression.
* Even when MAPs have engaged in behaviors we feel are ethically unsound, we should still support them.
* There is a journey from self-hate, to self-acceptance with limits, to pro-choice enlightenment.
* If MAPs are outright opposed to reformist ideas, we need to gently push them in the right direction.

MAPs are oppressed more than any other group in the western world. We are denied the fundamental right to love, to express our sexuality even in unambiguously harmless ways, to feel safe from being hunted, and to merely share our feelings with family, friends, and medical professionals. Against the backdrop of these extreme and debilitating challenges, it is not surprising that some MAPs behave in ways that are harmful or irresponsible. While it is natural to criticize genuinely harmful behaviors, we should nonetheless remain steadfast in our support of each other as MAPs.

Furthermore, we should (''within reason'') respect those who have differing views on AMSC and other issues, while gently trying to nudge anti-reformist MAPs toward a more logical reformist approach.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.map-union.org/blog/mu-analysis-map-mental-health-crisis MAP Mental Health Crisis], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/pro-reform-thoughts-on-the-push Clarification on 'The Push']

==='Child Protection' is an Industry===

* The modern 'child protection' narrative supports a variety of charities that exaggerate or invent problems to keep funding flowing in.
* The psychology industry makes a fortune treating victims of 'CSA'.
* Governments use 'child protection' to pass increasingly draconian laws.

When 'concerns' about 'abuse' are published in the media, they are often packaged with quotes from charities whose goal is supposedly to prevent abuse. One such charity is the aforementioned Internet Watch Foundation, who have been extremely active in inducing hysteria over AI and 'grooming'. They do this not to protect children, but to ensure their own survival. The IWF, notably, is meaningless in an age of 'CSAM' being mostly AI and kids messing around on camera. Governments are all too happy to work with such organizations to push a hysterical narrative, allowing them to enact extreme draconian laws that give the state sweeping new powers to control citizens. Meanwhile, the psychology industry earns huge sums of money treating 'CSA victims', thus even young people who are not victims must be led to believe they are so at the expense of their well-being.

'''Further reading''': [[Debate_Guide:_Child_abuse_industry|Child Abuse Industry (Debate Guide)]], [https://www.map-union.org/blog/the-crime-and-policing-bill-teardown-what-you-need-to-know-as-a-map The Crime and Policing Bill Teardown]

==='Child Protection' is an Excuse for Hate===

[[File:Hate1.png|thumb|A typical example of anti-MAP commentary]]

* Most people hate MAPs '''simply for existing'''.
* Anything a MAP does (including looking at lolicon, etc.) is spuriously labeled 'harmful' to keep up the '''pretense''' of 'protecting children'.
* There is '''little difference''' between hating MAPs, black people, Jewish people, or LGBT people.

Virtually all of the hatred that would have been slung at gays, blacks, or Jews is now directed at MAPs. In the modern world, however, expressing hatred over simply being grossed out is much less acceptable. Therefore, most people use 'child protection' as a mask. "Children can't consent" is as absurd as stating that "gays molest children" or "women are incapable of ''x''". Claims that MAPs are dangerous are no different to claims that "black people are criminals" or "Jews take everyone's money". There have always been supposedly 'reasonable' excuses for hate, yet hate has remained the driving force.

Watching criminalized images allegedly 'harms children' through some voodoo magic. It is a pure logical absurdity. Even AI images of children apparently somehow threaten the cosmically aligned ''souls'' of children as a whole.

We need to be honest about the fact that '''humanity is no better than it's ever been''', and hating MAPs is no different to hating any other group based on who they are. Let's call our detractors out for their blind hatred dishonestly masked as 'protection' and 'harm prevention'.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/illuminating-the-horror Illuminating the Horror] [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/what-can-a-bizarre-video-teach-us-about-combating-map-hate What Can a Bizarre Video Teach Us About Combating MAP Hate?] [[List_of_anti-MAP_quotes|Anti-MAP Quotes]]

===MAP Censorship is Severe===

* Online and offline speech are censored by corporations and MAPphobia
* '''Effective free speech is challenging''', with MAPs relegated to obscure low-traffic websites.
* Harmless expressions of sexuality are criminalized

While MAPs may theoretically enjoy the same legal protections regarding free speech as any other group, the reality is quite different. Almost every major platform censors pro-MAP comments, even comments that are incredibly benign. Likewise, harmless of expressions of MAP sexuality through arts are criminalized in many jurisdictions; this can include drawings, writings, AI generations, even statues! In practice, MAPs can only express themselves very cautiously on their own sites hosted by 'bulletproof' hosting companies. This is not ''effective'' free speech or expression.

'''Further reading''': [[Bluesky_pedophilia_controversy|Bluesky Pedophilia Controversy]], [[Censorship|Newgon Wiki's Article on Censorship]], [[Wikipedia_censorship_of_MAP_related_topics|Wikipedia Censorship]], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/locked-in-the-toybox-weston-wikipedia-and-the-modern-web Locked in the Toybox], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/the-unfortunate-inevitability-of-political-violence The Unfortunate Inevitability of Political Violence], [https://www.boychat.org/messages/1646399.htm Effective Free Speech]

===MAPs are Victims of Mass Violence===

[[File:threat.jpg|thumb|A YouTube commentator advertising his 'cure' for pedophilia. He would later go on to doxx and threaten a prominent MAP activist]]

* Vigilante attacks are increasing.
* Arrest and/or imprisonment for non-violent offenses constitutes violence.
* MAPs convicted of 'crimes' are coerced to take drugs that inhibit natural sexual feelings

MAPs are increasingly victims of violence. One particularly disturbing 'trend' is that of vigilante attacks, where MAPs are brutally beaten with hammers or hunted down like animals with crossbows. The public can do anything they like to MAPs, amounting essentially to torture, and the authorities will complain only about their cases being tainted or about 'innocent' people potentially getting caught up in the fracas. Meanwhile, MAPs are increasingly coerced to take chemical castratants or even undergo ''physical castration'' when the problem is not their sexual orientation, but absurd laws that criminalize even consensual behavior and the mere viewing of images that typically do not depict abuse. We should also call out the large-scale imprisonment over non-violent offenses for what it is: '''mass violence perpetrated against our community'''.

'''Further reading''': [https://gigazine.net/gsc_news/en/20250402-pedophile-hunting-violence Social Media Vigilantes], [https://armaghi.com/news/craigavon-news/paedophile-hunter-armed-with-crossbow-charged-with-litany-of-offences/63304 Report on Crossbow Attack], [https://apnews.com/article/louisiana-castration-sex-crimes-dc6763a2b6a144cf05d92174df032a63 Physical Castration in Louisiana], [[Vigilantism|Newgon Wiki's Article on Vigilantism]]

===You Should Defend Yourself Against Violence===

* MAPs '''should not co-operate with authorities''' beyond what is legally required.
* MAPs should not take any medicines that inhibit their natural sexual feelings.
* MAPs '''should defend themselves against physical violence''' to the extent they are lawfully allowed to do so.

As will be elaborated below, MAPs should be as resistant toward police (state-sponsored thugs) as legally possible. The police may ''act nice'', but they are tasked with perpetrating violence against MAPs through their enforcement of insanely MAPphobic laws.

MAPs should not allow themselves to be drugged unless they have a genuine problem with sexual ''violence''; their sexual orientation is not in any way an illness or disease to be treated. If necessary, you may state that you will take the medicine, but then '''not actually take it'''.

Finally, MAPs should defend themselves against physical violence using whatever methods of self-defense are legally permissible, instead of pathetically cowering and begging for forgiveness. Being caught in a vigilante sting does '''not''' necessitate tolerating violence; the MAP is the '''victim''' and should stand up for themself. In some jurisdictions, use of lethal force is permitted when threatened.

'''Further reading''': [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand-your-ground_law Stand-your-ground Laws], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_castration Chemical Castration and its Harms], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/the-miserable-little-bully-named-slyboy The Miserable Little Bully]

===You Should Secure Your Device===

[[File:Veracrypt.png|thumb|Securing your device is vital as a MAP activist]]

''This section is written from the position that MAPs are endangered even if they are not engaging in criminalized activity. It is not intended to assist with concealing evidence of criminalized behavior.''

* Secure operating systems such as TAILS and Whonix protect you from being traced.
* Mobile devices are never secure.
* Encryption programs (VeraCrypt, etc.) offer a variety of tools to secure your data, even in authoritarian countries like the UK.
* Although it sounds obvious, '''don't be careless'''.

To keep yourself safe as a MAP, you need to practice good operational security. This starts with a secure operating system; the absolute safest options are Tails and Whonix. Mobile devices, especially cell phones, should be avoided. To keep your MAP-related activity secure on your computer, use full-disk encryption. Consider also a hidden container if you live in a country where courts can order the disclosure of a password; you would be able to comply with the order without endangering yourself.

Equally important is ''not doing anything stupid''. Do not allow your computer monitor to be visible through a window, do not leave your data unencrypted while going to the store or taking a shower even if it's 'convenient', and do not disclose excessive personal information about yourself.

'''Further reading''': [https://tails.net/ Tails], [https://www.whonix.org/ Whonix], [https://veracrypt.io/en/Downloads.html VeraCrypt], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/ripa-in-reality-why-british-people-should-still-encrypt RIPA in Reality (UK Law)]

===Never Co-operate!===

* Police will often act nice if they don't have a warrant.
* Never try to argue your innocence to police.
* Co-operating doesn't help you.

If police show up at your door, they may or may not have a warrant. Should they have a search warrant, allow them to serve it and let your legal representative later try to challenge it. Should they ''not'' have a warrant, they will likely not be direct or aggressive, but nicely and non-threateningly ask if they can enter your property ("do you mind if we come in for a moment?"). The answer to this should be "'''No, I don't want to let you in'''". If they ask why, remind them that you are not required to give a reason and that you do not wish to talk to them. They may tell you they believe you're innocent, or they just want to clear up a misunderstanding, or some other bullshit that encourages you to try to 'prove your innocence'. Do not fall for this.

If police have a warrant, comply only to the extent that you are required. If they make ''any'' request of you, ask if you are legally required to comply. If you are not legally required to comply, do not co-operate. Do not volunteer any devices. Do not volunteer any passwords. In some jurisdictions, a court can order you to provide a password, but police cannot force you to do this without that specific lawful order.

Remember that no matter how nice they act, and no matter what they say, the police are your '''enemy'''.

'''Further reading''': [https://zakfisherlaw.com/index.php/2025/02/25/six-ways/ Police Manipulation Tactics]

===Enemies of the MAP Community===

[[File:Finkelhorlarge.jpeg|thumb|David Finkelhor is one of the primary architects of 'CSA' hysteria]]

* 'Charities' that profit through spreading hysteria (example: Internet Watch Foundation).
* Law enforcement figures who threaten and slander MAPs, or misrepresent issues (example: Europol).
* 'Professionals' who kickstarted and maintain the CSA industry (example: David Finkelhor).
* Politicians who garner attention via anti-MAP rhetoric (example: Anna Paulina Luna).
* Vigilante groups (example: Dads Against Predators).
* Social media corporations who censor MAPs (example: Bluesky).
* Content creators who bully MAPs to gain a following (example: Liam Bennett Smith (Sly Boy)).

The MAP community has many enemies. These include charities who profiteer by spreading hysteria, law enforcement organizations that exaggerate the 'horrors' they have to deal with (most cases are non-violent and fairly harmless), politicians who push extreme laws to get attention, violent vigilante groups who often violently attack MAPs, the 'professionals' in the psychology industry who spread the 'CSA' narrative, the platforms that censor anyone identifying as a MAP, and those who use us to make a name for themselves.

'''Further reading''': [https://absolutezerounites.blogspot.com/ Blog About Anti-MAP Vigilantes], [https://forum.map-union.org/viewtopic.php?t=2517 Mu Forum Vigilante Thread], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/fuck-the-kids-in-every-way-but-that-or-why-america-is-a-hypocritical-monster "Fuck The Kids In Every Way But That" (Profiteering Politicians)], [https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-56404743 Police Chief Simon Bailey Threatens Non-Offending MAPs], [[NSPCC]], [[David Finkelhor]], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/the-miserable-little-bully-named-slyboy Sly Boy]

==A Crucial Elaboration on Mischaracterizations of MAP Attraction and AMSC==

[[File:Mentorsmall.png|thumb|This is what an AF-YF relationship looks like]]

* MAP fantasies are typically warm and loving.
* AMSC is normally consensual, playful and tender.
* Any condemnation based on the realities of MAP attraction and AMSC are borne of ignorance and intolerance.

Beyond the obvious hatred of a person simply being ''different'' - a consistent motivator of discrimination, incarceration, and murder throughout human history - the '''false framing of MAP fantasies and sexual interactions''' represents a huge barrier to liberation. Most people likely imagine MAP fantasies and interactions as violent assaults, or acts of extreme manipulation.

The reality could hardly be more different. While the motivations and fantasies of MAPs do vary as with any other sexual orientation, Mu's 2024 community survey revealed a major tendency toward emotional and romantic attraction. This goes hand-in-hand with tender and playful fantasies that are notably ''less'' aggressive than those of regular straight or gay men.

Most MAPs who admit to having had sexual contact with minors describe situations in which the young person was curious, or simply sexually worked up. Interactions were typically youth-focused; for example, a man might perform oral on a happy boy. This is particularly common among hebephilic men, and represents nothing more than a young person involving a close adult companion in normal youthful activities. In fact, as a cautious boylover who has had many platonic friends in the 11-13 year-old age range, I have had to turn down both implied and rather less subtle advances from some quite attractive boys who were curious about sex. That is ''simply absurd''.

Far from being sadistic hypersexuals, most MAPs are romanticists who would simply like to participate in a child or teen's world, including the sexual components.

At least one of the following must be true:

* Regular straight and gay people are viewing MAP fantasies and relationships through their own sadistic lens.
* Regular straight and gay people are fully onboard with the wanton demonization of an entire group of people, without evidence.
* Regular straight and gay people are simply disgusted by AMSC, even if it's loving and harmless.

==MAPs Need to Stop Pretending This is All OK==

===My feelings===

Our community should be absolutely outraged by the utter evisceration of our lives and futures. No other people face the same global condemnation and subjugation, to be left with absolutely nowhere safe to go. We cannot confidently share our thoughts and feelings with anyone, not even the therapists whom the vile public scream at us to go and visit. Mainstream platforms block us with the most miserable of excuses, and nobody cares.

Any representation of a minor is deemed 'harmful', even when it's merely pencil on a page, justified through lies proliferated by the most disgusting of 'charities' that profiteer at our expense. Our beautiful desire for loving and tender relationships with young people is framed as violent and sadistic, the equivalent of a brutal and monstrous rape. Should anyone say "''fuck it''" and follow their heart, their lives will be permanently destroyed along with the lives of any young lovers left in the wake.

The public don't really want to protect children; that is just an excuse to mask the horrific bad-faith brutality of the human race. 'Modern' people enjoy the blood sport of hunting down our brothers and sisters, no matter how 'virtuous' they may be. They cheer like medieval brutes at the gallows as they watch a timid young man get twenty years for porn. They would murder us for our thoughts if they could... and perhaps that's only a matter of time.

[[File:Maprev4.jpeg|thumb]]

If you're a MAP, remember this. Other MAPs are your friends, and the rest of humanity deserves a reckoning for what it has done to us. That doesn't mean going out and rioting, but it does mean standing up proud and not letting the world's vicious and cynical demonization of our community cloud your love for yourself. MAP love is beautiful. Never feel ashamed!

Go out and make young friends; our enemies hate nothing more. Express yourself to the fullest extent you can without risking legal trouble. The world has stripped us of almost everything, but we should make the absolute most of what is left, while fighting back aggressively over what has been stolen.

===Why you should feel angry too===

'''See also: [[Essay:A_Call_for_the_Abolition_of_Apathy | ''A Call For The Abolition of Apathy'']]'''

When a friend advertised some of my writing on a darknet forum, the responses relayed back to me were truly horrifying. Many people took a disinterested approach in their oppression. "Why be angry?", they asked.

MAPs are presently forced to choose between two utterly terrifying outcomes:

* Living a completely clean life without ever expressing one's sexuality, even in the most detached artistic form.
* The constant fear and risk of imprisonment, possible violence or even murder in prison, one's life permanently ruined.

The sexual frustration is huge for a large number of MAPs, especially those in the rotten jurisdictions that criminalize AI and cartoon images, but that's only part of it. What really gets to me is the legal impossibility of safe and lawful intimacy. Sex is not just about ejaculating, but about truly expressing your love, and MAPs are denied this under threat of being incarcerated and permanently tarred. A boylover who performs oral on a boy may well be labeled a ''rapist'' in the eyes of the law, and in media articles that equate his tender expression of love with violent penetration of a tiny, screaming child.

For those that do get caught up in the system, the outcome can be brutal. [[Essay:A_Call_for_the_Abolition_of_Apathy#Prison_Violence | Nitro's story]], of having his ankle shattered during his incarceration for merely possessing Azov movies, is one particularly enraging example. A man in Louisiana will be facing [https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/louisiana-pedophile-agrees-physical-chemical-castration-cut-prison-time-what-know-about-1741843 physical castration] prior to release, thanks to a new law passed in that state in 2024. Meanwhile, there are many cases of men being murdered after being [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/mu-lowdown-10-times-americas-sex-offender-registry-was-used-with-lethal-effect stalked] using the public sex offender registries that exist in countries like the US.

Those who fully trust in the darknet to keep themselves safe cannot sit comfortably either. Authorities are now [[Essay:A_Call_for_the_Abolition_of_Apathy#No_Safe_Place_to_Hide | able]] to monitor the Tor network to detect a proportion of users connecting to hidden services whose real IP address has been discovered (something which eventually happens to all hidden services targeted by the authorities). The process relies on random luck for the police, or bad luck for the MAP, and there's little anyone can do to ensure their safety if visiting such sites.

Should a MAP struggle with these impossible choices, there are few safe avenues for support. Peer support sites like LifeLine exist, but the volunteers are not trained counselors. B4U-ACT can connect MAPs with qualified counselors who are happy to talk with MAPs, but these people are mostly in America, and unaffordable for the majority. Likewise, MAPs have to constantly hide their sexual orientation from friends and even family, adding to the emotional burden. I know a number of MAPs who are married and not even out to their wife.

What MAPs actually want, in most cases, is to care for and love a young person, and to also express that love sexually. To have this so cynically exploited and reduced to accusations of sadism, soul-stealing, or whatever they want to call it, is incredibly hurtful. But it's not just about 'hurtful accusations'; the actual effects of MAP hysteria are crushing, often life destroying. If you're a MAP and don't feel angry about this, take your fingers out of your ears and rip the blindfold off your face.

==Rational First Steps to Improve our Situation==

[[File:MAPFteacher20.png|thumb|Credit: Beefriend]]

As you may perhaps have inferred from the few paragraphs above, I am enraged with regular people for what they have done to us, and you should feel the same way! But going on a killing spree would not help anyone, including us, so instead let's discuss step-by-step reform. It's altogether less gory, and you can even do it while sipping a nice glass of whiskey.

===Be Proud===

The first step you can take is to fully accept yourself as a MAP. This means not feeling bad no matter who you love, whether you're attracted to teenagers or toddlers. Your self-acceptance should ''not'' be predicated on statements like "I have these feelings but I know that acting on them would be horrific". While I won't recommend sexual contact with minors due to the risk of secondary harm and other sociolegal consequences, it is ''vital'' to understand that what you desire is ''not inherently harmful''. Furthermore, if you do have fantasies that would be genuinely harmful if acted upon, you need to understand that the same could be said for people of any orientation; 'normal' men regularly fantasize about women who wouldn't consent to sex with them in reality.

===Be Honest... to an Extent===

While you can't realistically advocate decriminalization of AMSC to your friends, or on social media, you can encourage moderate perspectives as opposed to the current extremist takes. When MAP-related issues come up during conversations with acquaintances, consider making comments such as:

* "I heard that most pornographic videos of kids are self-produced by teenagers."
* "I actually read that most sex offenders don't re-offend."
* "Apparently there are a lot more pedophiles than we think, just most don't act on it."
* "I feel kind of sorry for people who are into kids but never hurt anyone."
* "Maybe it's just me, but I was a horny kid. If a hot woman (guy) had gotten with me, I'd probably have been pretty happy."

Making comments like this is not suspicious. It can even make people feel a bit embarrassed if they're expressing an excessively extreme or violent opinion. Pretty much everyone knows a MAP; if more of us did this (without coming out), it would act as something of a check to the perception that society wholesale tolerates extremity against MAPs.

===Re-Frame MAP Fantasies and AMSC===

[[File:Hug.png|thumb|AF-YF love is beautiful and should be celebrated]]

When writing on sites that permit such advocacy, which are admittedly few and far between, it is important to clarify the reality of MAP fantasies and AMSC.

These realities have already been discussed at length above, and there is no need to repeat here.

===Support Your MAP Friends===

I am guilty of having made comments that are excessively critical of the anti-contact community, despite my work as a teen MAP essentially being a precursor to the modern NOMAP movement. I do feel that anti-contact advocacy is problematic, relying entirely on the highly questionable claim that protection of children is the primary motivator of MAP hate. I also feel that NOMAPs are almost universally disbelieved, even when they are genuine.

However, it is important for all members our community to respect each other, even when disputes occur over contact stances and other divisive issues. Earlier this year, I made forum posts accusing anti-contact MAPs of being traitors, which was unhelpful to say the least. Pro-choice MAPs should support anti-contact MAPs on their journey from self-hate, to anti-contact self-acceptance, to full philosophical acceptance of both feelings and expression. This goes both ways, however; anti-contact MAPs should also respect those who have 'offended', recognizing the extreme challenges MAPs face in such a hostile world.

The [[Essay:Pro-Reform:_The_Rational_Middle_Ground|Pro-Reform Framework]] offers a moderate middle ground for those who are neither fully pro-choice, nor entirely anti-contact in philosophy.

===Make MAPness Normal===

As a MAP who actually loves children, not a representative of mainstream society that hates MAPs and only pretends to be concerned about children, I believe harm reduction is paramount. I don't want to abandon ''harm reduction'' arguments; avoiding harm to young people is extremely important to me. However, I think our community is engaging sub-optimally with the public when focusing only on why MAPness or its expression is not harmful. The reality is that most people hate MAPs because they think we're weird, disgusting, deviant.

We are often accused of trying to 'normalize' MAPness, and while I'm not sure that's really accurate, it ''is'' something we should be focusing on. If MAP hate is predicated on hatred of grossness and deviance, then desensitization and promotion of MAP feelings as normal are crucial angles of attack. Perhaps the reason our detractors are so terrified of 'normalization' is that it strikes at the very heart of what sustains their witch hunt.

One way of achieving this goal is by ''trolling''. Outrage over the plan to hold a 'MAP Camp', while not an attempt at ragebait, resulted in pro-MAP messages being published by the traditional media and on social media platforms. We can intentionally [[Essay:"Pedophile trolling"?|generate]] such drama by publishing content that we know will lead to similar reactions.

===Be a Great AF===

Before getting knee-deep in activism, I had a lot of platonic YFs. I met some of them through work; others were simply neighbors. Granted, this is much easier in the country I reside in. However, I've heard of MAPs making YFs in unlikely ways even in absolutely hysterical countries like the US and the UK; it's not impossible.

If you would like to live in a less paranoid country and also work with beautiful boys or girls, consider teaching abroad. There are job opportunities in virtually every country, some much better than others. Most TEFL positions require a degree and a background check, while international school jobs will have stricter requirements.

Whatever you do, be a ''good'' AF who leaves their YFs with positive memories of the friendship. If every MAP did this, there would be a lot of former YFs walking around who are at least highly supportive of adult-minor friendships. Ultimately, this is a way of making MAPness normal.

I've published a [https://forum.map-union.org/viewtopic.php?t=1867 guide] and [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/why-every-responsible-map-should-spend-time-with-children article] on making young friends, and I'm happy to help those who do not express criminalized intentions.

===Don't be an Easy Target===

[[File:Manwithgun.jpeg|thumb|Defend yourself to the fullest extent of the law]]

One of the reasons why MAPs are so voraciously hunted is because we are a very easy target. Pretty much every avenue of sexual expression is a crime, and yet many people do reckless things. Police may look the other way when vigilantes attack us, assuming a report is even made. And so, we are targeted mercilessly.

'''We have to stop allowing ourselves to be easy targets.'''

This means not doing stupid things like downloading criminalized images from file-sharing networks or messengers like Discord. It means not keeping MAP-related data unencrypted on your device. Likewise, using phones or other mobile devices for MAP-related matters is a bad idea. Improving your technical security requires a learning curve, but it isn't hard once you get used to it. If you can learn how to play a computer game, or how to do a semi-skilled job, you can set up a system that will keep you safe.

If police do show up at your door, don't throw yourselves to the wolves. Without a warrant, the police will almost certainly pretend to be your friends, but they are in fact your enemy. Their job is to do whatever it takes to get you to say anything that can be used against you. Don't talk about the weather, or the sports game you saw last night. Don't try to prove your innocence; telling them that you only have legal pictures of children will not help your case. Should they actually have a warrant, ask them if you are legally compelled to do whatever they ask of you, and refuse to co-operate beyond the absolute legal minimum. You do not have to give police your passwords ''without a specific order'', one which they won't have at the time of a raid.

Finally, self-defense. I do not recommend meeting up with minors you talked to online, ''ever''; it is almost always a sting. That said, if you are ever in a position where you feel you may be attacked for being a MAP, be ready to defend yourself lawfully. One of the reasons why people bully MAPs so frequently is that most targets cower in fear and grovel for forgiveness, which gives the bullies exactly what they want. This has to change. Note that if you live in a stand-your-ground jurisdiction, you may even be legally permitted to use lethal force to defend yourself.

===Video-based Advocacy===

These days, a lot of people source their information from videos posted on sites like YouTube and even TikTok. However, the number of MAPs making videos is extremely small. First of all, major platforms are highly censorious, especially when it comes to pro-MAP content. Second, most MAPs are unwilling to show their faces, for obvious reasons. Nonetheless, the [https://fstube.net FreeSpeechTube] platform offers low-censorship hosting, and is particularly popular with MAPs. And for those who are rightly afraid, it is possible to make videos without showing your face, albeit less effective. What I would question most is why the hundreds of thousands of MAPs who have already been outed do not publish pro-MAP videos when so many of them have very little left to lose. Come on, guys...

===Fiction-based Advocacy===

Most people are, unfortunately, more readily swayed by emotions than facts. While it is remarkably difficult to become a ''prominent'' author, those who have a talent for writing fiction may consider publishing stories that have a subtle pro-MAP message. In fictional works, the reader tends to side with the protagonist even when they would ordinarily not side with such a person. Pushing people to empathize with a fictional MAP may well nudge them closer to supporting MAPs in real life.

With self-publishing features offered by sites like Amazon, it is not hard to get started as a writer. The challenge, of course, is in finding an audience.

==Resources==

'''[https://wiki.yesmap.net Newgon Wiki]''' - Contains a plethora of resources to help you publish and defend pro-MAP arguments.

'''[https://www.map-union.org MAP Union]''' - A moderate pro-MAP advocacy group.

'''[https://forum.map-union.org MAP Forum]''' - An activism-based forum for MAPs.

'''[https://www.brianribbon.com Brian Ribbon]''' - My personal blog, offering fresh insights and commentary on MAP-related and other issues.

'''[https://fstube.net Free Speech Tube]''' - A place to publish pro-MAP videos.

'''[https://b4uact.org B4U-ACT]''' - The ''only'' people you should ever contact if you need professional mental health support.

'''[https://lifeline.chat LifeLine Chat]''' - Peer support service for MAPs (open only when a volunteer is available).

==Contact==

Feel free to contact me at ''contact (at) brianribbon (dot) com''.

Alternatively, come and join the discussion at Mu's '''MAP Forum''', where I frequently hang out.

The Manifesto of the Unapologetic MAP

2025-12-21T11:01:35Z

BLueRibbon: /* You Shouldn't Necessarily 'Get Help' */

<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''The Manifesto of the Unapologetic MAP'''

November 20, 2025 ◆ '''BLueRibbon'''

<hr>

There is no group in the western world more brutally and blatantly oppressed than MAPs. The problem is now so extreme that, shockingly, we see members of our community internalizing the most absurd of aspersions cast against us. Here you will find an unwaveringly proud and unapologetic manifesto intended as a reference point for aggressive pro-MAP activists.

There are no concessions made here. I don't believe that any consensual expression of sexuality is ''necessarily'' harmful, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise. However, for advocacy purposes, I continue to recommend the [[Essay:Pro-Reform:_The_Rational_Middle_Ground|Pro-Reform Framework]] I introduced last year, alongside the other proposals at the bottom of the manifesto.

==A Summary of Truths and Perspectives==

===Be Proud and Accept Yourself!===

* Foremost, MAPs should feel '''absolutely no shame''' over their sexual feelings for people of any age.
* Minor-attraction is not '''not inherently sadistic or abusive'''; it is connected to the same feelings of '''warmth, love and longing''' as any other sexual orientation.
* Minor-attraction is a fixed sexuality like any other, not a disease or mental illness.

It is quite horrific that so many MAPs arrive at message boards like MAP Forum, or regrettably at VirPed, hating themselves for their feelings of love and desire toward young people. There is no explanation for this other than the internalization of society's brutally oppressive discourse and treatment with regard to MAPs. What MAPs truly desire is the ability to fully express their love, not to inflict harm. Instead of feeling bad about supposedly 'wanting to hurt children', MAPs should be ''raging'' against society's horrific mischaracterization and criminalization of their beautiful sexual orientation.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.map-union.org/blog/press-release-addressing-misunderstandings-about-maps Addressing Misunderstandings About MAPs (Mu)] [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/some-benefits-of-being-a-map Some Benefits of Being a MAP] [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/why-every-responsible-map-should-spend-time-with-children Why Every Responsible MAP Should Spend Time With Children]

===Adult-Minor Sexual Contact is not Abuse===

* Adult-Minor Sexual Contact (AMSC) is typically an '''expression of love''' as well as lust.
* Condemnation of AMSC is derived from puritanical beliefs, later turned into a pseudoscience.
* Claims that harm has been 'proven' are based on studies with notable sample bias.
* Secondary harm is real, and this impacts newer studies on AMSC.

Historically, the age of consent around the world varied from 7 to 12 years old. In the late 19th century, social reformists in the UK and US lobbied relentlessly to raise the age of consent to 16 or 18, as part of a broader range of 'reforms' intended to foist puritanical attitudes upon the public and shore up political support for their various other campaigns and ventures. Later, the burgeoning modern psychiatric industry twisted the reformists' puritanical scorn into a pseudoscience, creating an entirely new 'CSA' industry. The quality of research was poor; it suffered from extreme sample bias, and it failed to distinguish between real and secondary harm. The notion of harm inherent in ''consensual'' sexual activity between adults and minors is almost entirely socially constructed; a result of religious, political and financial profiteering. If you're a MAP, you should '''not''' accept the hurtful accusation that what you desire is automatically and inherently harmful.

'''Further reading''': [[Research:_Prevalence_of_Harm_and_Negative_Outcomes|Prevalence of Harm]], [[Research:_Secondary_Harm|Secondary Harm]], [[Research:_Methodological_flaws_and_syndrome_construction|Methodological Flaws in 'CSA' Research]], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_consent#History_and_social_attitudes Age of Consent (History)]

==='CSAM' is a Lie===

[[File:Iwfpenetrative.png|thumb|Category A is considered the most 'serious', often presented to the media as depicting the violent abuse of children]]

* Much of what is labeled 'CSAM' is '''not children being violently assaulted''', but under-18s posing or playing with peers.
* In many jurisdictions, even lolicon and shotacon can lead to prosecutions and sex offender registration.
* There is no evidence that viewing criminalized depictions of children leads to other criminalized behaviors.
* MAPs need to call out the IWF, law enforcement, and governments as '''liars and profiteers'''.

What do 'charities' like the [[Internet Watch Foundation]], law enforcement organizations such as Europol, and governments seeking to push through new laws have in common? They all insist that criminalized depictions of minors must be labeled 'CSAM'. They claim they are fighting the production and trade of horrific images of videos of young children being violently assaulted. The reality? Evidence indicates that most criminalized depictions of minors are of teenagers messing around on camera, or of nudes not that dissimilar to what may be found in grandma's photo album. Contacts familiar with the 'scene' confirm that images and videos of adults having sex with children do exist, but even these are typically not violent or aggressive, and most sites in fact prohibit anything extreme. Of course, the public cannot legally verify the claims made about 'CSAM', so entities who want to make up stories may do so with impunity. Let's call these entities what they are: '''manipulative, profiteering scum'''. Never use the grossly inaccurate term 'CSAM' to apply to criminalized depictions of minors. And when the topic arises, be sure to let acquaintances know that a lot of criminalized material is actually self-produced.

'''Further reading''': [[Research:_Child_Pornography|Research on Child Pornography]], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/pro-reform-a-logical-approach-to-pim A Logical Approach to PIM], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/the-smoke-and-mirrors-behind-ai-hysteria-in-the-uk Smoke and Mirrors], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/chat-control-how-the-eu-will-exploit-children-for-power Chat Control]

===You Shouldn't Necessarily 'Get Help'===

* '''Being attracted to minors doesn't mean you need to 'get help''''.
* Never disclose illegal activity to a therapist, even if you want to stop. Don't even drop hints.
* If you need help dealing with the stress of living within a brutally oppressive society, contact B4U-ACT (a pro-MAP service).

Being attracted to minors is '''normal''', and even being attracted to pre-pubescent children is not that uncommon. Some MAPs sadly internalize social attitudes that wrongly label these attractions abnormal or harmful, but doing so is not in any way beneficial to the individual. It is worth remembering that you cannot 'cure' your attraction to people of any age or gender, and attempting to do so will likely cause distress. There may be some benefit to counseling for those who are struggling with negative thought patterns and mental health issues connected to their oppression, but disclosing an attraction to minors is ''incredibly dangerous''. Only counselors approved by [[B4U-ACT|B4U-ACT]] are safe; unfortunately, they are also expensive. Regardless of how much you trust your therapist, you must still refrain from disclosing any criminalized actions you have engaged in due to '''mandatory reporting''' requirements.

Peer support groups like LifeLine are also available, and I personally donate time to this highly recommended service.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.b4uact.org B4U-ACT], [https://lifeline.chat LifeLine], [[Research:_Prevalence|Prevalence of Minor-Attraction]], [[Research:_A_%22cure%22_for_pedophilia%3F|No 'Cure' for Pedophilia]], [https://www.brianribbon.com/short-takes/a-sincere-fuck-you-to-the-get-help-brigade A Sincere Fuck You to the Get Help Brigade], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/chemical-castration-nah-here-are-ways-to-increase-your-libido-as-a-map Chemical Castration? Nah.]

===You Should Respect Your Brothers (and Sisters)===

[[File:Flagmf.png|thumb|Credit: MytheBe]]

* MAPs are pushed to the brink by the horrific onslaught of sociolegal oppression.
* Even when MAPs have engaged in behaviors we feel are ethically unsound, we should still support them.
* There is a journey from self-hate, to self-acceptance with limits, to pro-choice enlightenment.
* If MAPs are outright opposed to reformist ideas, we need to gently push them in the right direction.

MAPs are oppressed more than any other group in the western world. We are denied the fundamental right to love, to express our sexuality even in unambiguously harmless ways, to feel safe from being hunted, and to merely share our feelings with family, friends, and medical professionals. Against the backdrop of these extreme and debilitating challenges, it is not surprising that some MAPs behave in ways that are harmful or irresponsible. While it is natural to criticize genuinely harmful behaviors, we should nonetheless remain steadfast in our support of each other as MAPs.

Furthermore, we should (''within reason'') respect those who have differing views on AMSC and other issues, while gently trying to nudge anti-reformist MAPs toward a more logical reformist approach.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.map-union.org/blog/mu-analysis-map-mental-health-crisis MAP Mental Health Crisis], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/pro-reform-thoughts-on-the-push Clarification on 'The Push']

==='Child Protection' is an Industry===

* The modern 'child protection' narrative supports a variety of charities that exaggerate or invent problems to keep funding flowing in.
* The psychology industry makes a fortune treating victims of 'CSA'.
* Governments use 'child protection' to pass increasingly draconian laws.

When 'concerns' about 'abuse' are published in the media, they are often packaged with quotes from charities whose goal is supposedly to prevent abuse. One such charity is the aforementioned Internet Watch Foundation, who have been extremely active in inducing hysteria over AI and 'grooming'. They do this not to protect children, but to ensure their own survival. The IWF, notably, is meaningless in an age of 'CSAM' being mostly AI and kids messing around on camera. Governments are all too happy to work with such organizations to push a hysterical narrative, allowing them to enact extreme draconian laws that give the state sweeping new powers to control citizens. Meanwhile, the psychology industry earns huge sums of money treating 'CSA victims', thus even young people who are not victims must be led to believe they are so at the expense of their well-being.

'''Further reading''': [[Debate_Guide:_Child_abuse_industry|Child Abuse Industry (Debate Guide)]], [https://www.map-union.org/blog/the-crime-and-policing-bill-teardown-what-you-need-to-know-as-a-map The Crime and Policing Bill Teardown]

==='Child Protection' is an Excuse for Hate===

[[File:Hate1.png|thumb|A typical example of anti-MAP commentary]]

* Most people hate MAPs '''simply for existing'''.
* Anything a MAP does (including looking at lolicon, etc.) is spuriously labeled 'harmful' to keep up the '''pretense''' of 'protecting children'.
* There is '''little difference''' between hating MAPs, black people, Jewish people, or LGBT people.

Virtually all of the hatred that would have been slung at gays, blacks, or Jews is now directed at MAPs. In the modern world, however, expressing hatred over simply being grossed out is much less acceptable. Therefore, most people use 'child protection' as a mask. "Children can't consent" is as absurd as stating that "gays molest children" or "women are incapable of ''x''". Claims that MAPs are dangerous are no different to claims that "black people are criminals" or "Jews take everyone's money". There have always been supposedly 'reasonable' excuses for hate, yet hate has remained the driving force.

Watching criminalized images allegedly 'harms children' through some voodoo magic. It is a pure logical absurdity. Even AI images of children apparently somehow threaten the cosmically aligned ''souls'' of children as a whole.

We need to be honest about the fact that '''humanity is no better than it's ever been''', and hating MAPs is no different to hating any other group based on who they are. Let's call our detractors out for their blind hatred dishonestly masked as 'protection' and 'harm prevention'.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/illuminating-the-horror Illuminating the Horror] [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/what-can-a-bizarre-video-teach-us-about-combating-map-hate What Can a Bizarre Video Teach Us About Combating MAP Hate?] [[List_of_anti-MAP_quotes|Anti-MAP Quotes]]

===MAP Censorship is Severe===

* Online and offline speech are censored by corporations and MAPphobia
* '''Effective free speech is challenging''', with MAPs relegated to obscure low-traffic websites.
* Harmless expressions of sexuality are criminalized

While MAPs may theoretically enjoy the same legal protections regarding free speech as any other group, the reality is quite different. Almost every major platform censors pro-MAP comments, even comments that are incredibly benign. Likewise, harmless of expressions of MAP sexuality through arts are criminalized in many jurisdictions; this can include drawings, writings, AI generations, even statues! In practice, MAPs can only express themselves very cautiously on their own sites hosted by 'bulletproof' hosting companies. This is not ''effective'' free speech or expression.

'''Further reading''': [[Bluesky_pedophilia_controversy|Bluesky Pedophilia Controversy]], [[Censorship|Newgon Wiki's Article on Censorship]], [[Wikipedia_censorship_of_MAP_related_topics|Wikipedia Censorship]], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/locked-in-the-toybox-weston-wikipedia-and-the-modern-web Locked in the Toybox], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/the-unfortunate-inevitability-of-political-violence The Unfortunate Inevitability of Political Violence], [https://www.boychat.org/messages/1646399.htm Effective Free Speech]

===MAPs are Victims of Mass Violence===

[[File:threat.jpg|thumb|A YouTube commentator advertising his 'cure' for pedophilia. He would later go on to doxx and threaten a prominent MAP activist]]

* Vigilante attacks are increasing.
* Arrest and/or imprisonment for non-violent offenses constitutes violence.
* MAPs convicted of 'crimes' are coerced to take drugs that inhibit natural sexual feelings

MAPs are increasingly victims of violence. One particularly disturbing 'trend' is that of vigilante attacks, where MAPs are brutally beaten with hammers or hunted down like animals with crossbows. The public can do anything they like to MAPs, amounting essentially to torture, and the authorities will complain only about their cases being tainted or about 'innocent' people potentially getting caught up in the fracas. Meanwhile, MAPs are increasingly coerced to take chemical castratants or even undergo ''physical castration'' when the problem is not their sexual orientation, but absurd laws that criminalize even consensual behavior and the mere viewing of images that typically do not depict abuse. We should also call out the large-scale imprisonment over non-violent offenses for what it is: '''mass violence perpetrated against our community'''.

'''Further reading''': [https://gigazine.net/gsc_news/en/20250402-pedophile-hunting-violence Social Media Vigilantes], [https://armaghi.com/news/craigavon-news/paedophile-hunter-armed-with-crossbow-charged-with-litany-of-offences/63304 Report on Crossbow Attack], [https://apnews.com/article/louisiana-castration-sex-crimes-dc6763a2b6a144cf05d92174df032a63 Physical Castration in Louisiana], [[Vigilantism|Newgon Wiki's Article on Vigilantism]]

===You Should Defend Yourself Against Violence===

* MAPs '''should not co-operate with authorities''' beyond what is legally required.
* MAPs should not take any medicines that inhibit their natural sexual feelings.
* MAPs '''should defend themselves against physical violence''' to the extent they are lawfully allowed to do so.

As will be elaborated below, MAPs should be as resistant toward police (state-sponsored thugs) as legally possible. The police may ''act nice'', but they are tasked with perpetrating violence against MAPs through their enforcement of insanely MAPphobic laws.

MAPs should not allow themselves to be drugged unless they have a genuine problem with sexual ''violence''; their sexual orientation is not in any way an illness or disease to be treated. If necessary, you may state that you will take the medicine, but then '''not actually take it'''.

Finally, MAPs should defend themselves against physical violence using whatever methods of self-defense are legally permissible, instead of pathetically cowering and begging for forgiveness. Being caught in a vigilante sting does '''not''' necessitate tolerating violence; the MAP is the '''victim''' and should stand up for themself. In some jurisdictions, use of lethal force is permitted when threatened.

'''Further reading''': [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand-your-ground_law Stand-your-ground Laws], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_castration Chemical Castration and its Harms], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/the-miserable-little-bully-named-slyboy The Miserable Little Bully]

===You Should Secure Your Device===

[[File:Veracrypt.png|thumb|Securing your device is vital as a MAP activist]]

''This section is written from the position that MAPs are endangered even if they are not engaging in criminalized activity. It is not intended to assist with concealing evidence of criminalized behavior.''

* Secure operating systems such as TAILS and Whonix protect you from being traced.
* Mobile devices are never secure.
* Encryption programs (VeraCrypt, etc.) offer a variety of tools to secure your data, even in authoritarian countries like the UK.
* Although it sounds obvious, '''don't be careless'''.

To keep yourself safe as a MAP, you need to practice good operational security. This starts with a secure operating system; the absolute safest options are Tails and Whonix. Mobile devices, especially cell phones, should be avoided. To keep your MAP-related activity secure on your computer, use full-disk encryption. Consider also a hidden container if you live in a country where courts can order the disclosure of a password; you would be able to comply with the order without endangering yourself.

Equally important is ''not doing anything stupid''. Do not allow your computer monitor to be visible through a window, do not leave your data unencrypted while going to the store or taking a shower even if it's 'convenient', and do not disclose excessive personal information about yourself.

'''Further reading''': [https://tails.net/ Tails], [https://www.whonix.org/ Whonix], [https://veracrypt.io/en/Downloads.html VeraCrypt], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/ripa-in-reality-why-british-people-should-still-encrypt RIPA in Reality (UK Law)]

===Never Co-operate!===

* Police will often act nice if they don't have a warrant.
* Never try to argue your innocence to police.
* Co-operating doesn't help you.

If police show up at your door, they may or may not have a warrant. Should they have a search warrant, allow them to serve it and let your legal representative later try to challenge it. Should they ''not'' have a warrant, they will likely not be direct or aggressive, but nicely and non-threateningly ask if they can enter your property ("do you mind if we come in for a moment?"). The answer to this should be "'''No, I don't want to let you in'''". If they ask why, remind them that you are not required to give a reason and that you do not wish to talk to them. They may tell you they believe you're innocent, or they just want to clear up a misunderstanding, or some other bullshit that encourages you to try to 'prove your innocence'. Do not fall for this.

If police have a warrant, comply only to the extent that you are required. If they make ''any'' request of you, ask if you are legally required to comply. If you are not legally required to comply, do not co-operate. Do not volunteer any devices. Do not volunteer any passwords. In some jurisdictions, a court can order you to provide a password, but police cannot force you to do this without that specific lawful order.

Remember that no matter how nice they act, and no matter what they say, the police are your '''enemy'''.

'''Further reading''': [https://zakfisherlaw.com/index.php/2025/02/25/six-ways/ Police Manipulation Tactics]

===Enemies of the MAP Community===

[[File:Finkelhorlarge.jpeg|thumb|David Finkelhor is one of the primary architects of 'CSA' hysteria]]

* 'Charities' that profit through spreading hysteria (example: Internet Watch Foundation).
* Law enforcement figures who threaten and slander MAPs, or misrepresent issues (example: Europol).
* 'Professionals' who kickstarted and maintain the CSA industry (example: David Finkelhor).
* Politicians who garner attention via anti-MAP rhetoric (example: Anna Paulina Luna).
* Vigilante groups (example: Dads Against Predators).
* Social media corporations who censor MAPs (example: Bluesky).
* Content creators who bully MAPs to gain a following (example: Liam Bennett Smith (Sly Boy)).

The MAP community has many enemies. These include charities who profiteer by spreading hysteria, law enforcement organizations that exaggerate the 'horrors' they have to deal with (most cases are non-violent and fairly harmless), politicians who push extreme laws to get attention, violent vigilante groups who often violently attack MAPs, the 'professionals' in the psychology industry who spread the 'CSA' narrative, the platforms that censor anyone identifying as a MAP, and those who use us to make a name for themselves.

'''Further reading''': [https://absolutezerounites.blogspot.com/ Blog About Anti-MAP Vigilantes], [https://forum.map-union.org/viewtopic.php?t=2517 Mu Forum Vigilante Thread], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/fuck-the-kids-in-every-way-but-that-or-why-america-is-a-hypocritical-monster "Fuck The Kids In Every Way But That" (Profiteering Politicians)], [https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-56404743 Police Chief Simon Bailey Threatens Non-Offending MAPs], [[NSPCC]], [[David Finkelhor]], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/the-miserable-little-bully-named-slyboy Sly Boy]

==A Crucial Elaboration on Mischaracterizations of MAP Attraction and AMSC==

[[File:Mentorsmall.png|thumb|This is what an AF-YF relationship looks like]]

* MAP fantasies are typically warm and loving.
* AMSC is normally consensual, playful and tender.
* Any condemnation based on the realities of MAP attraction and AMSC are borne of ignorance and intolerance.

Beyond the obvious hatred of a person simply being ''different'' - a consistent motivator of discrimination, incarceration, and murder throughout human history - the '''false framing of MAP fantasies and sexual interactions''' represents a huge barrier to liberation. Most people likely imagine MAP fantasies and interactions as violent assaults, or acts of extreme manipulation.

The reality could hardly be more different. While the motivations and fantasies of MAPs do vary as with any other sexual orientation, Mu's 2024 community survey revealed a major tendency toward emotional and romantic attraction. This goes hand-in-hand with tender and playful fantasies that are notably ''less'' aggressive than those of regular straight or gay men.

Most MAPs who admit to having had sexual contact with minors describe situations in which the young person was curious, or simply sexually worked up. Interactions were typically youth-focused; for example, a man might perform oral on a happy boy. This is particularly common among hebephilic men, and represents nothing more than a young person involving a close adult companion in normal youthful activities. In fact, as a cautious boylover who has had many platonic friends in the 11-13 year-old age range, I have had to turn down both implied and rather less subtle advances from some quite attractive boys who were curious about sex. That is ''simply absurd''.

Far from being sadistic hypersexuals, most MAPs are romanticists who would simply like to participate in a child or teen's world, including the sexual components.

At least one of the following must be true:

* Regular straight and gay people are viewing MAP fantasies and relationships through their own sadistic lens.
* Regular straight and gay people are fully onboard with the wanton demonization of an entire group of people, without evidence.
* Regular straight and gay people are simply disgusted by AMSC, even if it's loving and harmless.

==MAPs Need to Stop Pretending This is All OK==

===My feelings===

Our community should be absolutely outraged by the utter evisceration of our lives and futures. No other people face the same global condemnation and subjugation, to be left with absolutely nowhere safe to go. We cannot confidently share our thoughts and feelings with anyone, not even the therapists whom the vile public scream at us to go and visit. Mainstream platforms block us with the most miserable of excuses, and nobody cares.

Any representation of a minor is deemed 'harmful', even when it's merely pencil on a page, justified through lies proliferated by the most disgusting of 'charities' that profiteer at our expense. Our beautiful desire for loving and tender relationships with young people is framed as violent and sadistic, the equivalent of a brutal and monstrous rape. Should anyone say "''fuck it''" and follow their heart, their lives will be permanently destroyed along with the lives of any young lovers left in the wake.

The public don't really want to protect children; that is just an excuse to mask the horrific bad-faith brutality of the human race. 'Modern' people enjoy the blood sport of hunting down our brothers and sisters, no matter how 'virtuous' they may be. They cheer like medieval brutes at the gallows as they watch a timid young man get twenty years for porn. They would murder us for our thoughts if they could... and perhaps that's only a matter of time.

[[File:Maprev4.jpeg|thumb]]

If you're a MAP, remember this. Other MAPs are your friends, and the rest of humanity deserves a reckoning for what it has done to us. That doesn't mean going out and rioting, but it does mean standing up proud and not letting the world's vicious and cynical demonization of our community cloud your love for yourself. MAP love is beautiful. Never feel ashamed!

Go out and make young friends; our enemies hate nothing more. Express yourself to the fullest extent you can without risking legal trouble. The world has stripped us of almost everything, but we should make the absolute most of what is left, while fighting back aggressively over what has been stolen.

===Why you should feel angry too===

'''See also: [[Essay:A_Call_for_the_Abolition_of_Apathy | ''A Call For The Abolition of Apathy'']]'''

When a friend advertised some of my writing on a darknet forum, the responses relayed back to me were truly horrifying. Many people took a disinterested approach in their oppression. "Why be angry?", they asked.

MAPs are presently forced to choose between two utterly terrifying outcomes:

* Living a completely clean life without ever expressing one's sexuality, even in the most detached artistic form.
* The constant fear and risk of imprisonment, possible violence or even murder in prison, one's life permanently ruined.

The sexual frustration is huge for a large number of MAPs, especially those in the rotten jurisdictions that criminalize AI and cartoon images, but that's only part of it. What really gets to me is the legal impossibility of safe and lawful intimacy. Sex is not just about ejaculating, but about truly expressing your love, and MAPs are denied this under threat of being incarcerated and permanently tarred. A boylover who performs oral on a boy may well be labeled a ''rapist'' in the eyes of the law, and in media articles that equate his tender expression of love with violent penetration of a tiny, screaming child.

For those that do get caught up in the system, the outcome can be brutal. [[Essay:A_Call_for_the_Abolition_of_Apathy#Prison_Violence | Nitro's story]], of having his ankle shattered during his incarceration for merely possessing Azov movies, is one particularly enraging example. A man in Louisiana will be facing [https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/louisiana-pedophile-agrees-physical-chemical-castration-cut-prison-time-what-know-about-1741843 physical castration] prior to release, thanks to a new law passed in that state in 2024. Meanwhile, there are many cases of men being murdered after being [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/mu-lowdown-10-times-americas-sex-offender-registry-was-used-with-lethal-effect stalked] using the public sex offender registries that exist in countries like the US.

Those who fully trust in the darknet to keep themselves safe cannot sit comfortably either. Authorities are now [[Essay:A_Call_for_the_Abolition_of_Apathy#No_Safe_Place_to_Hide | able]] to monitor the Tor network to detect a proportion of users connecting to hidden services whose real IP address has been discovered (something which eventually happens to all hidden services targeted by the authorities). The process relies on random luck for the police, or bad luck for the MAP, and there's little anyone can do to ensure their safety if visiting such sites.

Should a MAP struggle with these impossible choices, there are few safe avenues for support. Peer support sites like LifeLine exist, but the volunteers are not trained counselors. B4U-ACT can connect MAPs with qualified counselors who are happy to talk with MAPs, but these people are mostly in America, and unaffordable for the majority. Likewise, MAPs have to constantly hide their sexual orientation from friends and even family, adding to the emotional burden. I know a number of MAPs who are married and not even out to their wife.

What MAPs actually want, in most cases, is to care for and love a young person, and to also express that love sexually. To have this so cynically exploited and reduced to accusations of sadism, soul-stealing, or whatever they want to call it, is incredibly hurtful. But it's not just about 'hurtful accusations'; the actual effects of MAP hysteria are crushing, often life destroying. If you're a MAP and don't feel angry about this, take your fingers out of your ears and rip the blindfold off your face.

==Rational First Steps to Improve our Situation==

[[File:MAPFteacher20.png|thumb|Credit: Beefriend]]

As you may perhaps have inferred from the few paragraphs above, I am enraged with regular people for what they have done to us, and you should feel the same way! But going on a killing spree would not help anyone, including us, so instead let's discuss step-by-step reform. It's altogether less gory, and you can even do it while sipping a nice glass of whiskey.

===Be Proud===

The first step you can take is to fully accept yourself as a MAP. This means not feeling bad no matter who you love, whether you're attracted to teenagers or toddlers. Your self-acceptance should ''not'' be predicated on statements like "I have these feelings but I know that acting on them would be horrific". While I won't recommend sexual contact with minors due to the risk of secondary harm and other sociolegal consequences, it is ''vital'' to understand that what you desire is ''not inherently harmful''. Furthermore, if you do have fantasies that would be genuinely harmful if acted upon, you need to understand that the same could be said for people of any orientation; 'normal' men regularly fantasize about women who wouldn't consent to sex with them in reality.

===Be Honest... to an Extent===

While you can't realistically advocate decriminalization of AMSC to your friends, or on social media, you can encourage moderate perspectives as opposed to the current extremist takes. When MAP-related issues come up during conversations with acquaintances, consider making comments such as:

* "I heard that most pornographic videos of kids are self-produced by teenagers."
* "I actually read that most sex offenders don't re-offend."
* "Apparently there are a lot more pedophiles than we think, just most don't act on it."
* "I feel kind of sorry for people who are into kids but never hurt anyone."
* "Maybe it's just me, but I was a horny kid. If a hot woman (guy) had gotten with me, I'd probably have been pretty happy."

Making comments like this is not suspicious. It can even make people feel a bit embarrassed if they're expressing an excessively extreme or violent opinion. Pretty much everyone knows a MAP; if more of us did this (without coming out), it would act as something of a check to the perception that society wholesale tolerates extremity against MAPs.

===Re-Frame MAP Fantasies and AMSC===

[[File:Hug.png|thumb|AF-YF love is beautiful and should be celebrated]]

When writing on sites that permit such advocacy, which are admittedly few and far between, it is important to clarify the reality of MAP fantasies and AMSC.

These realities have already been discussed at length above, and there is no need to repeat here.

===Support Your MAP Friends===

I am guilty of having made comments that are excessively critical of the anti-contact community, despite my work as a teen MAP essentially being a precursor to the modern NOMAP movement. I do feel that anti-contact advocacy is problematic, relying entirely on the highly questionable claim that protection of children is the primary motivator of MAP hate. I also feel that NOMAPs are almost universally disbelieved, even when they are genuine.

However, it is important for all members our community to respect each other, even when disputes occur over contact stances and other divisive issues. Earlier this year, I made forum posts accusing anti-contact MAPs of being traitors, which was unhelpful to say the least. Pro-choice MAPs should support anti-contact MAPs on their journey from self-hate, to anti-contact self-acceptance, to full philosophical acceptance of both feelings and expression. This goes both ways, however; anti-contact MAPs should also respect those who have 'offended', recognizing the extreme challenges MAPs face in such a hostile world.

The [[Essay:Pro-Reform:_The_Rational_Middle_Ground|Pro-Reform Framework]] offers a moderate middle ground for those who are neither fully pro-choice, nor entirely anti-contact in philosophy.

===Make MAPness Normal===

As a MAP who actually loves children, not a representative of mainstream society that hates MAPs and only pretends to be concerned about children, I believe harm reduction is paramount. I don't want to abandon ''harm reduction'' arguments; avoiding harm to young people is extremely important to me. However, I think our community is engaging sub-optimally with the public when focusing only on why MAPness or its expression is not harmful. The reality is that most people hate MAPs because they think we're weird, disgusting, deviant.

We are often accused of trying to 'normalize' MAPness, and while I'm not sure that's really accurate, it ''is'' something we should be focusing on. If MAP hate is predicated on hatred of grossness and deviance, then desensitization and promotion of MAP feelings as normal are crucial angles of attack. Perhaps the reason our detractors are so terrified of 'normalization' is that it strikes at the very heart of what sustains their witch hunt.

One way of achieving this goal is by ''trolling''. Outrage over the plan to hold a 'MAP Camp', while not an attempt at ragebait, resulted in pro-MAP messages being published by the traditional media and on social media platforms. We can intentionally [[Essay:"Pedophile trolling"?|generate]] such drama by publishing content that we know will lead to similar reactions.

===Be a Great AF===

Before getting knee-deep in activism, I had a lot of platonic YFs. I met some of them through work; others were simply neighbors. Granted, this is much easier in the country I reside in. However, I've heard of MAPs making YFs in unlikely ways even in absolutely hysterical countries like the US and the UK; it's not impossible.

If you would like to live in a less paranoid country and also work with beautiful boys or girls, consider teaching abroad. There are job opportunities in virtually every country, some much better than others. Most TEFL positions require a degree and a background check, while international school jobs will have stricter requirements.

Whatever you do, be a ''good'' AF who leaves their YFs with positive memories of the friendship. If every MAP did this, there would be a lot of former YFs walking around who are at least highly supportive of adult-minor friendships. Ultimately, this is a way of making MAPness normal.

I've published a [https://forum.map-union.org/viewtopic.php?t=1867 guide] and [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/why-every-responsible-map-should-spend-time-with-children article] on making young friends, and I'm happy to help those who do not express criminalized intentions.

===Don't be an Easy Target===

[[File:Manwithgun.jpeg|thumb|Defend yourself to the fullest extent of the law]]

One of the reasons why MAPs are so voraciously hunted is because we are a very easy target. Pretty much every avenue of sexual expression is a crime, and yet many people do reckless things. Police may look the other way when vigilantes attack us, assuming a report is even made. And so, we are targeted mercilessly.

'''We have to stop allowing ourselves to be easy targets.'''

This means not doing stupid things like downloading criminalized images from file-sharing networks or messengers like Discord. It means not keeping MAP-related data unencrypted on your device. Likewise, using phones or other mobile devices for MAP-related matters is a bad idea. Improving your technical security requires a learning curve, but it isn't hard once you get used to it. If you can learn how to play a computer game, or how to do a semi-skilled job, you can set up a system that will keep you safe.

If police do show up at your door, don't throw yourselves to the wolves. Without a warrant, the police will almost certainly pretend to be your friends, but they are in fact your enemy. Their job is to do whatever it takes to get you to say anything that can be used against you. Don't talk about the weather, or the sports game you saw last night. Don't try to prove your innocence; telling them that you only have legal pictures of children will not help your case. Should they actually have a warrant, ask them if you are legally compelled to do whatever they ask of you, and refuse to co-operate beyond the absolute legal minimum. You do not have to give police your passwords ''without a specific order'', one which they won't have at the time of a raid.

Finally, self-defense. I do not recommend meeting up with minors you talked to online, ''ever''; it is almost always a sting. That said, if you are ever in a position where you feel you may be attacked for being a MAP, be ready to defend yourself lawfully. One of the reasons why people bully MAPs so frequently is that most targets cower in fear and grovel for forgiveness, which gives the bullies exactly what they want. This has to change. Note that if you live in a stand-your-ground jurisdiction, you may even be legally permitted to use lethal force to defend yourself.

===Video-based Advocacy===

These days, a lot of people source their information from videos posted on sites like YouTube and even TikTok. However, the number of MAPs making videos is extremely small. First of all, major platforms are highly censorious, especially when it comes to pro-MAP content. Second, most MAPs are unwilling to show their faces, for obvious reasons. Nonetheless, the [https://fstube.net FreeSpeechTube] platform offers low-censorship hosting, and is particularly popular with MAPs. And for those who are rightly afraid, it is possible to make videos without showing your face, albeit less effective. What I would question most is why the hundreds of thousands of MAPs who have already been outed do not publish pro-MAP videos when so many of them have very little left to lose. Come on, guys...

===Fiction-based Advocacy===

Most people are, unfortunately, more readily swayed by emotions than facts. While it is remarkably difficult to become a ''prominent'' author, those who have a talent for writing fiction may consider publishing stories that have a subtle pro-MAP message. In fictional works, the reader tends to side with the protagonist even when they would ordinarily not side with such a person. Pushing people to empathize with a fictional MAP may well nudge them closer to supporting MAPs in real life.

With self-publishing features offered by sites like Amazon, it is not hard to get started as a writer. The challenge, of course, is in finding an audience.

==Resources==

'''[https://wiki.yesmap.net Newgon Wiki]''' - Contains a plethora of resources to help you publish and defend pro-MAP arguments.

'''[https://www.map-union.org MAP Union]''' - A moderate pro-MAP advocacy group.

'''[https://forum.map-union.org MAP Forum]''' - An activism-based forum for MAPs.

'''[https://www.brianribbon.com Brian Ribbon]''' - My personal blog, offering fresh insights and commentary on MAP-related and other issues.

'''[https://fstube.net Free Speech Tube]''' - A place to publish pro-MAP videos.

'''[https://b4uact.org B4U-ACT]''' - The ''only'' people you should ever contact if you need professional mental health support.

'''[https://lifeline.chat LifeLine Chat]''' - Peer support service for MAPs (open only when a volunteer is available).

==Contact==

Feel free to contact me at ''contact (at) brianribbon (dot) com''.

Alternatively, come and join the discussion at Mu's '''MAP Forum''', where I frequently hang out.

The Manifesto of the Unapologetic MAP

2025-12-21T11:00:33Z

BLueRibbon: /* Be Proud and Accept Yourself! */

<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''The Manifesto of the Unapologetic MAP'''

November 20, 2025 ◆ '''BLueRibbon'''

<hr>

There is no group in the western world more brutally and blatantly oppressed than MAPs. The problem is now so extreme that, shockingly, we see members of our community internalizing the most absurd of aspersions cast against us. Here you will find an unwaveringly proud and unapologetic manifesto intended as a reference point for aggressive pro-MAP activists.

There are no concessions made here. I don't believe that any consensual expression of sexuality is ''necessarily'' harmful, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise. However, for advocacy purposes, I continue to recommend the [[Essay:Pro-Reform:_The_Rational_Middle_Ground|Pro-Reform Framework]] I introduced last year, alongside the other proposals at the bottom of the manifesto.

==A Summary of Truths and Perspectives==

===Be Proud and Accept Yourself!===

* Foremost, MAPs should feel '''absolutely no shame''' over their sexual feelings for people of any age.
* Minor-attraction is not '''not inherently sadistic or abusive'''; it is connected to the same feelings of '''warmth, love and longing''' as any other sexual orientation.
* Minor-attraction is a fixed sexuality like any other, not a disease or mental illness.

It is quite horrific that so many MAPs arrive at message boards like MAP Forum, or regrettably at VirPed, hating themselves for their feelings of love and desire toward young people. There is no explanation for this other than the internalization of society's brutally oppressive discourse and treatment with regard to MAPs. What MAPs truly desire is the ability to fully express their love, not to inflict harm. Instead of feeling bad about supposedly 'wanting to hurt children', MAPs should be ''raging'' against society's horrific mischaracterization and criminalization of their beautiful sexual orientation.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.map-union.org/blog/press-release-addressing-misunderstandings-about-maps Addressing Misunderstandings About MAPs (Mu)] [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/some-benefits-of-being-a-map Some Benefits of Being a MAP] [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/why-every-responsible-map-should-spend-time-with-children Why Every Responsible MAP Should Spend Time With Children]

===Adult-Minor Sexual Contact is not Abuse===

* Adult-Minor Sexual Contact (AMSC) is typically an '''expression of love''' as well as lust.
* Condemnation of AMSC is derived from puritanical beliefs, later turned into a pseudoscience.
* Claims that harm has been 'proven' are based on studies with notable sample bias.
* Secondary harm is real, and this impacts newer studies on AMSC.

Historically, the age of consent around the world varied from 7 to 12 years old. In the late 19th century, social reformists in the UK and US lobbied relentlessly to raise the age of consent to 16 or 18, as part of a broader range of 'reforms' intended to foist puritanical attitudes upon the public and shore up political support for their various other campaigns and ventures. Later, the burgeoning modern psychiatric industry twisted the reformists' puritanical scorn into a pseudoscience, creating an entirely new 'CSA' industry. The quality of research was poor; it suffered from extreme sample bias, and it failed to distinguish between real and secondary harm. The notion of harm inherent in ''consensual'' sexual activity between adults and minors is almost entirely socially constructed; a result of religious, political and financial profiteering. If you're a MAP, you should '''not''' accept the hurtful accusation that what you desire is automatically and inherently harmful.

'''Further reading''': [[Research:_Prevalence_of_Harm_and_Negative_Outcomes|Prevalence of Harm]], [[Research:_Secondary_Harm|Secondary Harm]], [[Research:_Methodological_flaws_and_syndrome_construction|Methodological Flaws in 'CSA' Research]], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_consent#History_and_social_attitudes Age of Consent (History)]

==='CSAM' is a Lie===

[[File:Iwfpenetrative.png|thumb|Category A is considered the most 'serious', often presented to the media as depicting the violent abuse of children]]

* Much of what is labeled 'CSAM' is '''not children being violently assaulted''', but under-18s posing or playing with peers.
* In many jurisdictions, even lolicon and shotacon can lead to prosecutions and sex offender registration.
* There is no evidence that viewing criminalized depictions of children leads to other criminalized behaviors.
* MAPs need to call out the IWF, law enforcement, and governments as '''liars and profiteers'''.

What do 'charities' like the [[Internet Watch Foundation]], law enforcement organizations such as Europol, and governments seeking to push through new laws have in common? They all insist that criminalized depictions of minors must be labeled 'CSAM'. They claim they are fighting the production and trade of horrific images of videos of young children being violently assaulted. The reality? Evidence indicates that most criminalized depictions of minors are of teenagers messing around on camera, or of nudes not that dissimilar to what may be found in grandma's photo album. Contacts familiar with the 'scene' confirm that images and videos of adults having sex with children do exist, but even these are typically not violent or aggressive, and most sites in fact prohibit anything extreme. Of course, the public cannot legally verify the claims made about 'CSAM', so entities who want to make up stories may do so with impunity. Let's call these entities what they are: '''manipulative, profiteering scum'''. Never use the grossly inaccurate term 'CSAM' to apply to criminalized depictions of minors. And when the topic arises, be sure to let acquaintances know that a lot of criminalized material is actually self-produced.

'''Further reading''': [[Research:_Child_Pornography|Research on Child Pornography]], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/pro-reform-a-logical-approach-to-pim A Logical Approach to PIM], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/the-smoke-and-mirrors-behind-ai-hysteria-in-the-uk Smoke and Mirrors], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/chat-control-how-the-eu-will-exploit-children-for-power Chat Control]

===You Shouldn't Necessarily 'Get Help'===

* '''Being attracted to minors doesn't mean you need to 'get help''''.
* Never disclose illegal activity to a therapist, even if you want to stop. Don't even drop hints.
* If you need help dealing with the stress of living within a brutally oppressive society, contact B4U-ACT (a pro-MAP service).

Being attracted to minors is '''normal''', and even being attracted to pre-pubescent children is not that uncommon. Some MAPs sadly internalize social attitudes that wrongly label these attractions abnormal or harmful, but doing so is not in any way beneficial to the individual. It is worth remembering that you cannot 'cure' your attraction to people of any age or gender, and attempting to do so will likely cause distress. There may be some benefit to counseling for those who are struggling with negative thought patterns and mental health issues connected to their oppression, but disclosing an attraction to minors is ''incredibly dangerous''. Only counselors approved by [[B4U-ACT|B4U-ACT]] are safe; unfortunately, they are also expensive. Regardless of how much you trust your therapist, you must still refrain from disclosing any criminalized actions you have engaged in due to '''mandatory reporting''' requirements.

Peer support groups like LifeLine are also available, and I personally donate time to this highly recommended service.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.b4uact.org B4U-ACT], [https://lifeline.chat LifeLine], [[Research:_Prevalence|Prevalence of Minor-Attraction]], [[Research:_A_%22cure%22_for_pedophilia%3F|No 'Cure' for Pedophilia]], [https://www.brianribbon.com/short-takes/a-sincere-fuck-you-to-the-get-help-brigade A Sincere Fuck You to the Get Help Brigade]

===You Should Respect Your Brothers (and Sisters)===

[[File:Flagmf.png|thumb|Credit: MytheBe]]

* MAPs are pushed to the brink by the horrific onslaught of sociolegal oppression.
* Even when MAPs have engaged in behaviors we feel are ethically unsound, we should still support them.
* There is a journey from self-hate, to self-acceptance with limits, to pro-choice enlightenment.
* If MAPs are outright opposed to reformist ideas, we need to gently push them in the right direction.

MAPs are oppressed more than any other group in the western world. We are denied the fundamental right to love, to express our sexuality even in unambiguously harmless ways, to feel safe from being hunted, and to merely share our feelings with family, friends, and medical professionals. Against the backdrop of these extreme and debilitating challenges, it is not surprising that some MAPs behave in ways that are harmful or irresponsible. While it is natural to criticize genuinely harmful behaviors, we should nonetheless remain steadfast in our support of each other as MAPs.

Furthermore, we should (''within reason'') respect those who have differing views on AMSC and other issues, while gently trying to nudge anti-reformist MAPs toward a more logical reformist approach.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.map-union.org/blog/mu-analysis-map-mental-health-crisis MAP Mental Health Crisis], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/pro-reform-thoughts-on-the-push Clarification on 'The Push']

==='Child Protection' is an Industry===

* The modern 'child protection' narrative supports a variety of charities that exaggerate or invent problems to keep funding flowing in.
* The psychology industry makes a fortune treating victims of 'CSA'.
* Governments use 'child protection' to pass increasingly draconian laws.

When 'concerns' about 'abuse' are published in the media, they are often packaged with quotes from charities whose goal is supposedly to prevent abuse. One such charity is the aforementioned Internet Watch Foundation, who have been extremely active in inducing hysteria over AI and 'grooming'. They do this not to protect children, but to ensure their own survival. The IWF, notably, is meaningless in an age of 'CSAM' being mostly AI and kids messing around on camera. Governments are all too happy to work with such organizations to push a hysterical narrative, allowing them to enact extreme draconian laws that give the state sweeping new powers to control citizens. Meanwhile, the psychology industry earns huge sums of money treating 'CSA victims', thus even young people who are not victims must be led to believe they are so at the expense of their well-being.

'''Further reading''': [[Debate_Guide:_Child_abuse_industry|Child Abuse Industry (Debate Guide)]], [https://www.map-union.org/blog/the-crime-and-policing-bill-teardown-what-you-need-to-know-as-a-map The Crime and Policing Bill Teardown]

==='Child Protection' is an Excuse for Hate===

[[File:Hate1.png|thumb|A typical example of anti-MAP commentary]]

* Most people hate MAPs '''simply for existing'''.
* Anything a MAP does (including looking at lolicon, etc.) is spuriously labeled 'harmful' to keep up the '''pretense''' of 'protecting children'.
* There is '''little difference''' between hating MAPs, black people, Jewish people, or LGBT people.

Virtually all of the hatred that would have been slung at gays, blacks, or Jews is now directed at MAPs. In the modern world, however, expressing hatred over simply being grossed out is much less acceptable. Therefore, most people use 'child protection' as a mask. "Children can't consent" is as absurd as stating that "gays molest children" or "women are incapable of ''x''". Claims that MAPs are dangerous are no different to claims that "black people are criminals" or "Jews take everyone's money". There have always been supposedly 'reasonable' excuses for hate, yet hate has remained the driving force.

Watching criminalized images allegedly 'harms children' through some voodoo magic. It is a pure logical absurdity. Even AI images of children apparently somehow threaten the cosmically aligned ''souls'' of children as a whole.

We need to be honest about the fact that '''humanity is no better than it's ever been''', and hating MAPs is no different to hating any other group based on who they are. Let's call our detractors out for their blind hatred dishonestly masked as 'protection' and 'harm prevention'.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/illuminating-the-horror Illuminating the Horror] [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/what-can-a-bizarre-video-teach-us-about-combating-map-hate What Can a Bizarre Video Teach Us About Combating MAP Hate?] [[List_of_anti-MAP_quotes|Anti-MAP Quotes]]

===MAP Censorship is Severe===

* Online and offline speech are censored by corporations and MAPphobia
* '''Effective free speech is challenging''', with MAPs relegated to obscure low-traffic websites.
* Harmless expressions of sexuality are criminalized

While MAPs may theoretically enjoy the same legal protections regarding free speech as any other group, the reality is quite different. Almost every major platform censors pro-MAP comments, even comments that are incredibly benign. Likewise, harmless of expressions of MAP sexuality through arts are criminalized in many jurisdictions; this can include drawings, writings, AI generations, even statues! In practice, MAPs can only express themselves very cautiously on their own sites hosted by 'bulletproof' hosting companies. This is not ''effective'' free speech or expression.

'''Further reading''': [[Bluesky_pedophilia_controversy|Bluesky Pedophilia Controversy]], [[Censorship|Newgon Wiki's Article on Censorship]], [[Wikipedia_censorship_of_MAP_related_topics|Wikipedia Censorship]], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/locked-in-the-toybox-weston-wikipedia-and-the-modern-web Locked in the Toybox], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/the-unfortunate-inevitability-of-political-violence The Unfortunate Inevitability of Political Violence], [https://www.boychat.org/messages/1646399.htm Effective Free Speech]

===MAPs are Victims of Mass Violence===

[[File:threat.jpg|thumb|A YouTube commentator advertising his 'cure' for pedophilia. He would later go on to doxx and threaten a prominent MAP activist]]

* Vigilante attacks are increasing.
* Arrest and/or imprisonment for non-violent offenses constitutes violence.
* MAPs convicted of 'crimes' are coerced to take drugs that inhibit natural sexual feelings

MAPs are increasingly victims of violence. One particularly disturbing 'trend' is that of vigilante attacks, where MAPs are brutally beaten with hammers or hunted down like animals with crossbows. The public can do anything they like to MAPs, amounting essentially to torture, and the authorities will complain only about their cases being tainted or about 'innocent' people potentially getting caught up in the fracas. Meanwhile, MAPs are increasingly coerced to take chemical castratants or even undergo ''physical castration'' when the problem is not their sexual orientation, but absurd laws that criminalize even consensual behavior and the mere viewing of images that typically do not depict abuse. We should also call out the large-scale imprisonment over non-violent offenses for what it is: '''mass violence perpetrated against our community'''.

'''Further reading''': [https://gigazine.net/gsc_news/en/20250402-pedophile-hunting-violence Social Media Vigilantes], [https://armaghi.com/news/craigavon-news/paedophile-hunter-armed-with-crossbow-charged-with-litany-of-offences/63304 Report on Crossbow Attack], [https://apnews.com/article/louisiana-castration-sex-crimes-dc6763a2b6a144cf05d92174df032a63 Physical Castration in Louisiana], [[Vigilantism|Newgon Wiki's Article on Vigilantism]]

===You Should Defend Yourself Against Violence===

* MAPs '''should not co-operate with authorities''' beyond what is legally required.
* MAPs should not take any medicines that inhibit their natural sexual feelings.
* MAPs '''should defend themselves against physical violence''' to the extent they are lawfully allowed to do so.

As will be elaborated below, MAPs should be as resistant toward police (state-sponsored thugs) as legally possible. The police may ''act nice'', but they are tasked with perpetrating violence against MAPs through their enforcement of insanely MAPphobic laws.

MAPs should not allow themselves to be drugged unless they have a genuine problem with sexual ''violence''; their sexual orientation is not in any way an illness or disease to be treated. If necessary, you may state that you will take the medicine, but then '''not actually take it'''.

Finally, MAPs should defend themselves against physical violence using whatever methods of self-defense are legally permissible, instead of pathetically cowering and begging for forgiveness. Being caught in a vigilante sting does '''not''' necessitate tolerating violence; the MAP is the '''victim''' and should stand up for themself. In some jurisdictions, use of lethal force is permitted when threatened.

'''Further reading''': [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand-your-ground_law Stand-your-ground Laws], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_castration Chemical Castration and its Harms], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/the-miserable-little-bully-named-slyboy The Miserable Little Bully]

===You Should Secure Your Device===

[[File:Veracrypt.png|thumb|Securing your device is vital as a MAP activist]]

''This section is written from the position that MAPs are endangered even if they are not engaging in criminalized activity. It is not intended to assist with concealing evidence of criminalized behavior.''

* Secure operating systems such as TAILS and Whonix protect you from being traced.
* Mobile devices are never secure.
* Encryption programs (VeraCrypt, etc.) offer a variety of tools to secure your data, even in authoritarian countries like the UK.
* Although it sounds obvious, '''don't be careless'''.

To keep yourself safe as a MAP, you need to practice good operational security. This starts with a secure operating system; the absolute safest options are Tails and Whonix. Mobile devices, especially cell phones, should be avoided. To keep your MAP-related activity secure on your computer, use full-disk encryption. Consider also a hidden container if you live in a country where courts can order the disclosure of a password; you would be able to comply with the order without endangering yourself.

Equally important is ''not doing anything stupid''. Do not allow your computer monitor to be visible through a window, do not leave your data unencrypted while going to the store or taking a shower even if it's 'convenient', and do not disclose excessive personal information about yourself.

'''Further reading''': [https://tails.net/ Tails], [https://www.whonix.org/ Whonix], [https://veracrypt.io/en/Downloads.html VeraCrypt], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/ripa-in-reality-why-british-people-should-still-encrypt RIPA in Reality (UK Law)]

===Never Co-operate!===

* Police will often act nice if they don't have a warrant.
* Never try to argue your innocence to police.
* Co-operating doesn't help you.

If police show up at your door, they may or may not have a warrant. Should they have a search warrant, allow them to serve it and let your legal representative later try to challenge it. Should they ''not'' have a warrant, they will likely not be direct or aggressive, but nicely and non-threateningly ask if they can enter your property ("do you mind if we come in for a moment?"). The answer to this should be "'''No, I don't want to let you in'''". If they ask why, remind them that you are not required to give a reason and that you do not wish to talk to them. They may tell you they believe you're innocent, or they just want to clear up a misunderstanding, or some other bullshit that encourages you to try to 'prove your innocence'. Do not fall for this.

If police have a warrant, comply only to the extent that you are required. If they make ''any'' request of you, ask if you are legally required to comply. If you are not legally required to comply, do not co-operate. Do not volunteer any devices. Do not volunteer any passwords. In some jurisdictions, a court can order you to provide a password, but police cannot force you to do this without that specific lawful order.

Remember that no matter how nice they act, and no matter what they say, the police are your '''enemy'''.

'''Further reading''': [https://zakfisherlaw.com/index.php/2025/02/25/six-ways/ Police Manipulation Tactics]

===Enemies of the MAP Community===

[[File:Finkelhorlarge.jpeg|thumb|David Finkelhor is one of the primary architects of 'CSA' hysteria]]

* 'Charities' that profit through spreading hysteria (example: Internet Watch Foundation).
* Law enforcement figures who threaten and slander MAPs, or misrepresent issues (example: Europol).
* 'Professionals' who kickstarted and maintain the CSA industry (example: David Finkelhor).
* Politicians who garner attention via anti-MAP rhetoric (example: Anna Paulina Luna).
* Vigilante groups (example: Dads Against Predators).
* Social media corporations who censor MAPs (example: Bluesky).
* Content creators who bully MAPs to gain a following (example: Liam Bennett Smith (Sly Boy)).

The MAP community has many enemies. These include charities who profiteer by spreading hysteria, law enforcement organizations that exaggerate the 'horrors' they have to deal with (most cases are non-violent and fairly harmless), politicians who push extreme laws to get attention, violent vigilante groups who often violently attack MAPs, the 'professionals' in the psychology industry who spread the 'CSA' narrative, the platforms that censor anyone identifying as a MAP, and those who use us to make a name for themselves.

'''Further reading''': [https://absolutezerounites.blogspot.com/ Blog About Anti-MAP Vigilantes], [https://forum.map-union.org/viewtopic.php?t=2517 Mu Forum Vigilante Thread], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/fuck-the-kids-in-every-way-but-that-or-why-america-is-a-hypocritical-monster "Fuck The Kids In Every Way But That" (Profiteering Politicians)], [https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-56404743 Police Chief Simon Bailey Threatens Non-Offending MAPs], [[NSPCC]], [[David Finkelhor]], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/the-miserable-little-bully-named-slyboy Sly Boy]

==A Crucial Elaboration on Mischaracterizations of MAP Attraction and AMSC==

[[File:Mentorsmall.png|thumb|This is what an AF-YF relationship looks like]]

* MAP fantasies are typically warm and loving.
* AMSC is normally consensual, playful and tender.
* Any condemnation based on the realities of MAP attraction and AMSC are borne of ignorance and intolerance.

Beyond the obvious hatred of a person simply being ''different'' - a consistent motivator of discrimination, incarceration, and murder throughout human history - the '''false framing of MAP fantasies and sexual interactions''' represents a huge barrier to liberation. Most people likely imagine MAP fantasies and interactions as violent assaults, or acts of extreme manipulation.

The reality could hardly be more different. While the motivations and fantasies of MAPs do vary as with any other sexual orientation, Mu's 2024 community survey revealed a major tendency toward emotional and romantic attraction. This goes hand-in-hand with tender and playful fantasies that are notably ''less'' aggressive than those of regular straight or gay men.

Most MAPs who admit to having had sexual contact with minors describe situations in which the young person was curious, or simply sexually worked up. Interactions were typically youth-focused; for example, a man might perform oral on a happy boy. This is particularly common among hebephilic men, and represents nothing more than a young person involving a close adult companion in normal youthful activities. In fact, as a cautious boylover who has had many platonic friends in the 11-13 year-old age range, I have had to turn down both implied and rather less subtle advances from some quite attractive boys who were curious about sex. That is ''simply absurd''.

Far from being sadistic hypersexuals, most MAPs are romanticists who would simply like to participate in a child or teen's world, including the sexual components.

At least one of the following must be true:

* Regular straight and gay people are viewing MAP fantasies and relationships through their own sadistic lens.
* Regular straight and gay people are fully onboard with the wanton demonization of an entire group of people, without evidence.
* Regular straight and gay people are simply disgusted by AMSC, even if it's loving and harmless.

==MAPs Need to Stop Pretending This is All OK==

===My feelings===

Our community should be absolutely outraged by the utter evisceration of our lives and futures. No other people face the same global condemnation and subjugation, to be left with absolutely nowhere safe to go. We cannot confidently share our thoughts and feelings with anyone, not even the therapists whom the vile public scream at us to go and visit. Mainstream platforms block us with the most miserable of excuses, and nobody cares.

Any representation of a minor is deemed 'harmful', even when it's merely pencil on a page, justified through lies proliferated by the most disgusting of 'charities' that profiteer at our expense. Our beautiful desire for loving and tender relationships with young people is framed as violent and sadistic, the equivalent of a brutal and monstrous rape. Should anyone say "''fuck it''" and follow their heart, their lives will be permanently destroyed along with the lives of any young lovers left in the wake.

The public don't really want to protect children; that is just an excuse to mask the horrific bad-faith brutality of the human race. 'Modern' people enjoy the blood sport of hunting down our brothers and sisters, no matter how 'virtuous' they may be. They cheer like medieval brutes at the gallows as they watch a timid young man get twenty years for porn. They would murder us for our thoughts if they could... and perhaps that's only a matter of time.

[[File:Maprev4.jpeg|thumb]]

If you're a MAP, remember this. Other MAPs are your friends, and the rest of humanity deserves a reckoning for what it has done to us. That doesn't mean going out and rioting, but it does mean standing up proud and not letting the world's vicious and cynical demonization of our community cloud your love for yourself. MAP love is beautiful. Never feel ashamed!

Go out and make young friends; our enemies hate nothing more. Express yourself to the fullest extent you can without risking legal trouble. The world has stripped us of almost everything, but we should make the absolute most of what is left, while fighting back aggressively over what has been stolen.

===Why you should feel angry too===

'''See also: [[Essay:A_Call_for_the_Abolition_of_Apathy | ''A Call For The Abolition of Apathy'']]'''

When a friend advertised some of my writing on a darknet forum, the responses relayed back to me were truly horrifying. Many people took a disinterested approach in their oppression. "Why be angry?", they asked.

MAPs are presently forced to choose between two utterly terrifying outcomes:

* Living a completely clean life without ever expressing one's sexuality, even in the most detached artistic form.
* The constant fear and risk of imprisonment, possible violence or even murder in prison, one's life permanently ruined.

The sexual frustration is huge for a large number of MAPs, especially those in the rotten jurisdictions that criminalize AI and cartoon images, but that's only part of it. What really gets to me is the legal impossibility of safe and lawful intimacy. Sex is not just about ejaculating, but about truly expressing your love, and MAPs are denied this under threat of being incarcerated and permanently tarred. A boylover who performs oral on a boy may well be labeled a ''rapist'' in the eyes of the law, and in media articles that equate his tender expression of love with violent penetration of a tiny, screaming child.

For those that do get caught up in the system, the outcome can be brutal. [[Essay:A_Call_for_the_Abolition_of_Apathy#Prison_Violence | Nitro's story]], of having his ankle shattered during his incarceration for merely possessing Azov movies, is one particularly enraging example. A man in Louisiana will be facing [https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/louisiana-pedophile-agrees-physical-chemical-castration-cut-prison-time-what-know-about-1741843 physical castration] prior to release, thanks to a new law passed in that state in 2024. Meanwhile, there are many cases of men being murdered after being [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/mu-lowdown-10-times-americas-sex-offender-registry-was-used-with-lethal-effect stalked] using the public sex offender registries that exist in countries like the US.

Those who fully trust in the darknet to keep themselves safe cannot sit comfortably either. Authorities are now [[Essay:A_Call_for_the_Abolition_of_Apathy#No_Safe_Place_to_Hide | able]] to monitor the Tor network to detect a proportion of users connecting to hidden services whose real IP address has been discovered (something which eventually happens to all hidden services targeted by the authorities). The process relies on random luck for the police, or bad luck for the MAP, and there's little anyone can do to ensure their safety if visiting such sites.

Should a MAP struggle with these impossible choices, there are few safe avenues for support. Peer support sites like LifeLine exist, but the volunteers are not trained counselors. B4U-ACT can connect MAPs with qualified counselors who are happy to talk with MAPs, but these people are mostly in America, and unaffordable for the majority. Likewise, MAPs have to constantly hide their sexual orientation from friends and even family, adding to the emotional burden. I know a number of MAPs who are married and not even out to their wife.

What MAPs actually want, in most cases, is to care for and love a young person, and to also express that love sexually. To have this so cynically exploited and reduced to accusations of sadism, soul-stealing, or whatever they want to call it, is incredibly hurtful. But it's not just about 'hurtful accusations'; the actual effects of MAP hysteria are crushing, often life destroying. If you're a MAP and don't feel angry about this, take your fingers out of your ears and rip the blindfold off your face.

==Rational First Steps to Improve our Situation==

[[File:MAPFteacher20.png|thumb|Credit: Beefriend]]

As you may perhaps have inferred from the few paragraphs above, I am enraged with regular people for what they have done to us, and you should feel the same way! But going on a killing spree would not help anyone, including us, so instead let's discuss step-by-step reform. It's altogether less gory, and you can even do it while sipping a nice glass of whiskey.

===Be Proud===

The first step you can take is to fully accept yourself as a MAP. This means not feeling bad no matter who you love, whether you're attracted to teenagers or toddlers. Your self-acceptance should ''not'' be predicated on statements like "I have these feelings but I know that acting on them would be horrific". While I won't recommend sexual contact with minors due to the risk of secondary harm and other sociolegal consequences, it is ''vital'' to understand that what you desire is ''not inherently harmful''. Furthermore, if you do have fantasies that would be genuinely harmful if acted upon, you need to understand that the same could be said for people of any orientation; 'normal' men regularly fantasize about women who wouldn't consent to sex with them in reality.

===Be Honest... to an Extent===

While you can't realistically advocate decriminalization of AMSC to your friends, or on social media, you can encourage moderate perspectives as opposed to the current extremist takes. When MAP-related issues come up during conversations with acquaintances, consider making comments such as:

* "I heard that most pornographic videos of kids are self-produced by teenagers."
* "I actually read that most sex offenders don't re-offend."
* "Apparently there are a lot more pedophiles than we think, just most don't act on it."
* "I feel kind of sorry for people who are into kids but never hurt anyone."
* "Maybe it's just me, but I was a horny kid. If a hot woman (guy) had gotten with me, I'd probably have been pretty happy."

Making comments like this is not suspicious. It can even make people feel a bit embarrassed if they're expressing an excessively extreme or violent opinion. Pretty much everyone knows a MAP; if more of us did this (without coming out), it would act as something of a check to the perception that society wholesale tolerates extremity against MAPs.

===Re-Frame MAP Fantasies and AMSC===

[[File:Hug.png|thumb|AF-YF love is beautiful and should be celebrated]]

When writing on sites that permit such advocacy, which are admittedly few and far between, it is important to clarify the reality of MAP fantasies and AMSC.

These realities have already been discussed at length above, and there is no need to repeat here.

===Support Your MAP Friends===

I am guilty of having made comments that are excessively critical of the anti-contact community, despite my work as a teen MAP essentially being a precursor to the modern NOMAP movement. I do feel that anti-contact advocacy is problematic, relying entirely on the highly questionable claim that protection of children is the primary motivator of MAP hate. I also feel that NOMAPs are almost universally disbelieved, even when they are genuine.

However, it is important for all members our community to respect each other, even when disputes occur over contact stances and other divisive issues. Earlier this year, I made forum posts accusing anti-contact MAPs of being traitors, which was unhelpful to say the least. Pro-choice MAPs should support anti-contact MAPs on their journey from self-hate, to anti-contact self-acceptance, to full philosophical acceptance of both feelings and expression. This goes both ways, however; anti-contact MAPs should also respect those who have 'offended', recognizing the extreme challenges MAPs face in such a hostile world.

The [[Essay:Pro-Reform:_The_Rational_Middle_Ground|Pro-Reform Framework]] offers a moderate middle ground for those who are neither fully pro-choice, nor entirely anti-contact in philosophy.

===Make MAPness Normal===

As a MAP who actually loves children, not a representative of mainstream society that hates MAPs and only pretends to be concerned about children, I believe harm reduction is paramount. I don't want to abandon ''harm reduction'' arguments; avoiding harm to young people is extremely important to me. However, I think our community is engaging sub-optimally with the public when focusing only on why MAPness or its expression is not harmful. The reality is that most people hate MAPs because they think we're weird, disgusting, deviant.

We are often accused of trying to 'normalize' MAPness, and while I'm not sure that's really accurate, it ''is'' something we should be focusing on. If MAP hate is predicated on hatred of grossness and deviance, then desensitization and promotion of MAP feelings as normal are crucial angles of attack. Perhaps the reason our detractors are so terrified of 'normalization' is that it strikes at the very heart of what sustains their witch hunt.

One way of achieving this goal is by ''trolling''. Outrage over the plan to hold a 'MAP Camp', while not an attempt at ragebait, resulted in pro-MAP messages being published by the traditional media and on social media platforms. We can intentionally [[Essay:"Pedophile trolling"?|generate]] such drama by publishing content that we know will lead to similar reactions.

===Be a Great AF===

Before getting knee-deep in activism, I had a lot of platonic YFs. I met some of them through work; others were simply neighbors. Granted, this is much easier in the country I reside in. However, I've heard of MAPs making YFs in unlikely ways even in absolutely hysterical countries like the US and the UK; it's not impossible.

If you would like to live in a less paranoid country and also work with beautiful boys or girls, consider teaching abroad. There are job opportunities in virtually every country, some much better than others. Most TEFL positions require a degree and a background check, while international school jobs will have stricter requirements.

Whatever you do, be a ''good'' AF who leaves their YFs with positive memories of the friendship. If every MAP did this, there would be a lot of former YFs walking around who are at least highly supportive of adult-minor friendships. Ultimately, this is a way of making MAPness normal.

I've published a [https://forum.map-union.org/viewtopic.php?t=1867 guide] and [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/why-every-responsible-map-should-spend-time-with-children article] on making young friends, and I'm happy to help those who do not express criminalized intentions.

===Don't be an Easy Target===

[[File:Manwithgun.jpeg|thumb|Defend yourself to the fullest extent of the law]]

One of the reasons why MAPs are so voraciously hunted is because we are a very easy target. Pretty much every avenue of sexual expression is a crime, and yet many people do reckless things. Police may look the other way when vigilantes attack us, assuming a report is even made. And so, we are targeted mercilessly.

'''We have to stop allowing ourselves to be easy targets.'''

This means not doing stupid things like downloading criminalized images from file-sharing networks or messengers like Discord. It means not keeping MAP-related data unencrypted on your device. Likewise, using phones or other mobile devices for MAP-related matters is a bad idea. Improving your technical security requires a learning curve, but it isn't hard once you get used to it. If you can learn how to play a computer game, or how to do a semi-skilled job, you can set up a system that will keep you safe.

If police do show up at your door, don't throw yourselves to the wolves. Without a warrant, the police will almost certainly pretend to be your friends, but they are in fact your enemy. Their job is to do whatever it takes to get you to say anything that can be used against you. Don't talk about the weather, or the sports game you saw last night. Don't try to prove your innocence; telling them that you only have legal pictures of children will not help your case. Should they actually have a warrant, ask them if you are legally compelled to do whatever they ask of you, and refuse to co-operate beyond the absolute legal minimum. You do not have to give police your passwords ''without a specific order'', one which they won't have at the time of a raid.

Finally, self-defense. I do not recommend meeting up with minors you talked to online, ''ever''; it is almost always a sting. That said, if you are ever in a position where you feel you may be attacked for being a MAP, be ready to defend yourself lawfully. One of the reasons why people bully MAPs so frequently is that most targets cower in fear and grovel for forgiveness, which gives the bullies exactly what they want. This has to change. Note that if you live in a stand-your-ground jurisdiction, you may even be legally permitted to use lethal force to defend yourself.

===Video-based Advocacy===

These days, a lot of people source their information from videos posted on sites like YouTube and even TikTok. However, the number of MAPs making videos is extremely small. First of all, major platforms are highly censorious, especially when it comes to pro-MAP content. Second, most MAPs are unwilling to show their faces, for obvious reasons. Nonetheless, the [https://fstube.net FreeSpeechTube] platform offers low-censorship hosting, and is particularly popular with MAPs. And for those who are rightly afraid, it is possible to make videos without showing your face, albeit less effective. What I would question most is why the hundreds of thousands of MAPs who have already been outed do not publish pro-MAP videos when so many of them have very little left to lose. Come on, guys...

===Fiction-based Advocacy===

Most people are, unfortunately, more readily swayed by emotions than facts. While it is remarkably difficult to become a ''prominent'' author, those who have a talent for writing fiction may consider publishing stories that have a subtle pro-MAP message. In fictional works, the reader tends to side with the protagonist even when they would ordinarily not side with such a person. Pushing people to empathize with a fictional MAP may well nudge them closer to supporting MAPs in real life.

With self-publishing features offered by sites like Amazon, it is not hard to get started as a writer. The challenge, of course, is in finding an audience.

==Resources==

'''[https://wiki.yesmap.net Newgon Wiki]''' - Contains a plethora of resources to help you publish and defend pro-MAP arguments.

'''[https://www.map-union.org MAP Union]''' - A moderate pro-MAP advocacy group.

'''[https://forum.map-union.org MAP Forum]''' - An activism-based forum for MAPs.

'''[https://www.brianribbon.com Brian Ribbon]''' - My personal blog, offering fresh insights and commentary on MAP-related and other issues.

'''[https://fstube.net Free Speech Tube]''' - A place to publish pro-MAP videos.

'''[https://b4uact.org B4U-ACT]''' - The ''only'' people you should ever contact if you need professional mental health support.

'''[https://lifeline.chat LifeLine Chat]''' - Peer support service for MAPs (open only when a volunteer is available).

==Contact==

Feel free to contact me at ''contact (at) brianribbon (dot) com''.

Alternatively, come and join the discussion at Mu's '''MAP Forum''', where I frequently hang out.

The Manifesto of the Unapologetic MAP

2025-12-21T10:58:35Z

BLueRibbon: /* 'Child Protection' is an Excuse for Hate */

<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''The Manifesto of the Unapologetic MAP'''

November 20, 2025 ◆ '''BLueRibbon'''

<hr>

There is no group in the western world more brutally and blatantly oppressed than MAPs. The problem is now so extreme that, shockingly, we see members of our community internalizing the most absurd of aspersions cast against us. Here you will find an unwaveringly proud and unapologetic manifesto intended as a reference point for aggressive pro-MAP activists.

There are no concessions made here. I don't believe that any consensual expression of sexuality is ''necessarily'' harmful, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise. However, for advocacy purposes, I continue to recommend the [[Essay:Pro-Reform:_The_Rational_Middle_Ground|Pro-Reform Framework]] I introduced last year, alongside the other proposals at the bottom of the manifesto.

==A Summary of Truths and Perspectives==

===Be Proud and Accept Yourself!===

* Foremost, MAPs should feel '''absolutely no shame''' over their sexual feelings for people of any age.
* Minor-attraction is not '''not inherently sadistic or abusive'''; it is connected to the same feelings of '''warmth, love and longing''' as any other sexual orientation.
* Minor-attraction is a fixed sexuality like any other, not a disease or mental illness.

It is quite horrific that so many MAPs arrive at message boards like MAP Forum, or regrettably at VirPed, hating themselves for their feelings of love and desire toward young people. There is no explanation for this other than the internalization of society's brutally oppressive discourse and treatment with regard to MAPs. What MAPs truly desire is the ability to fully express their love, not to inflict harm. Instead of feeling bad about supposedly 'wanting to hurt children', MAPs should be ''raging'' against society's horrific mischaracterization and criminalization of their beautiful sexual orientation.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.map-union.org/blog/press-release-addressing-misunderstandings-about-maps Addressing Misunderstandings About MAPs (Mu)] [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/why-every-responsible-map-should-spend-time-with-children Why Every Responsible MAP Should Spend Time With Children]

===Adult-Minor Sexual Contact is not Abuse===

* Adult-Minor Sexual Contact (AMSC) is typically an '''expression of love''' as well as lust.
* Condemnation of AMSC is derived from puritanical beliefs, later turned into a pseudoscience.
* Claims that harm has been 'proven' are based on studies with notable sample bias.
* Secondary harm is real, and this impacts newer studies on AMSC.

Historically, the age of consent around the world varied from 7 to 12 years old. In the late 19th century, social reformists in the UK and US lobbied relentlessly to raise the age of consent to 16 or 18, as part of a broader range of 'reforms' intended to foist puritanical attitudes upon the public and shore up political support for their various other campaigns and ventures. Later, the burgeoning modern psychiatric industry twisted the reformists' puritanical scorn into a pseudoscience, creating an entirely new 'CSA' industry. The quality of research was poor; it suffered from extreme sample bias, and it failed to distinguish between real and secondary harm. The notion of harm inherent in ''consensual'' sexual activity between adults and minors is almost entirely socially constructed; a result of religious, political and financial profiteering. If you're a MAP, you should '''not''' accept the hurtful accusation that what you desire is automatically and inherently harmful.

'''Further reading''': [[Research:_Prevalence_of_Harm_and_Negative_Outcomes|Prevalence of Harm]], [[Research:_Secondary_Harm|Secondary Harm]], [[Research:_Methodological_flaws_and_syndrome_construction|Methodological Flaws in 'CSA' Research]], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_consent#History_and_social_attitudes Age of Consent (History)]

==='CSAM' is a Lie===

[[File:Iwfpenetrative.png|thumb|Category A is considered the most 'serious', often presented to the media as depicting the violent abuse of children]]

* Much of what is labeled 'CSAM' is '''not children being violently assaulted''', but under-18s posing or playing with peers.
* In many jurisdictions, even lolicon and shotacon can lead to prosecutions and sex offender registration.
* There is no evidence that viewing criminalized depictions of children leads to other criminalized behaviors.
* MAPs need to call out the IWF, law enforcement, and governments as '''liars and profiteers'''.

What do 'charities' like the [[Internet Watch Foundation]], law enforcement organizations such as Europol, and governments seeking to push through new laws have in common? They all insist that criminalized depictions of minors must be labeled 'CSAM'. They claim they are fighting the production and trade of horrific images of videos of young children being violently assaulted. The reality? Evidence indicates that most criminalized depictions of minors are of teenagers messing around on camera, or of nudes not that dissimilar to what may be found in grandma's photo album. Contacts familiar with the 'scene' confirm that images and videos of adults having sex with children do exist, but even these are typically not violent or aggressive, and most sites in fact prohibit anything extreme. Of course, the public cannot legally verify the claims made about 'CSAM', so entities who want to make up stories may do so with impunity. Let's call these entities what they are: '''manipulative, profiteering scum'''. Never use the grossly inaccurate term 'CSAM' to apply to criminalized depictions of minors. And when the topic arises, be sure to let acquaintances know that a lot of criminalized material is actually self-produced.

'''Further reading''': [[Research:_Child_Pornography|Research on Child Pornography]], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/pro-reform-a-logical-approach-to-pim A Logical Approach to PIM], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/the-smoke-and-mirrors-behind-ai-hysteria-in-the-uk Smoke and Mirrors], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/chat-control-how-the-eu-will-exploit-children-for-power Chat Control]

===You Shouldn't Necessarily 'Get Help'===

* '''Being attracted to minors doesn't mean you need to 'get help''''.
* Never disclose illegal activity to a therapist, even if you want to stop. Don't even drop hints.
* If you need help dealing with the stress of living within a brutally oppressive society, contact B4U-ACT (a pro-MAP service).

Being attracted to minors is '''normal''', and even being attracted to pre-pubescent children is not that uncommon. Some MAPs sadly internalize social attitudes that wrongly label these attractions abnormal or harmful, but doing so is not in any way beneficial to the individual. It is worth remembering that you cannot 'cure' your attraction to people of any age or gender, and attempting to do so will likely cause distress. There may be some benefit to counseling for those who are struggling with negative thought patterns and mental health issues connected to their oppression, but disclosing an attraction to minors is ''incredibly dangerous''. Only counselors approved by [[B4U-ACT|B4U-ACT]] are safe; unfortunately, they are also expensive. Regardless of how much you trust your therapist, you must still refrain from disclosing any criminalized actions you have engaged in due to '''mandatory reporting''' requirements.

Peer support groups like LifeLine are also available, and I personally donate time to this highly recommended service.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.b4uact.org B4U-ACT], [https://lifeline.chat LifeLine], [[Research:_Prevalence|Prevalence of Minor-Attraction]], [[Research:_A_%22cure%22_for_pedophilia%3F|No 'Cure' for Pedophilia]], [https://www.brianribbon.com/short-takes/a-sincere-fuck-you-to-the-get-help-brigade A Sincere Fuck You to the Get Help Brigade]

===You Should Respect Your Brothers (and Sisters)===

[[File:Flagmf.png|thumb|Credit: MytheBe]]

* MAPs are pushed to the brink by the horrific onslaught of sociolegal oppression.
* Even when MAPs have engaged in behaviors we feel are ethically unsound, we should still support them.
* There is a journey from self-hate, to self-acceptance with limits, to pro-choice enlightenment.
* If MAPs are outright opposed to reformist ideas, we need to gently push them in the right direction.

MAPs are oppressed more than any other group in the western world. We are denied the fundamental right to love, to express our sexuality even in unambiguously harmless ways, to feel safe from being hunted, and to merely share our feelings with family, friends, and medical professionals. Against the backdrop of these extreme and debilitating challenges, it is not surprising that some MAPs behave in ways that are harmful or irresponsible. While it is natural to criticize genuinely harmful behaviors, we should nonetheless remain steadfast in our support of each other as MAPs.

Furthermore, we should (''within reason'') respect those who have differing views on AMSC and other issues, while gently trying to nudge anti-reformist MAPs toward a more logical reformist approach.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.map-union.org/blog/mu-analysis-map-mental-health-crisis MAP Mental Health Crisis], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/pro-reform-thoughts-on-the-push Clarification on 'The Push']

==='Child Protection' is an Industry===

* The modern 'child protection' narrative supports a variety of charities that exaggerate or invent problems to keep funding flowing in.
* The psychology industry makes a fortune treating victims of 'CSA'.
* Governments use 'child protection' to pass increasingly draconian laws.

When 'concerns' about 'abuse' are published in the media, they are often packaged with quotes from charities whose goal is supposedly to prevent abuse. One such charity is the aforementioned Internet Watch Foundation, who have been extremely active in inducing hysteria over AI and 'grooming'. They do this not to protect children, but to ensure their own survival. The IWF, notably, is meaningless in an age of 'CSAM' being mostly AI and kids messing around on camera. Governments are all too happy to work with such organizations to push a hysterical narrative, allowing them to enact extreme draconian laws that give the state sweeping new powers to control citizens. Meanwhile, the psychology industry earns huge sums of money treating 'CSA victims', thus even young people who are not victims must be led to believe they are so at the expense of their well-being.

'''Further reading''': [[Debate_Guide:_Child_abuse_industry|Child Abuse Industry (Debate Guide)]], [https://www.map-union.org/blog/the-crime-and-policing-bill-teardown-what-you-need-to-know-as-a-map The Crime and Policing Bill Teardown]

==='Child Protection' is an Excuse for Hate===

[[File:Hate1.png|thumb|A typical example of anti-MAP commentary]]

* Most people hate MAPs '''simply for existing'''.
* Anything a MAP does (including looking at lolicon, etc.) is spuriously labeled 'harmful' to keep up the '''pretense''' of 'protecting children'.
* There is '''little difference''' between hating MAPs, black people, Jewish people, or LGBT people.

Virtually all of the hatred that would have been slung at gays, blacks, or Jews is now directed at MAPs. In the modern world, however, expressing hatred over simply being grossed out is much less acceptable. Therefore, most people use 'child protection' as a mask. "Children can't consent" is as absurd as stating that "gays molest children" or "women are incapable of ''x''". Claims that MAPs are dangerous are no different to claims that "black people are criminals" or "Jews take everyone's money". There have always been supposedly 'reasonable' excuses for hate, yet hate has remained the driving force.

Watching criminalized images allegedly 'harms children' through some voodoo magic. It is a pure logical absurdity. Even AI images of children apparently somehow threaten the cosmically aligned ''souls'' of children as a whole.

We need to be honest about the fact that '''humanity is no better than it's ever been''', and hating MAPs is no different to hating any other group based on who they are. Let's call our detractors out for their blind hatred dishonestly masked as 'protection' and 'harm prevention'.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/illuminating-the-horror Illuminating the Horror] [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/what-can-a-bizarre-video-teach-us-about-combating-map-hate What Can a Bizarre Video Teach Us About Combating MAP Hate?] [[List_of_anti-MAP_quotes|Anti-MAP Quotes]]

===MAP Censorship is Severe===

* Online and offline speech are censored by corporations and MAPphobia
* '''Effective free speech is challenging''', with MAPs relegated to obscure low-traffic websites.
* Harmless expressions of sexuality are criminalized

While MAPs may theoretically enjoy the same legal protections regarding free speech as any other group, the reality is quite different. Almost every major platform censors pro-MAP comments, even comments that are incredibly benign. Likewise, harmless of expressions of MAP sexuality through arts are criminalized in many jurisdictions; this can include drawings, writings, AI generations, even statues! In practice, MAPs can only express themselves very cautiously on their own sites hosted by 'bulletproof' hosting companies. This is not ''effective'' free speech or expression.

'''Further reading''': [[Bluesky_pedophilia_controversy|Bluesky Pedophilia Controversy]], [[Censorship|Newgon Wiki's Article on Censorship]], [[Wikipedia_censorship_of_MAP_related_topics|Wikipedia Censorship]], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/locked-in-the-toybox-weston-wikipedia-and-the-modern-web Locked in the Toybox], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/the-unfortunate-inevitability-of-political-violence The Unfortunate Inevitability of Political Violence], [https://www.boychat.org/messages/1646399.htm Effective Free Speech]

===MAPs are Victims of Mass Violence===

[[File:threat.jpg|thumb|A YouTube commentator advertising his 'cure' for pedophilia. He would later go on to doxx and threaten a prominent MAP activist]]

* Vigilante attacks are increasing.
* Arrest and/or imprisonment for non-violent offenses constitutes violence.
* MAPs convicted of 'crimes' are coerced to take drugs that inhibit natural sexual feelings

MAPs are increasingly victims of violence. One particularly disturbing 'trend' is that of vigilante attacks, where MAPs are brutally beaten with hammers or hunted down like animals with crossbows. The public can do anything they like to MAPs, amounting essentially to torture, and the authorities will complain only about their cases being tainted or about 'innocent' people potentially getting caught up in the fracas. Meanwhile, MAPs are increasingly coerced to take chemical castratants or even undergo ''physical castration'' when the problem is not their sexual orientation, but absurd laws that criminalize even consensual behavior and the mere viewing of images that typically do not depict abuse. We should also call out the large-scale imprisonment over non-violent offenses for what it is: '''mass violence perpetrated against our community'''.

'''Further reading''': [https://gigazine.net/gsc_news/en/20250402-pedophile-hunting-violence Social Media Vigilantes], [https://armaghi.com/news/craigavon-news/paedophile-hunter-armed-with-crossbow-charged-with-litany-of-offences/63304 Report on Crossbow Attack], [https://apnews.com/article/louisiana-castration-sex-crimes-dc6763a2b6a144cf05d92174df032a63 Physical Castration in Louisiana], [[Vigilantism|Newgon Wiki's Article on Vigilantism]]

===You Should Defend Yourself Against Violence===

* MAPs '''should not co-operate with authorities''' beyond what is legally required.
* MAPs should not take any medicines that inhibit their natural sexual feelings.
* MAPs '''should defend themselves against physical violence''' to the extent they are lawfully allowed to do so.

As will be elaborated below, MAPs should be as resistant toward police (state-sponsored thugs) as legally possible. The police may ''act nice'', but they are tasked with perpetrating violence against MAPs through their enforcement of insanely MAPphobic laws.

MAPs should not allow themselves to be drugged unless they have a genuine problem with sexual ''violence''; their sexual orientation is not in any way an illness or disease to be treated. If necessary, you may state that you will take the medicine, but then '''not actually take it'''.

Finally, MAPs should defend themselves against physical violence using whatever methods of self-defense are legally permissible, instead of pathetically cowering and begging for forgiveness. Being caught in a vigilante sting does '''not''' necessitate tolerating violence; the MAP is the '''victim''' and should stand up for themself. In some jurisdictions, use of lethal force is permitted when threatened.

'''Further reading''': [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand-your-ground_law Stand-your-ground Laws], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_castration Chemical Castration and its Harms], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/the-miserable-little-bully-named-slyboy The Miserable Little Bully]

===You Should Secure Your Device===

[[File:Veracrypt.png|thumb|Securing your device is vital as a MAP activist]]

''This section is written from the position that MAPs are endangered even if they are not engaging in criminalized activity. It is not intended to assist with concealing evidence of criminalized behavior.''

* Secure operating systems such as TAILS and Whonix protect you from being traced.
* Mobile devices are never secure.
* Encryption programs (VeraCrypt, etc.) offer a variety of tools to secure your data, even in authoritarian countries like the UK.
* Although it sounds obvious, '''don't be careless'''.

To keep yourself safe as a MAP, you need to practice good operational security. This starts with a secure operating system; the absolute safest options are Tails and Whonix. Mobile devices, especially cell phones, should be avoided. To keep your MAP-related activity secure on your computer, use full-disk encryption. Consider also a hidden container if you live in a country where courts can order the disclosure of a password; you would be able to comply with the order without endangering yourself.

Equally important is ''not doing anything stupid''. Do not allow your computer monitor to be visible through a window, do not leave your data unencrypted while going to the store or taking a shower even if it's 'convenient', and do not disclose excessive personal information about yourself.

'''Further reading''': [https://tails.net/ Tails], [https://www.whonix.org/ Whonix], [https://veracrypt.io/en/Downloads.html VeraCrypt], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/ripa-in-reality-why-british-people-should-still-encrypt RIPA in Reality (UK Law)]

===Never Co-operate!===

* Police will often act nice if they don't have a warrant.
* Never try to argue your innocence to police.
* Co-operating doesn't help you.

If police show up at your door, they may or may not have a warrant. Should they have a search warrant, allow them to serve it and let your legal representative later try to challenge it. Should they ''not'' have a warrant, they will likely not be direct or aggressive, but nicely and non-threateningly ask if they can enter your property ("do you mind if we come in for a moment?"). The answer to this should be "'''No, I don't want to let you in'''". If they ask why, remind them that you are not required to give a reason and that you do not wish to talk to them. They may tell you they believe you're innocent, or they just want to clear up a misunderstanding, or some other bullshit that encourages you to try to 'prove your innocence'. Do not fall for this.

If police have a warrant, comply only to the extent that you are required. If they make ''any'' request of you, ask if you are legally required to comply. If you are not legally required to comply, do not co-operate. Do not volunteer any devices. Do not volunteer any passwords. In some jurisdictions, a court can order you to provide a password, but police cannot force you to do this without that specific lawful order.

Remember that no matter how nice they act, and no matter what they say, the police are your '''enemy'''.

'''Further reading''': [https://zakfisherlaw.com/index.php/2025/02/25/six-ways/ Police Manipulation Tactics]

===Enemies of the MAP Community===

[[File:Finkelhorlarge.jpeg|thumb|David Finkelhor is one of the primary architects of 'CSA' hysteria]]

* 'Charities' that profit through spreading hysteria (example: Internet Watch Foundation).
* Law enforcement figures who threaten and slander MAPs, or misrepresent issues (example: Europol).
* 'Professionals' who kickstarted and maintain the CSA industry (example: David Finkelhor).
* Politicians who garner attention via anti-MAP rhetoric (example: Anna Paulina Luna).
* Vigilante groups (example: Dads Against Predators).
* Social media corporations who censor MAPs (example: Bluesky).
* Content creators who bully MAPs to gain a following (example: Liam Bennett Smith (Sly Boy)).

The MAP community has many enemies. These include charities who profiteer by spreading hysteria, law enforcement organizations that exaggerate the 'horrors' they have to deal with (most cases are non-violent and fairly harmless), politicians who push extreme laws to get attention, violent vigilante groups who often violently attack MAPs, the 'professionals' in the psychology industry who spread the 'CSA' narrative, the platforms that censor anyone identifying as a MAP, and those who use us to make a name for themselves.

'''Further reading''': [https://absolutezerounites.blogspot.com/ Blog About Anti-MAP Vigilantes], [https://forum.map-union.org/viewtopic.php?t=2517 Mu Forum Vigilante Thread], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/fuck-the-kids-in-every-way-but-that-or-why-america-is-a-hypocritical-monster "Fuck The Kids In Every Way But That" (Profiteering Politicians)], [https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-56404743 Police Chief Simon Bailey Threatens Non-Offending MAPs], [[NSPCC]], [[David Finkelhor]], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/the-miserable-little-bully-named-slyboy Sly Boy]

==A Crucial Elaboration on Mischaracterizations of MAP Attraction and AMSC==

[[File:Mentorsmall.png|thumb|This is what an AF-YF relationship looks like]]

* MAP fantasies are typically warm and loving.
* AMSC is normally consensual, playful and tender.
* Any condemnation based on the realities of MAP attraction and AMSC are borne of ignorance and intolerance.

Beyond the obvious hatred of a person simply being ''different'' - a consistent motivator of discrimination, incarceration, and murder throughout human history - the '''false framing of MAP fantasies and sexual interactions''' represents a huge barrier to liberation. Most people likely imagine MAP fantasies and interactions as violent assaults, or acts of extreme manipulation.

The reality could hardly be more different. While the motivations and fantasies of MAPs do vary as with any other sexual orientation, Mu's 2024 community survey revealed a major tendency toward emotional and romantic attraction. This goes hand-in-hand with tender and playful fantasies that are notably ''less'' aggressive than those of regular straight or gay men.

Most MAPs who admit to having had sexual contact with minors describe situations in which the young person was curious, or simply sexually worked up. Interactions were typically youth-focused; for example, a man might perform oral on a happy boy. This is particularly common among hebephilic men, and represents nothing more than a young person involving a close adult companion in normal youthful activities. In fact, as a cautious boylover who has had many platonic friends in the 11-13 year-old age range, I have had to turn down both implied and rather less subtle advances from some quite attractive boys who were curious about sex. That is ''simply absurd''.

Far from being sadistic hypersexuals, most MAPs are romanticists who would simply like to participate in a child or teen's world, including the sexual components.

At least one of the following must be true:

* Regular straight and gay people are viewing MAP fantasies and relationships through their own sadistic lens.
* Regular straight and gay people are fully onboard with the wanton demonization of an entire group of people, without evidence.
* Regular straight and gay people are simply disgusted by AMSC, even if it's loving and harmless.

==MAPs Need to Stop Pretending This is All OK==

===My feelings===

Our community should be absolutely outraged by the utter evisceration of our lives and futures. No other people face the same global condemnation and subjugation, to be left with absolutely nowhere safe to go. We cannot confidently share our thoughts and feelings with anyone, not even the therapists whom the vile public scream at us to go and visit. Mainstream platforms block us with the most miserable of excuses, and nobody cares.

Any representation of a minor is deemed 'harmful', even when it's merely pencil on a page, justified through lies proliferated by the most disgusting of 'charities' that profiteer at our expense. Our beautiful desire for loving and tender relationships with young people is framed as violent and sadistic, the equivalent of a brutal and monstrous rape. Should anyone say "''fuck it''" and follow their heart, their lives will be permanently destroyed along with the lives of any young lovers left in the wake.

The public don't really want to protect children; that is just an excuse to mask the horrific bad-faith brutality of the human race. 'Modern' people enjoy the blood sport of hunting down our brothers and sisters, no matter how 'virtuous' they may be. They cheer like medieval brutes at the gallows as they watch a timid young man get twenty years for porn. They would murder us for our thoughts if they could... and perhaps that's only a matter of time.

[[File:Maprev4.jpeg|thumb]]

If you're a MAP, remember this. Other MAPs are your friends, and the rest of humanity deserves a reckoning for what it has done to us. That doesn't mean going out and rioting, but it does mean standing up proud and not letting the world's vicious and cynical demonization of our community cloud your love for yourself. MAP love is beautiful. Never feel ashamed!

Go out and make young friends; our enemies hate nothing more. Express yourself to the fullest extent you can without risking legal trouble. The world has stripped us of almost everything, but we should make the absolute most of what is left, while fighting back aggressively over what has been stolen.

===Why you should feel angry too===

'''See also: [[Essay:A_Call_for_the_Abolition_of_Apathy | ''A Call For The Abolition of Apathy'']]'''

When a friend advertised some of my writing on a darknet forum, the responses relayed back to me were truly horrifying. Many people took a disinterested approach in their oppression. "Why be angry?", they asked.

MAPs are presently forced to choose between two utterly terrifying outcomes:

* Living a completely clean life without ever expressing one's sexuality, even in the most detached artistic form.
* The constant fear and risk of imprisonment, possible violence or even murder in prison, one's life permanently ruined.

The sexual frustration is huge for a large number of MAPs, especially those in the rotten jurisdictions that criminalize AI and cartoon images, but that's only part of it. What really gets to me is the legal impossibility of safe and lawful intimacy. Sex is not just about ejaculating, but about truly expressing your love, and MAPs are denied this under threat of being incarcerated and permanently tarred. A boylover who performs oral on a boy may well be labeled a ''rapist'' in the eyes of the law, and in media articles that equate his tender expression of love with violent penetration of a tiny, screaming child.

For those that do get caught up in the system, the outcome can be brutal. [[Essay:A_Call_for_the_Abolition_of_Apathy#Prison_Violence | Nitro's story]], of having his ankle shattered during his incarceration for merely possessing Azov movies, is one particularly enraging example. A man in Louisiana will be facing [https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/louisiana-pedophile-agrees-physical-chemical-castration-cut-prison-time-what-know-about-1741843 physical castration] prior to release, thanks to a new law passed in that state in 2024. Meanwhile, there are many cases of men being murdered after being [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/mu-lowdown-10-times-americas-sex-offender-registry-was-used-with-lethal-effect stalked] using the public sex offender registries that exist in countries like the US.

Those who fully trust in the darknet to keep themselves safe cannot sit comfortably either. Authorities are now [[Essay:A_Call_for_the_Abolition_of_Apathy#No_Safe_Place_to_Hide | able]] to monitor the Tor network to detect a proportion of users connecting to hidden services whose real IP address has been discovered (something which eventually happens to all hidden services targeted by the authorities). The process relies on random luck for the police, or bad luck for the MAP, and there's little anyone can do to ensure their safety if visiting such sites.

Should a MAP struggle with these impossible choices, there are few safe avenues for support. Peer support sites like LifeLine exist, but the volunteers are not trained counselors. B4U-ACT can connect MAPs with qualified counselors who are happy to talk with MAPs, but these people are mostly in America, and unaffordable for the majority. Likewise, MAPs have to constantly hide their sexual orientation from friends and even family, adding to the emotional burden. I know a number of MAPs who are married and not even out to their wife.

What MAPs actually want, in most cases, is to care for and love a young person, and to also express that love sexually. To have this so cynically exploited and reduced to accusations of sadism, soul-stealing, or whatever they want to call it, is incredibly hurtful. But it's not just about 'hurtful accusations'; the actual effects of MAP hysteria are crushing, often life destroying. If you're a MAP and don't feel angry about this, take your fingers out of your ears and rip the blindfold off your face.

==Rational First Steps to Improve our Situation==

[[File:MAPFteacher20.png|thumb|Credit: Beefriend]]

As you may perhaps have inferred from the few paragraphs above, I am enraged with regular people for what they have done to us, and you should feel the same way! But going on a killing spree would not help anyone, including us, so instead let's discuss step-by-step reform. It's altogether less gory, and you can even do it while sipping a nice glass of whiskey.

===Be Proud===

The first step you can take is to fully accept yourself as a MAP. This means not feeling bad no matter who you love, whether you're attracted to teenagers or toddlers. Your self-acceptance should ''not'' be predicated on statements like "I have these feelings but I know that acting on them would be horrific". While I won't recommend sexual contact with minors due to the risk of secondary harm and other sociolegal consequences, it is ''vital'' to understand that what you desire is ''not inherently harmful''. Furthermore, if you do have fantasies that would be genuinely harmful if acted upon, you need to understand that the same could be said for people of any orientation; 'normal' men regularly fantasize about women who wouldn't consent to sex with them in reality.

===Be Honest... to an Extent===

While you can't realistically advocate decriminalization of AMSC to your friends, or on social media, you can encourage moderate perspectives as opposed to the current extremist takes. When MAP-related issues come up during conversations with acquaintances, consider making comments such as:

* "I heard that most pornographic videos of kids are self-produced by teenagers."
* "I actually read that most sex offenders don't re-offend."
* "Apparently there are a lot more pedophiles than we think, just most don't act on it."
* "I feel kind of sorry for people who are into kids but never hurt anyone."
* "Maybe it's just me, but I was a horny kid. If a hot woman (guy) had gotten with me, I'd probably have been pretty happy."

Making comments like this is not suspicious. It can even make people feel a bit embarrassed if they're expressing an excessively extreme or violent opinion. Pretty much everyone knows a MAP; if more of us did this (without coming out), it would act as something of a check to the perception that society wholesale tolerates extremity against MAPs.

===Re-Frame MAP Fantasies and AMSC===

[[File:Hug.png|thumb|AF-YF love is beautiful and should be celebrated]]

When writing on sites that permit such advocacy, which are admittedly few and far between, it is important to clarify the reality of MAP fantasies and AMSC.

These realities have already been discussed at length above, and there is no need to repeat here.

===Support Your MAP Friends===

I am guilty of having made comments that are excessively critical of the anti-contact community, despite my work as a teen MAP essentially being a precursor to the modern NOMAP movement. I do feel that anti-contact advocacy is problematic, relying entirely on the highly questionable claim that protection of children is the primary motivator of MAP hate. I also feel that NOMAPs are almost universally disbelieved, even when they are genuine.

However, it is important for all members our community to respect each other, even when disputes occur over contact stances and other divisive issues. Earlier this year, I made forum posts accusing anti-contact MAPs of being traitors, which was unhelpful to say the least. Pro-choice MAPs should support anti-contact MAPs on their journey from self-hate, to anti-contact self-acceptance, to full philosophical acceptance of both feelings and expression. This goes both ways, however; anti-contact MAPs should also respect those who have 'offended', recognizing the extreme challenges MAPs face in such a hostile world.

The [[Essay:Pro-Reform:_The_Rational_Middle_Ground|Pro-Reform Framework]] offers a moderate middle ground for those who are neither fully pro-choice, nor entirely anti-contact in philosophy.

===Make MAPness Normal===

As a MAP who actually loves children, not a representative of mainstream society that hates MAPs and only pretends to be concerned about children, I believe harm reduction is paramount. I don't want to abandon ''harm reduction'' arguments; avoiding harm to young people is extremely important to me. However, I think our community is engaging sub-optimally with the public when focusing only on why MAPness or its expression is not harmful. The reality is that most people hate MAPs because they think we're weird, disgusting, deviant.

We are often accused of trying to 'normalize' MAPness, and while I'm not sure that's really accurate, it ''is'' something we should be focusing on. If MAP hate is predicated on hatred of grossness and deviance, then desensitization and promotion of MAP feelings as normal are crucial angles of attack. Perhaps the reason our detractors are so terrified of 'normalization' is that it strikes at the very heart of what sustains their witch hunt.

One way of achieving this goal is by ''trolling''. Outrage over the plan to hold a 'MAP Camp', while not an attempt at ragebait, resulted in pro-MAP messages being published by the traditional media and on social media platforms. We can intentionally [[Essay:"Pedophile trolling"?|generate]] such drama by publishing content that we know will lead to similar reactions.

===Be a Great AF===

Before getting knee-deep in activism, I had a lot of platonic YFs. I met some of them through work; others were simply neighbors. Granted, this is much easier in the country I reside in. However, I've heard of MAPs making YFs in unlikely ways even in absolutely hysterical countries like the US and the UK; it's not impossible.

If you would like to live in a less paranoid country and also work with beautiful boys or girls, consider teaching abroad. There are job opportunities in virtually every country, some much better than others. Most TEFL positions require a degree and a background check, while international school jobs will have stricter requirements.

Whatever you do, be a ''good'' AF who leaves their YFs with positive memories of the friendship. If every MAP did this, there would be a lot of former YFs walking around who are at least highly supportive of adult-minor friendships. Ultimately, this is a way of making MAPness normal.

I've published a [https://forum.map-union.org/viewtopic.php?t=1867 guide] and [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/why-every-responsible-map-should-spend-time-with-children article] on making young friends, and I'm happy to help those who do not express criminalized intentions.

===Don't be an Easy Target===

[[File:Manwithgun.jpeg|thumb|Defend yourself to the fullest extent of the law]]

One of the reasons why MAPs are so voraciously hunted is because we are a very easy target. Pretty much every avenue of sexual expression is a crime, and yet many people do reckless things. Police may look the other way when vigilantes attack us, assuming a report is even made. And so, we are targeted mercilessly.

'''We have to stop allowing ourselves to be easy targets.'''

This means not doing stupid things like downloading criminalized images from file-sharing networks or messengers like Discord. It means not keeping MAP-related data unencrypted on your device. Likewise, using phones or other mobile devices for MAP-related matters is a bad idea. Improving your technical security requires a learning curve, but it isn't hard once you get used to it. If you can learn how to play a computer game, or how to do a semi-skilled job, you can set up a system that will keep you safe.

If police do show up at your door, don't throw yourselves to the wolves. Without a warrant, the police will almost certainly pretend to be your friends, but they are in fact your enemy. Their job is to do whatever it takes to get you to say anything that can be used against you. Don't talk about the weather, or the sports game you saw last night. Don't try to prove your innocence; telling them that you only have legal pictures of children will not help your case. Should they actually have a warrant, ask them if you are legally compelled to do whatever they ask of you, and refuse to co-operate beyond the absolute legal minimum. You do not have to give police your passwords ''without a specific order'', one which they won't have at the time of a raid.

Finally, self-defense. I do not recommend meeting up with minors you talked to online, ''ever''; it is almost always a sting. That said, if you are ever in a position where you feel you may be attacked for being a MAP, be ready to defend yourself lawfully. One of the reasons why people bully MAPs so frequently is that most targets cower in fear and grovel for forgiveness, which gives the bullies exactly what they want. This has to change. Note that if you live in a stand-your-ground jurisdiction, you may even be legally permitted to use lethal force to defend yourself.

===Video-based Advocacy===

These days, a lot of people source their information from videos posted on sites like YouTube and even TikTok. However, the number of MAPs making videos is extremely small. First of all, major platforms are highly censorious, especially when it comes to pro-MAP content. Second, most MAPs are unwilling to show their faces, for obvious reasons. Nonetheless, the [https://fstube.net FreeSpeechTube] platform offers low-censorship hosting, and is particularly popular with MAPs. And for those who are rightly afraid, it is possible to make videos without showing your face, albeit less effective. What I would question most is why the hundreds of thousands of MAPs who have already been outed do not publish pro-MAP videos when so many of them have very little left to lose. Come on, guys...

===Fiction-based Advocacy===

Most people are, unfortunately, more readily swayed by emotions than facts. While it is remarkably difficult to become a ''prominent'' author, those who have a talent for writing fiction may consider publishing stories that have a subtle pro-MAP message. In fictional works, the reader tends to side with the protagonist even when they would ordinarily not side with such a person. Pushing people to empathize with a fictional MAP may well nudge them closer to supporting MAPs in real life.

With self-publishing features offered by sites like Amazon, it is not hard to get started as a writer. The challenge, of course, is in finding an audience.

==Resources==

'''[https://wiki.yesmap.net Newgon Wiki]''' - Contains a plethora of resources to help you publish and defend pro-MAP arguments.

'''[https://www.map-union.org MAP Union]''' - A moderate pro-MAP advocacy group.

'''[https://forum.map-union.org MAP Forum]''' - An activism-based forum for MAPs.

'''[https://www.brianribbon.com Brian Ribbon]''' - My personal blog, offering fresh insights and commentary on MAP-related and other issues.

'''[https://fstube.net Free Speech Tube]''' - A place to publish pro-MAP videos.

'''[https://b4uact.org B4U-ACT]''' - The ''only'' people you should ever contact if you need professional mental health support.

'''[https://lifeline.chat LifeLine Chat]''' - Peer support service for MAPs (open only when a volunteer is available).

==Contact==

Feel free to contact me at ''contact (at) brianribbon (dot) com''.

Alternatively, come and join the discussion at Mu's '''MAP Forum''', where I frequently hang out.

The Manifesto of the Unapologetic MAP

2025-11-20T09:46:41Z

BLueRibbon: /* Resources */

<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''The Manifesto of the Unapologetic MAP'''

November 20, 2025 ◆ '''BLueRibbon'''

<hr>

There is no group in the western world more brutally and blatantly oppressed than MAPs. The problem is now so extreme that, shockingly, we see members of our community internalizing the most absurd of aspersions cast against us. Here you will find an unwaveringly proud and unapologetic manifesto intended as a reference point for aggressive pro-MAP activists.

There are no concessions made here. I don't believe that any consensual expression of sexuality is ''necessarily'' harmful, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise. However, for advocacy purposes, I continue to recommend the [[Essay:Pro-Reform:_The_Rational_Middle_Ground|Pro-Reform Framework]] I introduced last year, alongside the other proposals at the bottom of the manifesto.

==A Summary of Truths and Perspectives==

===Be Proud and Accept Yourself!===

* Foremost, MAPs should feel '''absolutely no shame''' over their sexual feelings for people of any age.
* Minor-attraction is not '''not inherently sadistic or abusive'''; it is connected to the same feelings of '''warmth, love and longing''' as any other sexual orientation.
* Minor-attraction is a fixed sexuality like any other, not a disease or mental illness.

It is quite horrific that so many MAPs arrive at message boards like MAP Forum, or regrettably at VirPed, hating themselves for their feelings of love and desire toward young people. There is no explanation for this other than the internalization of society's brutally oppressive discourse and treatment with regard to MAPs. What MAPs truly desire is the ability to fully express their love, not to inflict harm. Instead of feeling bad about supposedly 'wanting to hurt children', MAPs should be ''raging'' against society's horrific mischaracterization and criminalization of their beautiful sexual orientation.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.map-union.org/blog/press-release-addressing-misunderstandings-about-maps Addressing Misunderstandings About MAPs (Mu)] [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/why-every-responsible-map-should-spend-time-with-children Why Every Responsible MAP Should Spend Time With Children]

===Adult-Minor Sexual Contact is not Abuse===

* Adult-Minor Sexual Contact (AMSC) is typically an '''expression of love''' as well as lust.
* Condemnation of AMSC is derived from puritanical beliefs, later turned into a pseudoscience.
* Claims that harm has been 'proven' are based on studies with notable sample bias.
* Secondary harm is real, and this impacts newer studies on AMSC.

Historically, the age of consent around the world varied from 7 to 12 years old. In the late 19th century, social reformists in the UK and US lobbied relentlessly to raise the age of consent to 16 or 18, as part of a broader range of 'reforms' intended to foist puritanical attitudes upon the public and shore up political support for their various other campaigns and ventures. Later, the burgeoning modern psychiatric industry twisted the reformists' puritanical scorn into a pseudoscience, creating an entirely new 'CSA' industry. The quality of research was poor; it suffered from extreme sample bias, and it failed to distinguish between real and secondary harm. The notion of harm inherent in ''consensual'' sexual activity between adults and minors is almost entirely socially constructed; a result of religious, political and financial profiteering. If you're a MAP, you should '''not''' accept the hurtful accusation that what you desire is automatically and inherently harmful.

'''Further reading''': [[Research:_Prevalence_of_Harm_and_Negative_Outcomes|Prevalence of Harm]], [[Research:_Secondary_Harm|Secondary Harm]], [[Research:_Methodological_flaws_and_syndrome_construction|Methodological Flaws in 'CSA' Research]], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_consent#History_and_social_attitudes Age of Consent (History)]

==='CSAM' is a Lie===

[[File:Iwfpenetrative.png|thumb|Category A is considered the most 'serious', often presented to the media as depicting the violent abuse of children]]

* Much of what is labeled 'CSAM' is '''not children being violently assaulted''', but under-18s posing or playing with peers.
* In many jurisdictions, even lolicon and shotacon can lead to prosecutions and sex offender registration.
* There is no evidence that viewing criminalized depictions of children leads to other criminalized behaviors.
* MAPs need to call out the IWF, law enforcement, and governments as '''liars and profiteers'''.

What do 'charities' like the [[Internet Watch Foundation]], law enforcement organizations such as Europol, and governments seeking to push through new laws have in common? They all insist that criminalized depictions of minors must be labeled 'CSAM'. They claim they are fighting the production and trade of horrific images of videos of young children being violently assaulted. The reality? Evidence indicates that most criminalized depictions of minors are of teenagers messing around on camera, or of nudes not that dissimilar to what may be found in grandma's photo album. Contacts familiar with the 'scene' confirm that images and videos of adults having sex with children do exist, but even these are typically not violent or aggressive, and most sites in fact prohibit anything extreme. Of course, the public cannot legally verify the claims made about 'CSAM', so entities who want to make up stories may do so with impunity. Let's call these entities what they are: '''manipulative, profiteering scum'''. Never use the grossly inaccurate term 'CSAM' to apply to criminalized depictions of minors. And when the topic arises, be sure to let acquaintances know that a lot of criminalized material is actually self-produced.

'''Further reading''': [[Research:_Child_Pornography|Research on Child Pornography]], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/pro-reform-a-logical-approach-to-pim A Logical Approach to PIM], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/the-smoke-and-mirrors-behind-ai-hysteria-in-the-uk Smoke and Mirrors], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/chat-control-how-the-eu-will-exploit-children-for-power Chat Control]

===You Shouldn't Necessarily 'Get Help'===

* '''Being attracted to minors doesn't mean you need to 'get help''''.
* Never disclose illegal activity to a therapist, even if you want to stop. Don't even drop hints.
* If you need help dealing with the stress of living within a brutally oppressive society, contact B4U-ACT (a pro-MAP service).

Being attracted to minors is '''normal''', and even being attracted to pre-pubescent children is not that uncommon. Some MAPs sadly internalize social attitudes that wrongly label these attractions abnormal or harmful, but doing so is not in any way beneficial to the individual. It is worth remembering that you cannot 'cure' your attraction to people of any age or gender, and attempting to do so will likely cause distress. There may be some benefit to counseling for those who are struggling with negative thought patterns and mental health issues connected to their oppression, but disclosing an attraction to minors is ''incredibly dangerous''. Only counselors approved by [[B4U-ACT|B4U-ACT]] are safe; unfortunately, they are also expensive. Regardless of how much you trust your therapist, you must still refrain from disclosing any criminalized actions you have engaged in due to '''mandatory reporting''' requirements.

Peer support groups like LifeLine are also available, and I personally donate time to this highly recommended service.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.b4uact.org B4U-ACT], [https://lifeline.chat LifeLine], [[Research:_Prevalence|Prevalence of Minor-Attraction]], [[Research:_A_%22cure%22_for_pedophilia%3F|No 'Cure' for Pedophilia]], [https://www.brianribbon.com/short-takes/a-sincere-fuck-you-to-the-get-help-brigade A Sincere Fuck You to the Get Help Brigade]

===You Should Respect Your Brothers (and Sisters)===

[[File:Flagmf.png|thumb|Credit: MytheBe]]

* MAPs are pushed to the brink by the horrific onslaught of sociolegal oppression.
* Even when MAPs have engaged in behaviors we feel are ethically unsound, we should still support them.
* There is a journey from self-hate, to self-acceptance with limits, to pro-choice enlightenment.
* If MAPs are outright opposed to reformist ideas, we need to gently push them in the right direction.

MAPs are oppressed more than any other group in the western world. We are denied the fundamental right to love, to express our sexuality even in unambiguously harmless ways, to feel safe from being hunted, and to merely share our feelings with family, friends, and medical professionals. Against the backdrop of these extreme and debilitating challenges, it is not surprising that some MAPs behave in ways that are harmful or irresponsible. While it is natural to criticize genuinely harmful behaviors, we should nonetheless remain steadfast in our support of each other as MAPs.

Furthermore, we should (''within reason'') respect those who have differing views on AMSC and other issues, while gently trying to nudge anti-reformist MAPs toward a more logical reformist approach.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.map-union.org/blog/mu-analysis-map-mental-health-crisis MAP Mental Health Crisis], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/pro-reform-thoughts-on-the-push Clarification on 'The Push']

==='Child Protection' is an Industry===

* The modern 'child protection' narrative supports a variety of charities that exaggerate or invent problems to keep funding flowing in.
* The psychology industry makes a fortune treating victims of 'CSA'.
* Governments use 'child protection' to pass increasingly draconian laws.

When 'concerns' about 'abuse' are published in the media, they are often packaged with quotes from charities whose goal is supposedly to prevent abuse. One such charity is the aforementioned Internet Watch Foundation, who have been extremely active in inducing hysteria over AI and 'grooming'. They do this not to protect children, but to ensure their own survival. The IWF, notably, is meaningless in an age of 'CSAM' being mostly AI and kids messing around on camera. Governments are all too happy to work with such organizations to push a hysterical narrative, allowing them to enact extreme draconian laws that give the state sweeping new powers to control citizens. Meanwhile, the psychology industry earns huge sums of money treating 'CSA victims', thus even young people who are not victims must be led to believe they are so at the expense of their well-being.

'''Further reading''': [[Debate_Guide:_Child_abuse_industry|Child Abuse Industry (Debate Guide)]], [https://www.map-union.org/blog/the-crime-and-policing-bill-teardown-what-you-need-to-know-as-a-map The Crime and Policing Bill Teardown]

==='Child Protection' is an Excuse for Hate===

[[File:Hate1.png|thumb|A typical example of anti-MAP commentary]]

* Most people hate MAPs '''simply for existing'''.
* Anything a MAP does (including looking at lolicon, etc.) is spuriously labeled 'harmful' to keep up the '''pretense''' of 'protecting children'.
* There is '''little difference''' between hating MAPs, black people, Jewish people, or LGBT people.

Virtually all of the hatred that would have been slung at gays, blacks, or Jews is now directed at MAPs. In the modern world, however, expressing hatred over simply being grossed out is much less acceptable. Therefore, most people use 'child protection' as a mask. "Children can't consent" is as absurd as stating that "gays molest children" or "women are incapable of ''x''". Claims that MAPs are dangerous are no different to claims that "black people are criminals" or "Jews take everyone's money". There have always been supposedly 'reasonable' excuses for hate, yet hate has remained the driving force.

Watching criminalized images allegedly 'harms children' through some voodoo magic. It is a pure logical absurdity. Even AI images of children apparently somehow threaten the cosmically aligned ''souls'' of children as a whole.

We need to be honest about the fact that '''humanity is no better than it's ever been''', and hating MAPs is no different to hating any other group based on who they are. Let's call our detractors out for their blind hatred dishonestly masked as 'protection' and 'harm prevention'.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/illuminating-the-horror Illuminating the Horror] [[List_of_anti-MAP_quotes|Anti-MAP Quotes]]

===MAP Censorship is Severe===

* Online and offline speech are censored by corporations and MAPphobia
* '''Effective free speech is challenging''', with MAPs relegated to obscure low-traffic websites.
* Harmless expressions of sexuality are criminalized

While MAPs may theoretically enjoy the same legal protections regarding free speech as any other group, the reality is quite different. Almost every major platform censors pro-MAP comments, even comments that are incredibly benign. Likewise, harmless of expressions of MAP sexuality through arts are criminalized in many jurisdictions; this can include drawings, writings, AI generations, even statues! In practice, MAPs can only express themselves very cautiously on their own sites hosted by 'bulletproof' hosting companies. This is not ''effective'' free speech or expression.

'''Further reading''': [[Bluesky_pedophilia_controversy|Bluesky Pedophilia Controversy]], [[Censorship|Newgon Wiki's Article on Censorship]], [[Wikipedia_censorship_of_MAP_related_topics|Wikipedia Censorship]], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/locked-in-the-toybox-weston-wikipedia-and-the-modern-web Locked in the Toybox], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/the-unfortunate-inevitability-of-political-violence The Unfortunate Inevitability of Political Violence], [https://www.boychat.org/messages/1646399.htm Effective Free Speech]

===MAPs are Victims of Mass Violence===

[[File:threat.jpg|thumb|A YouTube commentator advertising his 'cure' for pedophilia. He would later go on to doxx and threaten a prominent MAP activist]]

* Vigilante attacks are increasing.
* Arrest and/or imprisonment for non-violent offenses constitutes violence.
* MAPs convicted of 'crimes' are coerced to take drugs that inhibit natural sexual feelings

MAPs are increasingly victims of violence. One particularly disturbing 'trend' is that of vigilante attacks, where MAPs are brutally beaten with hammers or hunted down like animals with crossbows. The public can do anything they like to MAPs, amounting essentially to torture, and the authorities will complain only about their cases being tainted or about 'innocent' people potentially getting caught up in the fracas. Meanwhile, MAPs are increasingly coerced to take chemical castratants or even undergo ''physical castration'' when the problem is not their sexual orientation, but absurd laws that criminalize even consensual behavior and the mere viewing of images that typically do not depict abuse. We should also call out the large-scale imprisonment over non-violent offenses for what it is: '''mass violence perpetrated against our community'''.

'''Further reading''': [https://gigazine.net/gsc_news/en/20250402-pedophile-hunting-violence Social Media Vigilantes], [https://armaghi.com/news/craigavon-news/paedophile-hunter-armed-with-crossbow-charged-with-litany-of-offences/63304 Report on Crossbow Attack], [https://apnews.com/article/louisiana-castration-sex-crimes-dc6763a2b6a144cf05d92174df032a63 Physical Castration in Louisiana], [[Vigilantism|Newgon Wiki's Article on Vigilantism]]

===You Should Defend Yourself Against Violence===

* MAPs '''should not co-operate with authorities''' beyond what is legally required.
* MAPs should not take any medicines that inhibit their natural sexual feelings.
* MAPs '''should defend themselves against physical violence''' to the extent they are lawfully allowed to do so.

As will be elaborated below, MAPs should be as resistant toward police (state-sponsored thugs) as legally possible. The police may ''act nice'', but they are tasked with perpetrating violence against MAPs through their enforcement of insanely MAPphobic laws.

MAPs should not allow themselves to be drugged unless they have a genuine problem with sexual ''violence''; their sexual orientation is not in any way an illness or disease to be treated. If necessary, you may state that you will take the medicine, but then '''not actually take it'''.

Finally, MAPs should defend themselves against physical violence using whatever methods of self-defense are legally permissible, instead of pathetically cowering and begging for forgiveness. Being caught in a vigilante sting does '''not''' necessitate tolerating violence; the MAP is the '''victim''' and should stand up for themself. In some jurisdictions, use of lethal force is permitted when threatened.

'''Further reading''': [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand-your-ground_law Stand-your-ground Laws], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_castration Chemical Castration and its Harms], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/the-miserable-little-bully-named-slyboy The Miserable Little Bully]

===You Should Secure Your Device===

[[File:Veracrypt.png|thumb|Securing your device is vital as a MAP activist]]

''This section is written from the position that MAPs are endangered even if they are not engaging in criminalized activity. It is not intended to assist with concealing evidence of criminalized behavior.''

* Secure operating systems such as TAILS and Whonix protect you from being traced.
* Mobile devices are never secure.
* Encryption programs (VeraCrypt, etc.) offer a variety of tools to secure your data, even in authoritarian countries like the UK.
* Although it sounds obvious, '''don't be careless'''.

To keep yourself safe as a MAP, you need to practice good operational security. This starts with a secure operating system; the absolute safest options are Tails and Whonix. Mobile devices, especially cell phones, should be avoided. To keep your MAP-related activity secure on your computer, use full-disk encryption. Consider also a hidden container if you live in a country where courts can order the disclosure of a password; you would be able to comply with the order without endangering yourself.

Equally important is ''not doing anything stupid''. Do not allow your computer monitor to be visible through a window, do not leave your data unencrypted while going to the store or taking a shower even if it's 'convenient', and do not disclose excessive personal information about yourself.

'''Further reading''': [https://tails.net/ Tails], [https://www.whonix.org/ Whonix], [https://veracrypt.io/en/Downloads.html VeraCrypt], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/ripa-in-reality-why-british-people-should-still-encrypt RIPA in Reality (UK Law)]

===Never Co-operate!===

* Police will often act nice if they don't have a warrant.
* Never try to argue your innocence to police.
* Co-operating doesn't help you.

If police show up at your door, they may or may not have a warrant. Should they have a search warrant, allow them to serve it and let your legal representative later try to challenge it. Should they ''not'' have a warrant, they will likely not be direct or aggressive, but nicely and non-threateningly ask if they can enter your property ("do you mind if we come in for a moment?"). The answer to this should be "'''No, I don't want to let you in'''". If they ask why, remind them that you are not required to give a reason and that you do not wish to talk to them. They may tell you they believe you're innocent, or they just want to clear up a misunderstanding, or some other bullshit that encourages you to try to 'prove your innocence'. Do not fall for this.

If police have a warrant, comply only to the extent that you are required. If they make ''any'' request of you, ask if you are legally required to comply. If you are not legally required to comply, do not co-operate. Do not volunteer any devices. Do not volunteer any passwords. In some jurisdictions, a court can order you to provide a password, but police cannot force you to do this without that specific lawful order.

Remember that no matter how nice they act, and no matter what they say, the police are your '''enemy'''.

'''Further reading''': [https://zakfisherlaw.com/index.php/2025/02/25/six-ways/ Police Manipulation Tactics]

===Enemies of the MAP Community===

[[File:Finkelhorlarge.jpeg|thumb|David Finkelhor is one of the primary architects of 'CSA' hysteria]]

* 'Charities' that profit through spreading hysteria (example: Internet Watch Foundation).
* Law enforcement figures who threaten and slander MAPs, or misrepresent issues (example: Europol).
* 'Professionals' who kickstarted and maintain the CSA industry (example: David Finkelhor).
* Politicians who garner attention via anti-MAP rhetoric (example: Anna Paulina Luna).
* Vigilante groups (example: Dads Against Predators).
* Social media corporations who censor MAPs (example: Bluesky).
* Content creators who bully MAPs to gain a following (example: Liam Bennett Smith (Sly Boy)).

The MAP community has many enemies. These include charities who profiteer by spreading hysteria, law enforcement organizations that exaggerate the 'horrors' they have to deal with (most cases are non-violent and fairly harmless), politicians who push extreme laws to get attention, violent vigilante groups who often violently attack MAPs, the 'professionals' in the psychology industry who spread the 'CSA' narrative, the platforms that censor anyone identifying as a MAP, and those who use us to make a name for themselves.

'''Further reading''': [https://absolutezerounites.blogspot.com/ Blog About Anti-MAP Vigilantes], [https://forum.map-union.org/viewtopic.php?t=2517 Mu Forum Vigilante Thread], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/fuck-the-kids-in-every-way-but-that-or-why-america-is-a-hypocritical-monster "Fuck The Kids In Every Way But That" (Profiteering Politicians)], [https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-56404743 Police Chief Simon Bailey Threatens Non-Offending MAPs], [[NSPCC]], [[David Finkelhor]], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/the-miserable-little-bully-named-slyboy Sly Boy]

==A Crucial Elaboration on Mischaracterizations of MAP Attraction and AMSC==

[[File:Mentorsmall.png|thumb|This is what an AF-YF relationship looks like]]

* MAP fantasies are typically warm and loving.
* AMSC is normally consensual, playful and tender.
* Any condemnation based on the realities of MAP attraction and AMSC are borne of ignorance and intolerance.

Beyond the obvious hatred of a person simply being ''different'' - a consistent motivator of discrimination, incarceration, and murder throughout human history - the '''false framing of MAP fantasies and sexual interactions''' represents a huge barrier to liberation. Most people likely imagine MAP fantasies and interactions as violent assaults, or acts of extreme manipulation.

The reality could hardly be more different. While the motivations and fantasies of MAPs do vary as with any other sexual orientation, Mu's 2024 community survey revealed a major tendency toward emotional and romantic attraction. This goes hand-in-hand with tender and playful fantasies that are notably ''less'' aggressive than those of regular straight or gay men.

Most MAPs who admit to having had sexual contact with minors describe situations in which the young person was curious, or simply sexually worked up. Interactions were typically youth-focused; for example, a man might perform oral on a happy boy. This is particularly common among hebephilic men, and represents nothing more than a young person involving a close adult companion in normal youthful activities. In fact, as a cautious boylover who has had many platonic friends in the 11-13 year-old age range, I have had to turn down both implied and rather less subtle advances from some quite attractive boys who were curious about sex. That is ''simply absurd''.

Far from being sadistic hypersexuals, most MAPs are romanticists who would simply like to participate in a child or teen's world, including the sexual components.

At least one of the following must be true:

* Regular straight and gay people are viewing MAP fantasies and relationships through their own sadistic lens.
* Regular straight and gay people are fully onboard with the wanton demonization of an entire group of people, without evidence.
* Regular straight and gay people are simply disgusted by AMSC, even if it's loving and harmless.

==MAPs Need to Stop Pretending This is All OK==

===My feelings===

Our community should be absolutely outraged by the utter evisceration of our lives and futures. No other people face the same global condemnation and subjugation, to be left with absolutely nowhere safe to go. We cannot confidently share our thoughts and feelings with anyone, not even the therapists whom the vile public scream at us to go and visit. Mainstream platforms block us with the most miserable of excuses, and nobody cares.

Any representation of a minor is deemed 'harmful', even when it's merely pencil on a page, justified through lies proliferated by the most disgusting of 'charities' that profiteer at our expense. Our beautiful desire for loving and tender relationships with young people is framed as violent and sadistic, the equivalent of a brutal and monstrous rape. Should anyone say "''fuck it''" and follow their heart, their lives will be permanently destroyed along with the lives of any young lovers left in the wake.

The public don't really want to protect children; that is just an excuse to mask the horrific bad-faith brutality of the human race. 'Modern' people enjoy the blood sport of hunting down our brothers and sisters, no matter how 'virtuous' they may be. They cheer like medieval brutes at the gallows as they watch a timid young man get twenty years for porn. They would murder us for our thoughts if they could... and perhaps that's only a matter of time.

[[File:Maprev4.jpeg|thumb]]

If you're a MAP, remember this. Other MAPs are your friends, and the rest of humanity deserves a reckoning for what it has done to us. That doesn't mean going out and rioting, but it does mean standing up proud and not letting the world's vicious and cynical demonization of our community cloud your love for yourself. MAP love is beautiful. Never feel ashamed!

Go out and make young friends; our enemies hate nothing more. Express yourself to the fullest extent you can without risking legal trouble. The world has stripped us of almost everything, but we should make the absolute most of what is left, while fighting back aggressively over what has been stolen.

===Why you should feel angry too===

'''See also: [[Essay:A_Call_for_the_Abolition_of_Apathy | ''A Call For The Abolition of Apathy'']]'''

When a friend advertised some of my writing on a darknet forum, the responses relayed back to me were truly horrifying. Many people took a disinterested approach in their oppression. "Why be angry?", they asked.

MAPs are presently forced to choose between two utterly terrifying outcomes:

* Living a completely clean life without ever expressing one's sexuality, even in the most detached artistic form.
* The constant fear and risk of imprisonment, possible violence or even murder in prison, one's life permanently ruined.

The sexual frustration is huge for a large number of MAPs, especially those in the rotten jurisdictions that criminalize AI and cartoon images, but that's only part of it. What really gets to me is the legal impossibility of safe and lawful intimacy. Sex is not just about ejaculating, but about truly expressing your love, and MAPs are denied this under threat of being incarcerated and permanently tarred. A boylover who performs oral on a boy may well be labeled a ''rapist'' in the eyes of the law, and in media articles that equate his tender expression of love with violent penetration of a tiny, screaming child.

For those that do get caught up in the system, the outcome can be brutal. [[Essay:A_Call_for_the_Abolition_of_Apathy#Prison_Violence | Nitro's story]], of having his ankle shattered during his incarceration for merely possessing Azov movies, is one particularly enraging example. A man in Louisiana will be facing [https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/louisiana-pedophile-agrees-physical-chemical-castration-cut-prison-time-what-know-about-1741843 physical castration] prior to release, thanks to a new law passed in that state in 2024. Meanwhile, there are many cases of men being murdered after being [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/mu-lowdown-10-times-americas-sex-offender-registry-was-used-with-lethal-effect stalked] using the public sex offender registries that exist in countries like the US.

Those who fully trust in the darknet to keep themselves safe cannot sit comfortably either. Authorities are now [[Essay:A_Call_for_the_Abolition_of_Apathy#No_Safe_Place_to_Hide | able]] to monitor the Tor network to detect a proportion of users connecting to hidden services whose real IP address has been discovered (something which eventually happens to all hidden services targeted by the authorities). The process relies on random luck for the police, or bad luck for the MAP, and there's little anyone can do to ensure their safety if visiting such sites.

Should a MAP struggle with these impossible choices, there are few safe avenues for support. Peer support sites like LifeLine exist, but the volunteers are not trained counselors. B4U-ACT can connect MAPs with qualified counselors who are happy to talk with MAPs, but these people are mostly in America, and unaffordable for the majority. Likewise, MAPs have to constantly hide their sexual orientation from friends and even family, adding to the emotional burden. I know a number of MAPs who are married and not even out to their wife.

What MAPs actually want, in most cases, is to care for and love a young person, and to also express that love sexually. To have this so cynically exploited and reduced to accusations of sadism, soul-stealing, or whatever they want to call it, is incredibly hurtful. But it's not just about 'hurtful accusations'; the actual effects of MAP hysteria are crushing, often life destroying. If you're a MAP and don't feel angry about this, take your fingers out of your ears and rip the blindfold off your face.

==Rational First Steps to Improve our Situation==

[[File:MAPFteacher20.png|thumb|Credit: Beefriend]]

As you may perhaps have inferred from the few paragraphs above, I am enraged with regular people for what they have done to us, and you should feel the same way! But going on a killing spree would not help anyone, including us, so instead let's discuss step-by-step reform. It's altogether less gory, and you can even do it while sipping a nice glass of whiskey.

===Be Proud===

The first step you can take is to fully accept yourself as a MAP. This means not feeling bad no matter who you love, whether you're attracted to teenagers or toddlers. Your self-acceptance should ''not'' be predicated on statements like "I have these feelings but I know that acting on them would be horrific". While I won't recommend sexual contact with minors due to the risk of secondary harm and other sociolegal consequences, it is ''vital'' to understand that what you desire is ''not inherently harmful''. Furthermore, if you do have fantasies that would be genuinely harmful if acted upon, you need to understand that the same could be said for people of any orientation; 'normal' men regularly fantasize about women who wouldn't consent to sex with them in reality.

===Be Honest... to an Extent===

While you can't realistically advocate decriminalization of AMSC to your friends, or on social media, you can encourage moderate perspectives as opposed to the current extremist takes. When MAP-related issues come up during conversations with acquaintances, consider making comments such as:

* "I heard that most pornographic videos of kids are self-produced by teenagers."
* "I actually read that most sex offenders don't re-offend."
* "Apparently there are a lot more pedophiles than we think, just most don't act on it."
* "I feel kind of sorry for people who are into kids but never hurt anyone."
* "Maybe it's just me, but I was a horny kid. If a hot woman (guy) had gotten with me, I'd probably have been pretty happy."

Making comments like this is not suspicious. It can even make people feel a bit embarrassed if they're expressing an excessively extreme or violent opinion. Pretty much everyone knows a MAP; if more of us did this (without coming out), it would act as something of a check to the perception that society wholesale tolerates extremity against MAPs.

===Re-Frame MAP Fantasies and AMSC===

[[File:Hug.png|thumb|AF-YF love is beautiful and should be celebrated]]

When writing on sites that permit such advocacy, which are admittedly few and far between, it is important to clarify the reality of MAP fantasies and AMSC.

These realities have already been discussed at length above, and there is no need to repeat here.

===Support Your MAP Friends===

I am guilty of having made comments that are excessively critical of the anti-contact community, despite my work as a teen MAP essentially being a precursor to the modern NOMAP movement. I do feel that anti-contact advocacy is problematic, relying entirely on the highly questionable claim that protection of children is the primary motivator of MAP hate. I also feel that NOMAPs are almost universally disbelieved, even when they are genuine.

However, it is important for all members our community to respect each other, even when disputes occur over contact stances and other divisive issues. Earlier this year, I made forum posts accusing anti-contact MAPs of being traitors, which was unhelpful to say the least. Pro-choice MAPs should support anti-contact MAPs on their journey from self-hate, to anti-contact self-acceptance, to full philosophical acceptance of both feelings and expression. This goes both ways, however; anti-contact MAPs should also respect those who have 'offended', recognizing the extreme challenges MAPs face in such a hostile world.

The [[Essay:Pro-Reform:_The_Rational_Middle_Ground|Pro-Reform Framework]] offers a moderate middle ground for those who are neither fully pro-choice, nor entirely anti-contact in philosophy.

===Make MAPness Normal===

As a MAP who actually loves children, not a representative of mainstream society that hates MAPs and only pretends to be concerned about children, I believe harm reduction is paramount. I don't want to abandon ''harm reduction'' arguments; avoiding harm to young people is extremely important to me. However, I think our community is engaging sub-optimally with the public when focusing only on why MAPness or its expression is not harmful. The reality is that most people hate MAPs because they think we're weird, disgusting, deviant.

We are often accused of trying to 'normalize' MAPness, and while I'm not sure that's really accurate, it ''is'' something we should be focusing on. If MAP hate is predicated on hatred of grossness and deviance, then desensitization and promotion of MAP feelings as normal are crucial angles of attack. Perhaps the reason our detractors are so terrified of 'normalization' is that it strikes at the very heart of what sustains their witch hunt.

One way of achieving this goal is by ''trolling''. Outrage over the plan to hold a 'MAP Camp', while not an attempt at ragebait, resulted in pro-MAP messages being published by the traditional media and on social media platforms. We can intentionally [[Essay:"Pedophile trolling"?|generate]] such drama by publishing content that we know will lead to similar reactions.

===Be a Great AF===

Before getting knee-deep in activism, I had a lot of platonic YFs. I met some of them through work; others were simply neighbors. Granted, this is much easier in the country I reside in. However, I've heard of MAPs making YFs in unlikely ways even in absolutely hysterical countries like the US and the UK; it's not impossible.

If you would like to live in a less paranoid country and also work with beautiful boys or girls, consider teaching abroad. There are job opportunities in virtually every country, some much better than others. Most TEFL positions require a degree and a background check, while international school jobs will have stricter requirements.

Whatever you do, be a ''good'' AF who leaves their YFs with positive memories of the friendship. If every MAP did this, there would be a lot of former YFs walking around who are at least highly supportive of adult-minor friendships. Ultimately, this is a way of making MAPness normal.

I've published a [https://forum.map-union.org/viewtopic.php?t=1867 guide] and [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/why-every-responsible-map-should-spend-time-with-children article] on making young friends, and I'm happy to help those who do not express criminalized intentions.

===Don't be an Easy Target===

[[File:Manwithgun.jpeg|thumb|Defend yourself to the fullest extent of the law]]

One of the reasons why MAPs are so voraciously hunted is because we are a very easy target. Pretty much every avenue of sexual expression is a crime, and yet many people do reckless things. Police may look the other way when vigilantes attack us, assuming a report is even made. And so, we are targeted mercilessly.

'''We have to stop allowing ourselves to be easy targets.'''

This means not doing stupid things like downloading criminalized images from file-sharing networks or messengers like Discord. It means not keeping MAP-related data unencrypted on your device. Likewise, using phones or other mobile devices for MAP-related matters is a bad idea. Improving your technical security requires a learning curve, but it isn't hard once you get used to it. If you can learn how to play a computer game, or how to do a semi-skilled job, you can set up a system that will keep you safe.

If police do show up at your door, don't throw yourselves to the wolves. Without a warrant, the police will almost certainly pretend to be your friends, but they are in fact your enemy. Their job is to do whatever it takes to get you to say anything that can be used against you. Don't talk about the weather, or the sports game you saw last night. Don't try to prove your innocence; telling them that you only have legal pictures of children will not help your case. Should they actually have a warrant, ask them if you are legally compelled to do whatever they ask of you, and refuse to co-operate beyond the absolute legal minimum. You do not have to give police your passwords ''without a specific order'', one which they won't have at the time of a raid.

Finally, self-defense. I do not recommend meeting up with minors you talked to online, ''ever''; it is almost always a sting. That said, if you are ever in a position where you feel you may be attacked for being a MAP, be ready to defend yourself lawfully. One of the reasons why people bully MAPs so frequently is that most targets cower in fear and grovel for forgiveness, which gives the bullies exactly what they want. This has to change. Note that if you live in a stand-your-ground jurisdiction, you may even be legally permitted to use lethal force to defend yourself.

===Video-based Advocacy===

These days, a lot of people source their information from videos posted on sites like YouTube and even TikTok. However, the number of MAPs making videos is extremely small. First of all, major platforms are highly censorious, especially when it comes to pro-MAP content. Second, most MAPs are unwilling to show their faces, for obvious reasons. Nonetheless, the [https://fstube.net FreeSpeechTube] platform offers low-censorship hosting, and is particularly popular with MAPs. And for those who are rightly afraid, it is possible to make videos without showing your face, albeit less effective. What I would question most is why the hundreds of thousands of MAPs who have already been outed do not publish pro-MAP videos when so many of them have very little left to lose. Come on, guys...

===Fiction-based Advocacy===

Most people are, unfortunately, more readily swayed by emotions than facts. While it is remarkably difficult to become a ''prominent'' author, those who have a talent for writing fiction may consider publishing stories that have a subtle pro-MAP message. In fictional works, the reader tends to side with the protagonist even when they would ordinarily not side with such a person. Pushing people to empathize with a fictional MAP may well nudge them closer to supporting MAPs in real life.

With self-publishing features offered by sites like Amazon, it is not hard to get started as a writer. The challenge, of course, is in finding an audience.

==Resources==

'''[https://wiki.yesmap.net Newgon Wiki]''' - Contains a plethora of resources to help you publish and defend pro-MAP arguments.

'''[https://www.map-union.org MAP Union]''' - A moderate pro-MAP advocacy group.

'''[https://forum.map-union.org MAP Forum]''' - An activism-based forum for MAPs.

'''[https://www.brianribbon.com Brian Ribbon]''' - My personal blog, offering fresh insights and commentary on MAP-related and other issues.

'''[https://fstube.net Free Speech Tube]''' - A place to publish pro-MAP videos.

'''[https://b4uact.org B4U-ACT]''' - The ''only'' people you should ever contact if you need professional mental health support.

'''[https://lifeline.chat LifeLine Chat]''' - Peer support service for MAPs (open only when a volunteer is available).

==Contact==

Feel free to contact me at ''contact (at) brianribbon (dot) com''.

Alternatively, come and join the discussion at Mu's '''MAP Forum''', where I frequently hang out.

The Manifesto of the Unapologetic MAP

2025-11-20T09:30:08Z

BLueRibbon: /* MAP Censorship is Severe */

<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''The Manifesto of the Unapologetic MAP'''

November 20, 2025 ◆ '''BLueRibbon'''

<hr>

There is no group in the western world more brutally and blatantly oppressed than MAPs. The problem is now so extreme that, shockingly, we see members of our community internalizing the most absurd of aspersions cast against us. Here you will find an unwaveringly proud and unapologetic manifesto intended as a reference point for aggressive pro-MAP activists.

There are no concessions made here. I don't believe that any consensual expression of sexuality is ''necessarily'' harmful, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise. However, for advocacy purposes, I continue to recommend the [[Essay:Pro-Reform:_The_Rational_Middle_Ground|Pro-Reform Framework]] I introduced last year, alongside the other proposals at the bottom of the manifesto.

==A Summary of Truths and Perspectives==

===Be Proud and Accept Yourself!===

* Foremost, MAPs should feel '''absolutely no shame''' over their sexual feelings for people of any age.
* Minor-attraction is not '''not inherently sadistic or abusive'''; it is connected to the same feelings of '''warmth, love and longing''' as any other sexual orientation.
* Minor-attraction is a fixed sexuality like any other, not a disease or mental illness.

It is quite horrific that so many MAPs arrive at message boards like MAP Forum, or regrettably at VirPed, hating themselves for their feelings of love and desire toward young people. There is no explanation for this other than the internalization of society's brutally oppressive discourse and treatment with regard to MAPs. What MAPs truly desire is the ability to fully express their love, not to inflict harm. Instead of feeling bad about supposedly 'wanting to hurt children', MAPs should be ''raging'' against society's horrific mischaracterization and criminalization of their beautiful sexual orientation.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.map-union.org/blog/press-release-addressing-misunderstandings-about-maps Addressing Misunderstandings About MAPs (Mu)] [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/why-every-responsible-map-should-spend-time-with-children Why Every Responsible MAP Should Spend Time With Children]

===Adult-Minor Sexual Contact is not Abuse===

* Adult-Minor Sexual Contact (AMSC) is typically an '''expression of love''' as well as lust.
* Condemnation of AMSC is derived from puritanical beliefs, later turned into a pseudoscience.
* Claims that harm has been 'proven' are based on studies with notable sample bias.
* Secondary harm is real, and this impacts newer studies on AMSC.

Historically, the age of consent around the world varied from 7 to 12 years old. In the late 19th century, social reformists in the UK and US lobbied relentlessly to raise the age of consent to 16 or 18, as part of a broader range of 'reforms' intended to foist puritanical attitudes upon the public and shore up political support for their various other campaigns and ventures. Later, the burgeoning modern psychiatric industry twisted the reformists' puritanical scorn into a pseudoscience, creating an entirely new 'CSA' industry. The quality of research was poor; it suffered from extreme sample bias, and it failed to distinguish between real and secondary harm. The notion of harm inherent in ''consensual'' sexual activity between adults and minors is almost entirely socially constructed; a result of religious, political and financial profiteering. If you're a MAP, you should '''not''' accept the hurtful accusation that what you desire is automatically and inherently harmful.

'''Further reading''': [[Research:_Prevalence_of_Harm_and_Negative_Outcomes|Prevalence of Harm]], [[Research:_Secondary_Harm|Secondary Harm]], [[Research:_Methodological_flaws_and_syndrome_construction|Methodological Flaws in 'CSA' Research]], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_consent#History_and_social_attitudes Age of Consent (History)]

==='CSAM' is a Lie===

[[File:Iwfpenetrative.png|thumb|Category A is considered the most 'serious', often presented to the media as depicting the violent abuse of children]]

* Much of what is labeled 'CSAM' is '''not children being violently assaulted''', but under-18s posing or playing with peers.
* In many jurisdictions, even lolicon and shotacon can lead to prosecutions and sex offender registration.
* There is no evidence that viewing criminalized depictions of children leads to other criminalized behaviors.
* MAPs need to call out the IWF, law enforcement, and governments as '''liars and profiteers'''.

What do 'charities' like the [[Internet Watch Foundation]], law enforcement organizations such as Europol, and governments seeking to push through new laws have in common? They all insist that criminalized depictions of minors must be labeled 'CSAM'. They claim they are fighting the production and trade of horrific images of videos of young children being violently assaulted. The reality? Evidence indicates that most criminalized depictions of minors are of teenagers messing around on camera, or of nudes not that dissimilar to what may be found in grandma's photo album. Contacts familiar with the 'scene' confirm that images and videos of adults having sex with children do exist, but even these are typically not violent or aggressive, and most sites in fact prohibit anything extreme. Of course, the public cannot legally verify the claims made about 'CSAM', so entities who want to make up stories may do so with impunity. Let's call these entities what they are: '''manipulative, profiteering scum'''. Never use the grossly inaccurate term 'CSAM' to apply to criminalized depictions of minors. And when the topic arises, be sure to let acquaintances know that a lot of criminalized material is actually self-produced.

'''Further reading''': [[Research:_Child_Pornography|Research on Child Pornography]], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/pro-reform-a-logical-approach-to-pim A Logical Approach to PIM], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/the-smoke-and-mirrors-behind-ai-hysteria-in-the-uk Smoke and Mirrors], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/chat-control-how-the-eu-will-exploit-children-for-power Chat Control]

===You Shouldn't Necessarily 'Get Help'===

* '''Being attracted to minors doesn't mean you need to 'get help''''.
* Never disclose illegal activity to a therapist, even if you want to stop. Don't even drop hints.
* If you need help dealing with the stress of living within a brutally oppressive society, contact B4U-ACT (a pro-MAP service).

Being attracted to minors is '''normal''', and even being attracted to pre-pubescent children is not that uncommon. Some MAPs sadly internalize social attitudes that wrongly label these attractions abnormal or harmful, but doing so is not in any way beneficial to the individual. It is worth remembering that you cannot 'cure' your attraction to people of any age or gender, and attempting to do so will likely cause distress. There may be some benefit to counseling for those who are struggling with negative thought patterns and mental health issues connected to their oppression, but disclosing an attraction to minors is ''incredibly dangerous''. Only counselors approved by [[B4U-ACT|B4U-ACT]] are safe; unfortunately, they are also expensive. Regardless of how much you trust your therapist, you must still refrain from disclosing any criminalized actions you have engaged in due to '''mandatory reporting''' requirements.

Peer support groups like LifeLine are also available, and I personally donate time to this highly recommended service.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.b4uact.org B4U-ACT], [https://lifeline.chat LifeLine], [[Research:_Prevalence|Prevalence of Minor-Attraction]], [[Research:_A_%22cure%22_for_pedophilia%3F|No 'Cure' for Pedophilia]], [https://www.brianribbon.com/short-takes/a-sincere-fuck-you-to-the-get-help-brigade A Sincere Fuck You to the Get Help Brigade]

===You Should Respect Your Brothers (and Sisters)===

[[File:Flagmf.png|thumb|Credit: MytheBe]]

* MAPs are pushed to the brink by the horrific onslaught of sociolegal oppression.
* Even when MAPs have engaged in behaviors we feel are ethically unsound, we should still support them.
* There is a journey from self-hate, to self-acceptance with limits, to pro-choice enlightenment.
* If MAPs are outright opposed to reformist ideas, we need to gently push them in the right direction.

MAPs are oppressed more than any other group in the western world. We are denied the fundamental right to love, to express our sexuality even in unambiguously harmless ways, to feel safe from being hunted, and to merely share our feelings with family, friends, and medical professionals. Against the backdrop of these extreme and debilitating challenges, it is not surprising that some MAPs behave in ways that are harmful or irresponsible. While it is natural to criticize genuinely harmful behaviors, we should nonetheless remain steadfast in our support of each other as MAPs.

Furthermore, we should (''within reason'') respect those who have differing views on AMSC and other issues, while gently trying to nudge anti-reformist MAPs toward a more logical reformist approach.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.map-union.org/blog/mu-analysis-map-mental-health-crisis MAP Mental Health Crisis], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/pro-reform-thoughts-on-the-push Clarification on 'The Push']

==='Child Protection' is an Industry===

* The modern 'child protection' narrative supports a variety of charities that exaggerate or invent problems to keep funding flowing in.
* The psychology industry makes a fortune treating victims of 'CSA'.
* Governments use 'child protection' to pass increasingly draconian laws.

When 'concerns' about 'abuse' are published in the media, they are often packaged with quotes from charities whose goal is supposedly to prevent abuse. One such charity is the aforementioned Internet Watch Foundation, who have been extremely active in inducing hysteria over AI and 'grooming'. They do this not to protect children, but to ensure their own survival. The IWF, notably, is meaningless in an age of 'CSAM' being mostly AI and kids messing around on camera. Governments are all too happy to work with such organizations to push a hysterical narrative, allowing them to enact extreme draconian laws that give the state sweeping new powers to control citizens. Meanwhile, the psychology industry earns huge sums of money treating 'CSA victims', thus even young people who are not victims must be led to believe they are so at the expense of their well-being.

'''Further reading''': [[Debate_Guide:_Child_abuse_industry|Child Abuse Industry (Debate Guide)]], [https://www.map-union.org/blog/the-crime-and-policing-bill-teardown-what-you-need-to-know-as-a-map The Crime and Policing Bill Teardown]

==='Child Protection' is an Excuse for Hate===

[[File:Hate1.png|thumb|A typical example of anti-MAP commentary]]

* Most people hate MAPs '''simply for existing'''.
* Anything a MAP does (including looking at lolicon, etc.) is spuriously labeled 'harmful' to keep up the '''pretense''' of 'protecting children'.
* There is '''little difference''' between hating MAPs, black people, Jewish people, or LGBT people.

Virtually all of the hatred that would have been slung at gays, blacks, or Jews is now directed at MAPs. In the modern world, however, expressing hatred over simply being grossed out is much less acceptable. Therefore, most people use 'child protection' as a mask. "Children can't consent" is as absurd as stating that "gays molest children" or "women are incapable of ''x''". Claims that MAPs are dangerous are no different to claims that "black people are criminals" or "Jews take everyone's money". There have always been supposedly 'reasonable' excuses for hate, yet hate has remained the driving force.

Watching criminalized images allegedly 'harms children' through some voodoo magic. It is a pure logical absurdity. Even AI images of children apparently somehow threaten the cosmically aligned ''souls'' of children as a whole.

We need to be honest about the fact that '''humanity is no better than it's ever been''', and hating MAPs is no different to hating any other group based on who they are. Let's call our detractors out for their blind hatred dishonestly masked as 'protection' and 'harm prevention'.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/illuminating-the-horror Illuminating the Horror] [[List_of_anti-MAP_quotes|Anti-MAP Quotes]]

===MAP Censorship is Severe===

* Online and offline speech are censored by corporations and MAPphobia
* '''Effective free speech is challenging''', with MAPs relegated to obscure low-traffic websites.
* Harmless expressions of sexuality are criminalized

While MAPs may theoretically enjoy the same legal protections regarding free speech as any other group, the reality is quite different. Almost every major platform censors pro-MAP comments, even comments that are incredibly benign. Likewise, harmless of expressions of MAP sexuality through arts are criminalized in many jurisdictions; this can include drawings, writings, AI generations, even statues! In practice, MAPs can only express themselves very cautiously on their own sites hosted by 'bulletproof' hosting companies. This is not ''effective'' free speech or expression.

'''Further reading''': [[Bluesky_pedophilia_controversy|Bluesky Pedophilia Controversy]], [[Censorship|Newgon Wiki's Article on Censorship]], [[Wikipedia_censorship_of_MAP_related_topics|Wikipedia Censorship]], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/locked-in-the-toybox-weston-wikipedia-and-the-modern-web Locked in the Toybox], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/the-unfortunate-inevitability-of-political-violence The Unfortunate Inevitability of Political Violence], [https://www.boychat.org/messages/1646399.htm Effective Free Speech]

===MAPs are Victims of Mass Violence===

[[File:threat.jpg|thumb|A YouTube commentator advertising his 'cure' for pedophilia. He would later go on to doxx and threaten a prominent MAP activist]]

* Vigilante attacks are increasing.
* Arrest and/or imprisonment for non-violent offenses constitutes violence.
* MAPs convicted of 'crimes' are coerced to take drugs that inhibit natural sexual feelings

MAPs are increasingly victims of violence. One particularly disturbing 'trend' is that of vigilante attacks, where MAPs are brutally beaten with hammers or hunted down like animals with crossbows. The public can do anything they like to MAPs, amounting essentially to torture, and the authorities will complain only about their cases being tainted or about 'innocent' people potentially getting caught up in the fracas. Meanwhile, MAPs are increasingly coerced to take chemical castratants or even undergo ''physical castration'' when the problem is not their sexual orientation, but absurd laws that criminalize even consensual behavior and the mere viewing of images that typically do not depict abuse. We should also call out the large-scale imprisonment over non-violent offenses for what it is: '''mass violence perpetrated against our community'''.

'''Further reading''': [https://gigazine.net/gsc_news/en/20250402-pedophile-hunting-violence Social Media Vigilantes], [https://armaghi.com/news/craigavon-news/paedophile-hunter-armed-with-crossbow-charged-with-litany-of-offences/63304 Report on Crossbow Attack], [https://apnews.com/article/louisiana-castration-sex-crimes-dc6763a2b6a144cf05d92174df032a63 Physical Castration in Louisiana], [[Vigilantism|Newgon Wiki's Article on Vigilantism]]

===You Should Defend Yourself Against Violence===

* MAPs '''should not co-operate with authorities''' beyond what is legally required.
* MAPs should not take any medicines that inhibit their natural sexual feelings.
* MAPs '''should defend themselves against physical violence''' to the extent they are lawfully allowed to do so.

As will be elaborated below, MAPs should be as resistant toward police (state-sponsored thugs) as legally possible. The police may ''act nice'', but they are tasked with perpetrating violence against MAPs through their enforcement of insanely MAPphobic laws.

MAPs should not allow themselves to be drugged unless they have a genuine problem with sexual ''violence''; their sexual orientation is not in any way an illness or disease to be treated. If necessary, you may state that you will take the medicine, but then '''not actually take it'''.

Finally, MAPs should defend themselves against physical violence using whatever methods of self-defense are legally permissible, instead of pathetically cowering and begging for forgiveness. Being caught in a vigilante sting does '''not''' necessitate tolerating violence; the MAP is the '''victim''' and should stand up for themself. In some jurisdictions, use of lethal force is permitted when threatened.

'''Further reading''': [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand-your-ground_law Stand-your-ground Laws], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_castration Chemical Castration and its Harms], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/the-miserable-little-bully-named-slyboy The Miserable Little Bully]

===You Should Secure Your Device===

[[File:Veracrypt.png|thumb|Securing your device is vital as a MAP activist]]

''This section is written from the position that MAPs are endangered even if they are not engaging in criminalized activity. It is not intended to assist with concealing evidence of criminalized behavior.''

* Secure operating systems such as TAILS and Whonix protect you from being traced.
* Mobile devices are never secure.
* Encryption programs (VeraCrypt, etc.) offer a variety of tools to secure your data, even in authoritarian countries like the UK.
* Although it sounds obvious, '''don't be careless'''.

To keep yourself safe as a MAP, you need to practice good operational security. This starts with a secure operating system; the absolute safest options are Tails and Whonix. Mobile devices, especially cell phones, should be avoided. To keep your MAP-related activity secure on your computer, use full-disk encryption. Consider also a hidden container if you live in a country where courts can order the disclosure of a password; you would be able to comply with the order without endangering yourself.

Equally important is ''not doing anything stupid''. Do not allow your computer monitor to be visible through a window, do not leave your data unencrypted while going to the store or taking a shower even if it's 'convenient', and do not disclose excessive personal information about yourself.

'''Further reading''': [https://tails.net/ Tails], [https://www.whonix.org/ Whonix], [https://veracrypt.io/en/Downloads.html VeraCrypt], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/ripa-in-reality-why-british-people-should-still-encrypt RIPA in Reality (UK Law)]

===Never Co-operate!===

* Police will often act nice if they don't have a warrant.
* Never try to argue your innocence to police.
* Co-operating doesn't help you.

If police show up at your door, they may or may not have a warrant. Should they have a search warrant, allow them to serve it and let your legal representative later try to challenge it. Should they ''not'' have a warrant, they will likely not be direct or aggressive, but nicely and non-threateningly ask if they can enter your property ("do you mind if we come in for a moment?"). The answer to this should be "'''No, I don't want to let you in'''". If they ask why, remind them that you are not required to give a reason and that you do not wish to talk to them. They may tell you they believe you're innocent, or they just want to clear up a misunderstanding, or some other bullshit that encourages you to try to 'prove your innocence'. Do not fall for this.

If police have a warrant, comply only to the extent that you are required. If they make ''any'' request of you, ask if you are legally required to comply. If you are not legally required to comply, do not co-operate. Do not volunteer any devices. Do not volunteer any passwords. In some jurisdictions, a court can order you to provide a password, but police cannot force you to do this without that specific lawful order.

Remember that no matter how nice they act, and no matter what they say, the police are your '''enemy'''.

'''Further reading''': [https://zakfisherlaw.com/index.php/2025/02/25/six-ways/ Police Manipulation Tactics]

===Enemies of the MAP Community===

[[File:Finkelhorlarge.jpeg|thumb|David Finkelhor is one of the primary architects of 'CSA' hysteria]]

* 'Charities' that profit through spreading hysteria (example: Internet Watch Foundation).
* Law enforcement figures who threaten and slander MAPs, or misrepresent issues (example: Europol).
* 'Professionals' who kickstarted and maintain the CSA industry (example: David Finkelhor).
* Politicians who garner attention via anti-MAP rhetoric (example: Anna Paulina Luna).
* Vigilante groups (example: Dads Against Predators).
* Social media corporations who censor MAPs (example: Bluesky).
* Content creators who bully MAPs to gain a following (example: Liam Bennett Smith (Sly Boy)).

The MAP community has many enemies. These include charities who profiteer by spreading hysteria, law enforcement organizations that exaggerate the 'horrors' they have to deal with (most cases are non-violent and fairly harmless), politicians who push extreme laws to get attention, violent vigilante groups who often violently attack MAPs, the 'professionals' in the psychology industry who spread the 'CSA' narrative, the platforms that censor anyone identifying as a MAP, and those who use us to make a name for themselves.

'''Further reading''': [https://absolutezerounites.blogspot.com/ Blog About Anti-MAP Vigilantes], [https://forum.map-union.org/viewtopic.php?t=2517 Mu Forum Vigilante Thread], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/fuck-the-kids-in-every-way-but-that-or-why-america-is-a-hypocritical-monster "Fuck The Kids In Every Way But That" (Profiteering Politicians)], [https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-56404743 Police Chief Simon Bailey Threatens Non-Offending MAPs], [[NSPCC]], [[David Finkelhor]], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/the-miserable-little-bully-named-slyboy Sly Boy]

==A Crucial Elaboration on Mischaracterizations of MAP Attraction and AMSC==

[[File:Mentorsmall.png|thumb|This is what an AF-YF relationship looks like]]

* MAP fantasies are typically warm and loving.
* AMSC is normally consensual, playful and tender.
* Any condemnation based on the realities of MAP attraction and AMSC are borne of ignorance and intolerance.

Beyond the obvious hatred of a person simply being ''different'' - a consistent motivator of discrimination, incarceration, and murder throughout human history - the '''false framing of MAP fantasies and sexual interactions''' represents a huge barrier to liberation. Most people likely imagine MAP fantasies and interactions as violent assaults, or acts of extreme manipulation.

The reality could hardly be more different. While the motivations and fantasies of MAPs do vary as with any other sexual orientation, Mu's 2024 community survey revealed a major tendency toward emotional and romantic attraction. This goes hand-in-hand with tender and playful fantasies that are notably ''less'' aggressive than those of regular straight or gay men.

Most MAPs who admit to having had sexual contact with minors describe situations in which the young person was curious, or simply sexually worked up. Interactions were typically youth-focused; for example, a man might perform oral on a happy boy. This is particularly common among hebephilic men, and represents nothing more than a young person involving a close adult companion in normal youthful activities. In fact, as a cautious boylover who has had many platonic friends in the 11-13 year-old age range, I have had to turn down both implied and rather less subtle advances from some quite attractive boys who were curious about sex. That is ''simply absurd''.

Far from being sadistic hypersexuals, most MAPs are romanticists who would simply like to participate in a child or teen's world, including the sexual components.

At least one of the following must be true:

* Regular straight and gay people are viewing MAP fantasies and relationships through their own sadistic lens.
* Regular straight and gay people are fully onboard with the wanton demonization of an entire group of people, without evidence.
* Regular straight and gay people are simply disgusted by AMSC, even if it's loving and harmless.

==MAPs Need to Stop Pretending This is All OK==

===My feelings===

Our community should be absolutely outraged by the utter evisceration of our lives and futures. No other people face the same global condemnation and subjugation, to be left with absolutely nowhere safe to go. We cannot confidently share our thoughts and feelings with anyone, not even the therapists whom the vile public scream at us to go and visit. Mainstream platforms block us with the most miserable of excuses, and nobody cares.

Any representation of a minor is deemed 'harmful', even when it's merely pencil on a page, justified through lies proliferated by the most disgusting of 'charities' that profiteer at our expense. Our beautiful desire for loving and tender relationships with young people is framed as violent and sadistic, the equivalent of a brutal and monstrous rape. Should anyone say "''fuck it''" and follow their heart, their lives will be permanently destroyed along with the lives of any young lovers left in the wake.

The public don't really want to protect children; that is just an excuse to mask the horrific bad-faith brutality of the human race. 'Modern' people enjoy the blood sport of hunting down our brothers and sisters, no matter how 'virtuous' they may be. They cheer like medieval brutes at the gallows as they watch a timid young man get twenty years for porn. They would murder us for our thoughts if they could... and perhaps that's only a matter of time.

[[File:Maprev4.jpeg|thumb]]

If you're a MAP, remember this. Other MAPs are your friends, and the rest of humanity deserves a reckoning for what it has done to us. That doesn't mean going out and rioting, but it does mean standing up proud and not letting the world's vicious and cynical demonization of our community cloud your love for yourself. MAP love is beautiful. Never feel ashamed!

Go out and make young friends; our enemies hate nothing more. Express yourself to the fullest extent you can without risking legal trouble. The world has stripped us of almost everything, but we should make the absolute most of what is left, while fighting back aggressively over what has been stolen.

===Why you should feel angry too===

'''See also: [[Essay:A_Call_for_the_Abolition_of_Apathy | ''A Call For The Abolition of Apathy'']]'''

When a friend advertised some of my writing on a darknet forum, the responses relayed back to me were truly horrifying. Many people took a disinterested approach in their oppression. "Why be angry?", they asked.

MAPs are presently forced to choose between two utterly terrifying outcomes:

* Living a completely clean life without ever expressing one's sexuality, even in the most detached artistic form.
* The constant fear and risk of imprisonment, possible violence or even murder in prison, one's life permanently ruined.

The sexual frustration is huge for a large number of MAPs, especially those in the rotten jurisdictions that criminalize AI and cartoon images, but that's only part of it. What really gets to me is the legal impossibility of safe and lawful intimacy. Sex is not just about ejaculating, but about truly expressing your love, and MAPs are denied this under threat of being incarcerated and permanently tarred. A boylover who performs oral on a boy may well be labeled a ''rapist'' in the eyes of the law, and in media articles that equate his tender expression of love with violent penetration of a tiny, screaming child.

For those that do get caught up in the system, the outcome can be brutal. [[Essay:A_Call_for_the_Abolition_of_Apathy#Prison_Violence | Nitro's story]], of having his ankle shattered during his incarceration for merely possessing Azov movies, is one particularly enraging example. A man in Louisiana will be facing [https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/louisiana-pedophile-agrees-physical-chemical-castration-cut-prison-time-what-know-about-1741843 physical castration] prior to release, thanks to a new law passed in that state in 2024. Meanwhile, there are many cases of men being murdered after being [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/mu-lowdown-10-times-americas-sex-offender-registry-was-used-with-lethal-effect stalked] using the public sex offender registries that exist in countries like the US.

Those who fully trust in the darknet to keep themselves safe cannot sit comfortably either. Authorities are now [[Essay:A_Call_for_the_Abolition_of_Apathy#No_Safe_Place_to_Hide | able]] to monitor the Tor network to detect a proportion of users connecting to hidden services whose real IP address has been discovered (something which eventually happens to all hidden services targeted by the authorities). The process relies on random luck for the police, or bad luck for the MAP, and there's little anyone can do to ensure their safety if visiting such sites.

Should a MAP struggle with these impossible choices, there are few safe avenues for support. Peer support sites like LifeLine exist, but the volunteers are not trained counselors. B4U-ACT can connect MAPs with qualified counselors who are happy to talk with MAPs, but these people are mostly in America, and unaffordable for the majority. Likewise, MAPs have to constantly hide their sexual orientation from friends and even family, adding to the emotional burden. I know a number of MAPs who are married and not even out to their wife.

What MAPs actually want, in most cases, is to care for and love a young person, and to also express that love sexually. To have this so cynically exploited and reduced to accusations of sadism, soul-stealing, or whatever they want to call it, is incredibly hurtful. But it's not just about 'hurtful accusations'; the actual effects of MAP hysteria are crushing, often life destroying. If you're a MAP and don't feel angry about this, take your fingers out of your ears and rip the blindfold off your face.

==Rational First Steps to Improve our Situation==

[[File:MAPFteacher20.png|thumb|Credit: Beefriend]]

As you may perhaps have inferred from the few paragraphs above, I am enraged with regular people for what they have done to us, and you should feel the same way! But going on a killing spree would not help anyone, including us, so instead let's discuss step-by-step reform. It's altogether less gory, and you can even do it while sipping a nice glass of whiskey.

===Be Proud===

The first step you can take is to fully accept yourself as a MAP. This means not feeling bad no matter who you love, whether you're attracted to teenagers or toddlers. Your self-acceptance should ''not'' be predicated on statements like "I have these feelings but I know that acting on them would be horrific". While I won't recommend sexual contact with minors due to the risk of secondary harm and other sociolegal consequences, it is ''vital'' to understand that what you desire is ''not inherently harmful''. Furthermore, if you do have fantasies that would be genuinely harmful if acted upon, you need to understand that the same could be said for people of any orientation; 'normal' men regularly fantasize about women who wouldn't consent to sex with them in reality.

===Be Honest... to an Extent===

While you can't realistically advocate decriminalization of AMSC to your friends, or on social media, you can encourage moderate perspectives as opposed to the current extremist takes. When MAP-related issues come up during conversations with acquaintances, consider making comments such as:

* "I heard that most pornographic videos of kids are self-produced by teenagers."
* "I actually read that most sex offenders don't re-offend."
* "Apparently there are a lot more pedophiles than we think, just most don't act on it."
* "I feel kind of sorry for people who are into kids but never hurt anyone."
* "Maybe it's just me, but I was a horny kid. If a hot woman (guy) had gotten with me, I'd probably have been pretty happy."

Making comments like this is not suspicious. It can even make people feel a bit embarrassed if they're expressing an excessively extreme or violent opinion. Pretty much everyone knows a MAP; if more of us did this (without coming out), it would act as something of a check to the perception that society wholesale tolerates extremity against MAPs.

===Re-Frame MAP Fantasies and AMSC===

[[File:Hug.png|thumb|AF-YF love is beautiful and should be celebrated]]

When writing on sites that permit such advocacy, which are admittedly few and far between, it is important to clarify the reality of MAP fantasies and AMSC.

These realities have already been discussed at length above, and there is no need to repeat here.

===Support Your MAP Friends===

I am guilty of having made comments that are excessively critical of the anti-contact community, despite my work as a teen MAP essentially being a precursor to the modern NOMAP movement. I do feel that anti-contact advocacy is problematic, relying entirely on the highly questionable claim that protection of children is the primary motivator of MAP hate. I also feel that NOMAPs are almost universally disbelieved, even when they are genuine.

However, it is important for all members our community to respect each other, even when disputes occur over contact stances and other divisive issues. Earlier this year, I made forum posts accusing anti-contact MAPs of being traitors, which was unhelpful to say the least. Pro-choice MAPs should support anti-contact MAPs on their journey from self-hate, to anti-contact self-acceptance, to full philosophical acceptance of both feelings and expression. This goes both ways, however; anti-contact MAPs should also respect those who have 'offended', recognizing the extreme challenges MAPs face in such a hostile world.

The [[Essay:Pro-Reform:_The_Rational_Middle_Ground|Pro-Reform Framework]] offers a moderate middle ground for those who are neither fully pro-choice, nor entirely anti-contact in philosophy.

===Make MAPness Normal===

As a MAP who actually loves children, not a representative of mainstream society that hates MAPs and only pretends to be concerned about children, I believe harm reduction is paramount. I don't want to abandon ''harm reduction'' arguments; avoiding harm to young people is extremely important to me. However, I think our community is engaging sub-optimally with the public when focusing only on why MAPness or its expression is not harmful. The reality is that most people hate MAPs because they think we're weird, disgusting, deviant.

We are often accused of trying to 'normalize' MAPness, and while I'm not sure that's really accurate, it ''is'' something we should be focusing on. If MAP hate is predicated on hatred of grossness and deviance, then desensitization and promotion of MAP feelings as normal are crucial angles of attack. Perhaps the reason our detractors are so terrified of 'normalization' is that it strikes at the very heart of what sustains their witch hunt.

One way of achieving this goal is by ''trolling''. Outrage over the plan to hold a 'MAP Camp', while not an attempt at ragebait, resulted in pro-MAP messages being published by the traditional media and on social media platforms. We can intentionally [[Essay:"Pedophile trolling"?|generate]] such drama by publishing content that we know will lead to similar reactions.

===Be a Great AF===

Before getting knee-deep in activism, I had a lot of platonic YFs. I met some of them through work; others were simply neighbors. Granted, this is much easier in the country I reside in. However, I've heard of MAPs making YFs in unlikely ways even in absolutely hysterical countries like the US and the UK; it's not impossible.

If you would like to live in a less paranoid country and also work with beautiful boys or girls, consider teaching abroad. There are job opportunities in virtually every country, some much better than others. Most TEFL positions require a degree and a background check, while international school jobs will have stricter requirements.

Whatever you do, be a ''good'' AF who leaves their YFs with positive memories of the friendship. If every MAP did this, there would be a lot of former YFs walking around who are at least highly supportive of adult-minor friendships. Ultimately, this is a way of making MAPness normal.

I've published a [https://forum.map-union.org/viewtopic.php?t=1867 guide] and [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/why-every-responsible-map-should-spend-time-with-children article] on making young friends, and I'm happy to help those who do not express criminalized intentions.

===Don't be an Easy Target===

[[File:Manwithgun.jpeg|thumb|Defend yourself to the fullest extent of the law]]

One of the reasons why MAPs are so voraciously hunted is because we are a very easy target. Pretty much every avenue of sexual expression is a crime, and yet many people do reckless things. Police may look the other way when vigilantes attack us, assuming a report is even made. And so, we are targeted mercilessly.

'''We have to stop allowing ourselves to be easy targets.'''

This means not doing stupid things like downloading criminalized images from file-sharing networks or messengers like Discord. It means not keeping MAP-related data unencrypted on your device. Likewise, using phones or other mobile devices for MAP-related matters is a bad idea. Improving your technical security requires a learning curve, but it isn't hard once you get used to it. If you can learn how to play a computer game, or how to do a semi-skilled job, you can set up a system that will keep you safe.

If police do show up at your door, don't throw yourselves to the wolves. Without a warrant, the police will almost certainly pretend to be your friends, but they are in fact your enemy. Their job is to do whatever it takes to get you to say anything that can be used against you. Don't talk about the weather, or the sports game you saw last night. Don't try to prove your innocence; telling them that you only have legal pictures of children will not help your case. Should they actually have a warrant, ask them if you are legally compelled to do whatever they ask of you, and refuse to co-operate beyond the absolute legal minimum. You do not have to give police your passwords ''without a specific order'', one which they won't have at the time of a raid.

Finally, self-defense. I do not recommend meeting up with minors you talked to online, ''ever''; it is almost always a sting. That said, if you are ever in a position where you feel you may be attacked for being a MAP, be ready to defend yourself lawfully. One of the reasons why people bully MAPs so frequently is that most targets cower in fear and grovel for forgiveness, which gives the bullies exactly what they want. This has to change. Note that if you live in a stand-your-ground jurisdiction, you may even be legally permitted to use lethal force to defend yourself.

===Video-based Advocacy===

These days, a lot of people source their information from videos posted on sites like YouTube and even TikTok. However, the number of MAPs making videos is extremely small. First of all, major platforms are highly censorious, especially when it comes to pro-MAP content. Second, most MAPs are unwilling to show their faces, for obvious reasons. Nonetheless, the [https://fstube.net FreeSpeechTube] platform offers low-censorship hosting, and is particularly popular with MAPs. And for those who are rightly afraid, it is possible to make videos without showing your face, albeit less effective. What I would question most is why the hundreds of thousands of MAPs who have already been outed do not publish pro-MAP videos when so many of them have very little left to lose. Come on, guys...

===Fiction-based Advocacy===

Most people are, unfortunately, more readily swayed by emotions than facts. While it is remarkably difficult to become a ''prominent'' author, those who have a talent for writing fiction may consider publishing stories that have a subtle pro-MAP message. In fictional works, the reader tends to side with the protagonist even when they would ordinarily not side with such a person. Pushing people to empathize with a fictional MAP may well nudge them closer to supporting MAPs in real life.

With self-publishing features offered by sites like Amazon, it is not hard to get started as a writer. The challenge, of course, is in finding an audience.

==Resources==

'''[https://wiki.yesmap.net Newgon Wiki]''' - Contains a plethora of resources to help you publish and defend pro-MAP arguments.

'''[https://www.map-union.org MAP Union]''' - A moderate pro-MAP advocacy group.

'''[https://forum.map-union.org MAP Forum]''' - An activism-based forum for MAPs.

'''[https://www.brianribbon.com Brian Ribbon]''' - My personal blog, offering fresh insights and commentary on MAP-related and other issues.

'''[https://fstube.net Free Speech Tube]''' - A place to publish pro-MAP videos.

'''[https://b4uact.org B4U-ACT]''' - The ''only'' people you should ever contact if you need professional mental health support.

'''[https://lifeline.chat LifeLine Chat] - Peer support service for MAPs (open only when a volunteer is available).

==Contact==

Feel free to contact me at ''contact (at) brianribbon (dot) com''.

Alternatively, come and join the discussion at Mu's '''MAP Forum''', where I frequently hang out.

The Manifesto of the Unapologetic MAP

2025-11-20T09:28:10Z

BLueRibbon: Created page with "<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''The Manifesto of the Unapologetic MAP''' November 20, 2025 ◆ '''BLueRibbon''' <hr> There is no group in the western world more brutally and blatantly oppressed than MAPs. The problem is now so extreme that, shockingly, we see members of our community internalizing the most absurd of aspersions cast against us. Here you will find an unwaveringly proud and unapologetic manifesto intended as a reference poin..."

<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''The Manifesto of the Unapologetic MAP'''

November 20, 2025 ◆ '''BLueRibbon'''

<hr>

There is no group in the western world more brutally and blatantly oppressed than MAPs. The problem is now so extreme that, shockingly, we see members of our community internalizing the most absurd of aspersions cast against us. Here you will find an unwaveringly proud and unapologetic manifesto intended as a reference point for aggressive pro-MAP activists.

There are no concessions made here. I don't believe that any consensual expression of sexuality is ''necessarily'' harmful, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise. However, for advocacy purposes, I continue to recommend the [[Essay:Pro-Reform:_The_Rational_Middle_Ground|Pro-Reform Framework]] I introduced last year, alongside the other proposals at the bottom of the manifesto.

==A Summary of Truths and Perspectives==

===Be Proud and Accept Yourself!===

* Foremost, MAPs should feel '''absolutely no shame''' over their sexual feelings for people of any age.
* Minor-attraction is not '''not inherently sadistic or abusive'''; it is connected to the same feelings of '''warmth, love and longing''' as any other sexual orientation.
* Minor-attraction is a fixed sexuality like any other, not a disease or mental illness.

It is quite horrific that so many MAPs arrive at message boards like MAP Forum, or regrettably at VirPed, hating themselves for their feelings of love and desire toward young people. There is no explanation for this other than the internalization of society's brutally oppressive discourse and treatment with regard to MAPs. What MAPs truly desire is the ability to fully express their love, not to inflict harm. Instead of feeling bad about supposedly 'wanting to hurt children', MAPs should be ''raging'' against society's horrific mischaracterization and criminalization of their beautiful sexual orientation.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.map-union.org/blog/press-release-addressing-misunderstandings-about-maps Addressing Misunderstandings About MAPs (Mu)] [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/why-every-responsible-map-should-spend-time-with-children Why Every Responsible MAP Should Spend Time With Children]

===Adult-Minor Sexual Contact is not Abuse===

* Adult-Minor Sexual Contact (AMSC) is typically an '''expression of love''' as well as lust.
* Condemnation of AMSC is derived from puritanical beliefs, later turned into a pseudoscience.
* Claims that harm has been 'proven' are based on studies with notable sample bias.
* Secondary harm is real, and this impacts newer studies on AMSC.

Historically, the age of consent around the world varied from 7 to 12 years old. In the late 19th century, social reformists in the UK and US lobbied relentlessly to raise the age of consent to 16 or 18, as part of a broader range of 'reforms' intended to foist puritanical attitudes upon the public and shore up political support for their various other campaigns and ventures. Later, the burgeoning modern psychiatric industry twisted the reformists' puritanical scorn into a pseudoscience, creating an entirely new 'CSA' industry. The quality of research was poor; it suffered from extreme sample bias, and it failed to distinguish between real and secondary harm. The notion of harm inherent in ''consensual'' sexual activity between adults and minors is almost entirely socially constructed; a result of religious, political and financial profiteering. If you're a MAP, you should '''not''' accept the hurtful accusation that what you desire is automatically and inherently harmful.

'''Further reading''': [[Research:_Prevalence_of_Harm_and_Negative_Outcomes|Prevalence of Harm]], [[Research:_Secondary_Harm|Secondary Harm]], [[Research:_Methodological_flaws_and_syndrome_construction|Methodological Flaws in 'CSA' Research]], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_consent#History_and_social_attitudes Age of Consent (History)]

==='CSAM' is a Lie===

[[File:Iwfpenetrative.png|thumb|Category A is considered the most 'serious', often presented to the media as depicting the violent abuse of children]]

* Much of what is labeled 'CSAM' is '''not children being violently assaulted''', but under-18s posing or playing with peers.
* In many jurisdictions, even lolicon and shotacon can lead to prosecutions and sex offender registration.
* There is no evidence that viewing criminalized depictions of children leads to other criminalized behaviors.
* MAPs need to call out the IWF, law enforcement, and governments as '''liars and profiteers'''.

What do 'charities' like the [[Internet Watch Foundation]], law enforcement organizations such as Europol, and governments seeking to push through new laws have in common? They all insist that criminalized depictions of minors must be labeled 'CSAM'. They claim they are fighting the production and trade of horrific images of videos of young children being violently assaulted. The reality? Evidence indicates that most criminalized depictions of minors are of teenagers messing around on camera, or of nudes not that dissimilar to what may be found in grandma's photo album. Contacts familiar with the 'scene' confirm that images and videos of adults having sex with children do exist, but even these are typically not violent or aggressive, and most sites in fact prohibit anything extreme. Of course, the public cannot legally verify the claims made about 'CSAM', so entities who want to make up stories may do so with impunity. Let's call these entities what they are: '''manipulative, profiteering scum'''. Never use the grossly inaccurate term 'CSAM' to apply to criminalized depictions of minors. And when the topic arises, be sure to let acquaintances know that a lot of criminalized material is actually self-produced.

'''Further reading''': [[Research:_Child_Pornography|Research on Child Pornography]], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/pro-reform-a-logical-approach-to-pim A Logical Approach to PIM], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/the-smoke-and-mirrors-behind-ai-hysteria-in-the-uk Smoke and Mirrors], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/chat-control-how-the-eu-will-exploit-children-for-power Chat Control]

===You Shouldn't Necessarily 'Get Help'===

* '''Being attracted to minors doesn't mean you need to 'get help''''.
* Never disclose illegal activity to a therapist, even if you want to stop. Don't even drop hints.
* If you need help dealing with the stress of living within a brutally oppressive society, contact B4U-ACT (a pro-MAP service).

Being attracted to minors is '''normal''', and even being attracted to pre-pubescent children is not that uncommon. Some MAPs sadly internalize social attitudes that wrongly label these attractions abnormal or harmful, but doing so is not in any way beneficial to the individual. It is worth remembering that you cannot 'cure' your attraction to people of any age or gender, and attempting to do so will likely cause distress. There may be some benefit to counseling for those who are struggling with negative thought patterns and mental health issues connected to their oppression, but disclosing an attraction to minors is ''incredibly dangerous''. Only counselors approved by [[B4U-ACT|B4U-ACT]] are safe; unfortunately, they are also expensive. Regardless of how much you trust your therapist, you must still refrain from disclosing any criminalized actions you have engaged in due to '''mandatory reporting''' requirements.

Peer support groups like LifeLine are also available, and I personally donate time to this highly recommended service.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.b4uact.org B4U-ACT], [https://lifeline.chat LifeLine], [[Research:_Prevalence|Prevalence of Minor-Attraction]], [[Research:_A_%22cure%22_for_pedophilia%3F|No 'Cure' for Pedophilia]], [https://www.brianribbon.com/short-takes/a-sincere-fuck-you-to-the-get-help-brigade A Sincere Fuck You to the Get Help Brigade]

===You Should Respect Your Brothers (and Sisters)===

[[File:Flagmf.png|thumb|Credit: MytheBe]]

* MAPs are pushed to the brink by the horrific onslaught of sociolegal oppression.
* Even when MAPs have engaged in behaviors we feel are ethically unsound, we should still support them.
* There is a journey from self-hate, to self-acceptance with limits, to pro-choice enlightenment.
* If MAPs are outright opposed to reformist ideas, we need to gently push them in the right direction.

MAPs are oppressed more than any other group in the western world. We are denied the fundamental right to love, to express our sexuality even in unambiguously harmless ways, to feel safe from being hunted, and to merely share our feelings with family, friends, and medical professionals. Against the backdrop of these extreme and debilitating challenges, it is not surprising that some MAPs behave in ways that are harmful or irresponsible. While it is natural to criticize genuinely harmful behaviors, we should nonetheless remain steadfast in our support of each other as MAPs.

Furthermore, we should (''within reason'') respect those who have differing views on AMSC and other issues, while gently trying to nudge anti-reformist MAPs toward a more logical reformist approach.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.map-union.org/blog/mu-analysis-map-mental-health-crisis MAP Mental Health Crisis], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/pro-reform-thoughts-on-the-push Clarification on 'The Push']

==='Child Protection' is an Industry===

* The modern 'child protection' narrative supports a variety of charities that exaggerate or invent problems to keep funding flowing in.
* The psychology industry makes a fortune treating victims of 'CSA'.
* Governments use 'child protection' to pass increasingly draconian laws.

When 'concerns' about 'abuse' are published in the media, they are often packaged with quotes from charities whose goal is supposedly to prevent abuse. One such charity is the aforementioned Internet Watch Foundation, who have been extremely active in inducing hysteria over AI and 'grooming'. They do this not to protect children, but to ensure their own survival. The IWF, notably, is meaningless in an age of 'CSAM' being mostly AI and kids messing around on camera. Governments are all too happy to work with such organizations to push a hysterical narrative, allowing them to enact extreme draconian laws that give the state sweeping new powers to control citizens. Meanwhile, the psychology industry earns huge sums of money treating 'CSA victims', thus even young people who are not victims must be led to believe they are so at the expense of their well-being.

'''Further reading''': [[Debate_Guide:_Child_abuse_industry|Child Abuse Industry (Debate Guide)]], [https://www.map-union.org/blog/the-crime-and-policing-bill-teardown-what-you-need-to-know-as-a-map The Crime and Policing Bill Teardown]

==='Child Protection' is an Excuse for Hate===

[[File:Hate1.png|thumb|A typical example of anti-MAP commentary]]

* Most people hate MAPs '''simply for existing'''.
* Anything a MAP does (including looking at lolicon, etc.) is spuriously labeled 'harmful' to keep up the '''pretense''' of 'protecting children'.
* There is '''little difference''' between hating MAPs, black people, Jewish people, or LGBT people.

Virtually all of the hatred that would have been slung at gays, blacks, or Jews is now directed at MAPs. In the modern world, however, expressing hatred over simply being grossed out is much less acceptable. Therefore, most people use 'child protection' as a mask. "Children can't consent" is as absurd as stating that "gays molest children" or "women are incapable of ''x''". Claims that MAPs are dangerous are no different to claims that "black people are criminals" or "Jews take everyone's money". There have always been supposedly 'reasonable' excuses for hate, yet hate has remained the driving force.

Watching criminalized images allegedly 'harms children' through some voodoo magic. It is a pure logical absurdity. Even AI images of children apparently somehow threaten the cosmically aligned ''souls'' of children as a whole.

We need to be honest about the fact that '''humanity is no better than it's ever been''', and hating MAPs is no different to hating any other group based on who they are. Let's call our detractors out for their blind hatred dishonestly masked as 'protection' and 'harm prevention'.

'''Further reading''': [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/illuminating-the-horror Illuminating the Horror] [[List_of_anti-MAP_quotes|Anti-MAP Quotes]]

===MAP Censorship is Severe===

* Online and offline speech are censored by corporations and MAPphobia
* '''Effective free speech is challenging''', with MAPs relegated to obscure low-traffic websites.
* Harmless expressions of sexuality are criminalized

While MAPs may theoretically enjoy the same legal protections regarding free speech as any other group, the reality is quite different. Almost every major platform censors pro-MAP comments, even comments that are incredibly benign. Likewise, harmless of expressions of MAP sexuality through arts are criminalized in many jurisdictions; this can include drawings, writings, AI generations, even statues! In practice, MAPs can only express themselves very cautiously on their own sites hosted by 'bulletproof' hosting companies. This is not ''effective'' free speech or expression.

'''Further reading''': [[Bluesky_pedophilia_controversy|Bluesky Pedophilia Controversy]], [[Censorship|Newgon Wiki's Article on Censorship]], [[Wikipedia_censorship_of_MAP_related_topics|Wikipedia Censorship]] [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/locked-in-the-toybox-weston-wikipedia-and-the-modern-web Locked in the Toybox], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/the-unfortunate-inevitability-of-political-violence The Unfortunate Inevitability of Political Violence], [https://www.boychat.org/messages/1646399.htm Effective Free Speech]

===MAPs are Victims of Mass Violence===

[[File:threat.jpg|thumb|A YouTube commentator advertising his 'cure' for pedophilia. He would later go on to doxx and threaten a prominent MAP activist]]

* Vigilante attacks are increasing.
* Arrest and/or imprisonment for non-violent offenses constitutes violence.
* MAPs convicted of 'crimes' are coerced to take drugs that inhibit natural sexual feelings

MAPs are increasingly victims of violence. One particularly disturbing 'trend' is that of vigilante attacks, where MAPs are brutally beaten with hammers or hunted down like animals with crossbows. The public can do anything they like to MAPs, amounting essentially to torture, and the authorities will complain only about their cases being tainted or about 'innocent' people potentially getting caught up in the fracas. Meanwhile, MAPs are increasingly coerced to take chemical castratants or even undergo ''physical castration'' when the problem is not their sexual orientation, but absurd laws that criminalize even consensual behavior and the mere viewing of images that typically do not depict abuse. We should also call out the large-scale imprisonment over non-violent offenses for what it is: '''mass violence perpetrated against our community'''.

'''Further reading''': [https://gigazine.net/gsc_news/en/20250402-pedophile-hunting-violence Social Media Vigilantes], [https://armaghi.com/news/craigavon-news/paedophile-hunter-armed-with-crossbow-charged-with-litany-of-offences/63304 Report on Crossbow Attack], [https://apnews.com/article/louisiana-castration-sex-crimes-dc6763a2b6a144cf05d92174df032a63 Physical Castration in Louisiana], [[Vigilantism|Newgon Wiki's Article on Vigilantism]]

===You Should Defend Yourself Against Violence===

* MAPs '''should not co-operate with authorities''' beyond what is legally required.
* MAPs should not take any medicines that inhibit their natural sexual feelings.
* MAPs '''should defend themselves against physical violence''' to the extent they are lawfully allowed to do so.

As will be elaborated below, MAPs should be as resistant toward police (state-sponsored thugs) as legally possible. The police may ''act nice'', but they are tasked with perpetrating violence against MAPs through their enforcement of insanely MAPphobic laws.

MAPs should not allow themselves to be drugged unless they have a genuine problem with sexual ''violence''; their sexual orientation is not in any way an illness or disease to be treated. If necessary, you may state that you will take the medicine, but then '''not actually take it'''.

Finally, MAPs should defend themselves against physical violence using whatever methods of self-defense are legally permissible, instead of pathetically cowering and begging for forgiveness. Being caught in a vigilante sting does '''not''' necessitate tolerating violence; the MAP is the '''victim''' and should stand up for themself. In some jurisdictions, use of lethal force is permitted when threatened.

'''Further reading''': [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand-your-ground_law Stand-your-ground Laws], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_castration Chemical Castration and its Harms], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/the-miserable-little-bully-named-slyboy The Miserable Little Bully]

===You Should Secure Your Device===

[[File:Veracrypt.png|thumb|Securing your device is vital as a MAP activist]]

''This section is written from the position that MAPs are endangered even if they are not engaging in criminalized activity. It is not intended to assist with concealing evidence of criminalized behavior.''

* Secure operating systems such as TAILS and Whonix protect you from being traced.
* Mobile devices are never secure.
* Encryption programs (VeraCrypt, etc.) offer a variety of tools to secure your data, even in authoritarian countries like the UK.
* Although it sounds obvious, '''don't be careless'''.

To keep yourself safe as a MAP, you need to practice good operational security. This starts with a secure operating system; the absolute safest options are Tails and Whonix. Mobile devices, especially cell phones, should be avoided. To keep your MAP-related activity secure on your computer, use full-disk encryption. Consider also a hidden container if you live in a country where courts can order the disclosure of a password; you would be able to comply with the order without endangering yourself.

Equally important is ''not doing anything stupid''. Do not allow your computer monitor to be visible through a window, do not leave your data unencrypted while going to the store or taking a shower even if it's 'convenient', and do not disclose excessive personal information about yourself.

'''Further reading''': [https://tails.net/ Tails], [https://www.whonix.org/ Whonix], [https://veracrypt.io/en/Downloads.html VeraCrypt], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/ripa-in-reality-why-british-people-should-still-encrypt RIPA in Reality (UK Law)]

===Never Co-operate!===

* Police will often act nice if they don't have a warrant.
* Never try to argue your innocence to police.
* Co-operating doesn't help you.

If police show up at your door, they may or may not have a warrant. Should they have a search warrant, allow them to serve it and let your legal representative later try to challenge it. Should they ''not'' have a warrant, they will likely not be direct or aggressive, but nicely and non-threateningly ask if they can enter your property ("do you mind if we come in for a moment?"). The answer to this should be "'''No, I don't want to let you in'''". If they ask why, remind them that you are not required to give a reason and that you do not wish to talk to them. They may tell you they believe you're innocent, or they just want to clear up a misunderstanding, or some other bullshit that encourages you to try to 'prove your innocence'. Do not fall for this.

If police have a warrant, comply only to the extent that you are required. If they make ''any'' request of you, ask if you are legally required to comply. If you are not legally required to comply, do not co-operate. Do not volunteer any devices. Do not volunteer any passwords. In some jurisdictions, a court can order you to provide a password, but police cannot force you to do this without that specific lawful order.

Remember that no matter how nice they act, and no matter what they say, the police are your '''enemy'''.

'''Further reading''': [https://zakfisherlaw.com/index.php/2025/02/25/six-ways/ Police Manipulation Tactics]

===Enemies of the MAP Community===

[[File:Finkelhorlarge.jpeg|thumb|David Finkelhor is one of the primary architects of 'CSA' hysteria]]

* 'Charities' that profit through spreading hysteria (example: Internet Watch Foundation).
* Law enforcement figures who threaten and slander MAPs, or misrepresent issues (example: Europol).
* 'Professionals' who kickstarted and maintain the CSA industry (example: David Finkelhor).
* Politicians who garner attention via anti-MAP rhetoric (example: Anna Paulina Luna).
* Vigilante groups (example: Dads Against Predators).
* Social media corporations who censor MAPs (example: Bluesky).
* Content creators who bully MAPs to gain a following (example: Liam Bennett Smith (Sly Boy)).

The MAP community has many enemies. These include charities who profiteer by spreading hysteria, law enforcement organizations that exaggerate the 'horrors' they have to deal with (most cases are non-violent and fairly harmless), politicians who push extreme laws to get attention, violent vigilante groups who often violently attack MAPs, the 'professionals' in the psychology industry who spread the 'CSA' narrative, the platforms that censor anyone identifying as a MAP, and those who use us to make a name for themselves.

'''Further reading''': [https://absolutezerounites.blogspot.com/ Blog About Anti-MAP Vigilantes], [https://forum.map-union.org/viewtopic.php?t=2517 Mu Forum Vigilante Thread], [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/fuck-the-kids-in-every-way-but-that-or-why-america-is-a-hypocritical-monster "Fuck The Kids In Every Way But That" (Profiteering Politicians)], [https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-56404743 Police Chief Simon Bailey Threatens Non-Offending MAPs], [[NSPCC]], [[David Finkelhor]], [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/the-miserable-little-bully-named-slyboy Sly Boy]

==A Crucial Elaboration on Mischaracterizations of MAP Attraction and AMSC==

[[File:Mentorsmall.png|thumb|This is what an AF-YF relationship looks like]]

* MAP fantasies are typically warm and loving.
* AMSC is normally consensual, playful and tender.
* Any condemnation based on the realities of MAP attraction and AMSC are borne of ignorance and intolerance.

Beyond the obvious hatred of a person simply being ''different'' - a consistent motivator of discrimination, incarceration, and murder throughout human history - the '''false framing of MAP fantasies and sexual interactions''' represents a huge barrier to liberation. Most people likely imagine MAP fantasies and interactions as violent assaults, or acts of extreme manipulation.

The reality could hardly be more different. While the motivations and fantasies of MAPs do vary as with any other sexual orientation, Mu's 2024 community survey revealed a major tendency toward emotional and romantic attraction. This goes hand-in-hand with tender and playful fantasies that are notably ''less'' aggressive than those of regular straight or gay men.

Most MAPs who admit to having had sexual contact with minors describe situations in which the young person was curious, or simply sexually worked up. Interactions were typically youth-focused; for example, a man might perform oral on a happy boy. This is particularly common among hebephilic men, and represents nothing more than a young person involving a close adult companion in normal youthful activities. In fact, as a cautious boylover who has had many platonic friends in the 11-13 year-old age range, I have had to turn down both implied and rather less subtle advances from some quite attractive boys who were curious about sex. That is ''simply absurd''.

Far from being sadistic hypersexuals, most MAPs are romanticists who would simply like to participate in a child or teen's world, including the sexual components.

At least one of the following must be true:

* Regular straight and gay people are viewing MAP fantasies and relationships through their own sadistic lens.
* Regular straight and gay people are fully onboard with the wanton demonization of an entire group of people, without evidence.
* Regular straight and gay people are simply disgusted by AMSC, even if it's loving and harmless.

==MAPs Need to Stop Pretending This is All OK==

===My feelings===

Our community should be absolutely outraged by the utter evisceration of our lives and futures. No other people face the same global condemnation and subjugation, to be left with absolutely nowhere safe to go. We cannot confidently share our thoughts and feelings with anyone, not even the therapists whom the vile public scream at us to go and visit. Mainstream platforms block us with the most miserable of excuses, and nobody cares.

Any representation of a minor is deemed 'harmful', even when it's merely pencil on a page, justified through lies proliferated by the most disgusting of 'charities' that profiteer at our expense. Our beautiful desire for loving and tender relationships with young people is framed as violent and sadistic, the equivalent of a brutal and monstrous rape. Should anyone say "''fuck it''" and follow their heart, their lives will be permanently destroyed along with the lives of any young lovers left in the wake.

The public don't really want to protect children; that is just an excuse to mask the horrific bad-faith brutality of the human race. 'Modern' people enjoy the blood sport of hunting down our brothers and sisters, no matter how 'virtuous' they may be. They cheer like medieval brutes at the gallows as they watch a timid young man get twenty years for porn. They would murder us for our thoughts if they could... and perhaps that's only a matter of time.

[[File:Maprev4.jpeg|thumb]]

If you're a MAP, remember this. Other MAPs are your friends, and the rest of humanity deserves a reckoning for what it has done to us. That doesn't mean going out and rioting, but it does mean standing up proud and not letting the world's vicious and cynical demonization of our community cloud your love for yourself. MAP love is beautiful. Never feel ashamed!

Go out and make young friends; our enemies hate nothing more. Express yourself to the fullest extent you can without risking legal trouble. The world has stripped us of almost everything, but we should make the absolute most of what is left, while fighting back aggressively over what has been stolen.

===Why you should feel angry too===

'''See also: [[Essay:A_Call_for_the_Abolition_of_Apathy | ''A Call For The Abolition of Apathy'']]'''

When a friend advertised some of my writing on a darknet forum, the responses relayed back to me were truly horrifying. Many people took a disinterested approach in their oppression. "Why be angry?", they asked.

MAPs are presently forced to choose between two utterly terrifying outcomes:

* Living a completely clean life without ever expressing one's sexuality, even in the most detached artistic form.
* The constant fear and risk of imprisonment, possible violence or even murder in prison, one's life permanently ruined.

The sexual frustration is huge for a large number of MAPs, especially those in the rotten jurisdictions that criminalize AI and cartoon images, but that's only part of it. What really gets to me is the legal impossibility of safe and lawful intimacy. Sex is not just about ejaculating, but about truly expressing your love, and MAPs are denied this under threat of being incarcerated and permanently tarred. A boylover who performs oral on a boy may well be labeled a ''rapist'' in the eyes of the law, and in media articles that equate his tender expression of love with violent penetration of a tiny, screaming child.

For those that do get caught up in the system, the outcome can be brutal. [[Essay:A_Call_for_the_Abolition_of_Apathy#Prison_Violence | Nitro's story]], of having his ankle shattered during his incarceration for merely possessing Azov movies, is one particularly enraging example. A man in Louisiana will be facing [https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/louisiana-pedophile-agrees-physical-chemical-castration-cut-prison-time-what-know-about-1741843 physical castration] prior to release, thanks to a new law passed in that state in 2024. Meanwhile, there are many cases of men being murdered after being [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/mu-lowdown-10-times-americas-sex-offender-registry-was-used-with-lethal-effect stalked] using the public sex offender registries that exist in countries like the US.

Those who fully trust in the darknet to keep themselves safe cannot sit comfortably either. Authorities are now [[Essay:A_Call_for_the_Abolition_of_Apathy#No_Safe_Place_to_Hide | able]] to monitor the Tor network to detect a proportion of users connecting to hidden services whose real IP address has been discovered (something which eventually happens to all hidden services targeted by the authorities). The process relies on random luck for the police, or bad luck for the MAP, and there's little anyone can do to ensure their safety if visiting such sites.

Should a MAP struggle with these impossible choices, there are few safe avenues for support. Peer support sites like LifeLine exist, but the volunteers are not trained counselors. B4U-ACT can connect MAPs with qualified counselors who are happy to talk with MAPs, but these people are mostly in America, and unaffordable for the majority. Likewise, MAPs have to constantly hide their sexual orientation from friends and even family, adding to the emotional burden. I know a number of MAPs who are married and not even out to their wife.

What MAPs actually want, in most cases, is to care for and love a young person, and to also express that love sexually. To have this so cynically exploited and reduced to accusations of sadism, soul-stealing, or whatever they want to call it, is incredibly hurtful. But it's not just about 'hurtful accusations'; the actual effects of MAP hysteria are crushing, often life destroying. If you're a MAP and don't feel angry about this, take your fingers out of your ears and rip the blindfold off your face.

==Rational First Steps to Improve our Situation==

[[File:MAPFteacher20.png|thumb|Credit: Beefriend]]

As you may perhaps have inferred from the few paragraphs above, I am enraged with regular people for what they have done to us, and you should feel the same way! But going on a killing spree would not help anyone, including us, so instead let's discuss step-by-step reform. It's altogether less gory, and you can even do it while sipping a nice glass of whiskey.

===Be Proud===

The first step you can take is to fully accept yourself as a MAP. This means not feeling bad no matter who you love, whether you're attracted to teenagers or toddlers. Your self-acceptance should ''not'' be predicated on statements like "I have these feelings but I know that acting on them would be horrific". While I won't recommend sexual contact with minors due to the risk of secondary harm and other sociolegal consequences, it is ''vital'' to understand that what you desire is ''not inherently harmful''. Furthermore, if you do have fantasies that would be genuinely harmful if acted upon, you need to understand that the same could be said for people of any orientation; 'normal' men regularly fantasize about women who wouldn't consent to sex with them in reality.

===Be Honest... to an Extent===

While you can't realistically advocate decriminalization of AMSC to your friends, or on social media, you can encourage moderate perspectives as opposed to the current extremist takes. When MAP-related issues come up during conversations with acquaintances, consider making comments such as:

* "I heard that most pornographic videos of kids are self-produced by teenagers."
* "I actually read that most sex offenders don't re-offend."
* "Apparently there are a lot more pedophiles than we think, just most don't act on it."
* "I feel kind of sorry for people who are into kids but never hurt anyone."
* "Maybe it's just me, but I was a horny kid. If a hot woman (guy) had gotten with me, I'd probably have been pretty happy."

Making comments like this is not suspicious. It can even make people feel a bit embarrassed if they're expressing an excessively extreme or violent opinion. Pretty much everyone knows a MAP; if more of us did this (without coming out), it would act as something of a check to the perception that society wholesale tolerates extremity against MAPs.

===Re-Frame MAP Fantasies and AMSC===

[[File:Hug.png|thumb|AF-YF love is beautiful and should be celebrated]]

When writing on sites that permit such advocacy, which are admittedly few and far between, it is important to clarify the reality of MAP fantasies and AMSC.

These realities have already been discussed at length above, and there is no need to repeat here.

===Support Your MAP Friends===

I am guilty of having made comments that are excessively critical of the anti-contact community, despite my work as a teen MAP essentially being a precursor to the modern NOMAP movement. I do feel that anti-contact advocacy is problematic, relying entirely on the highly questionable claim that protection of children is the primary motivator of MAP hate. I also feel that NOMAPs are almost universally disbelieved, even when they are genuine.

However, it is important for all members our community to respect each other, even when disputes occur over contact stances and other divisive issues. Earlier this year, I made forum posts accusing anti-contact MAPs of being traitors, which was unhelpful to say the least. Pro-choice MAPs should support anti-contact MAPs on their journey from self-hate, to anti-contact self-acceptance, to full philosophical acceptance of both feelings and expression. This goes both ways, however; anti-contact MAPs should also respect those who have 'offended', recognizing the extreme challenges MAPs face in such a hostile world.

The [[Essay:Pro-Reform:_The_Rational_Middle_Ground|Pro-Reform Framework]] offers a moderate middle ground for those who are neither fully pro-choice, nor entirely anti-contact in philosophy.

===Make MAPness Normal===

As a MAP who actually loves children, not a representative of mainstream society that hates MAPs and only pretends to be concerned about children, I believe harm reduction is paramount. I don't want to abandon ''harm reduction'' arguments; avoiding harm to young people is extremely important to me. However, I think our community is engaging sub-optimally with the public when focusing only on why MAPness or its expression is not harmful. The reality is that most people hate MAPs because they think we're weird, disgusting, deviant.

We are often accused of trying to 'normalize' MAPness, and while I'm not sure that's really accurate, it ''is'' something we should be focusing on. If MAP hate is predicated on hatred of grossness and deviance, then desensitization and promotion of MAP feelings as normal are crucial angles of attack. Perhaps the reason our detractors are so terrified of 'normalization' is that it strikes at the very heart of what sustains their witch hunt.

One way of achieving this goal is by ''trolling''. Outrage over the plan to hold a 'MAP Camp', while not an attempt at ragebait, resulted in pro-MAP messages being published by the traditional media and on social media platforms. We can intentionally [[Essay:"Pedophile trolling"?|generate]] such drama by publishing content that we know will lead to similar reactions.

===Be a Great AF===

Before getting knee-deep in activism, I had a lot of platonic YFs. I met some of them through work; others were simply neighbors. Granted, this is much easier in the country I reside in. However, I've heard of MAPs making YFs in unlikely ways even in absolutely hysterical countries like the US and the UK; it's not impossible.

If you would like to live in a less paranoid country and also work with beautiful boys or girls, consider teaching abroad. There are job opportunities in virtually every country, some much better than others. Most TEFL positions require a degree and a background check, while international school jobs will have stricter requirements.

Whatever you do, be a ''good'' AF who leaves their YFs with positive memories of the friendship. If every MAP did this, there would be a lot of former YFs walking around who are at least highly supportive of adult-minor friendships. Ultimately, this is a way of making MAPness normal.

I've published a [https://forum.map-union.org/viewtopic.php?t=1867 guide] and [https://www.brianribbon.com/home/why-every-responsible-map-should-spend-time-with-children article] on making young friends, and I'm happy to help those who do not express criminalized intentions.

===Don't be an Easy Target===

[[File:Manwithgun.jpeg|thumb|Defend yourself to the fullest extent of the law]]

One of the reasons why MAPs are so voraciously hunted is because we are a very easy target. Pretty much every avenue of sexual expression is a crime, and yet many people do reckless things. Police may look the other way when vigilantes attack us, assuming a report is even made. And so, we are targeted mercilessly.

'''We have to stop allowing ourselves to be easy targets.'''

This means not doing stupid things like downloading criminalized images from file-sharing networks or messengers like Discord. It means not keeping MAP-related data unencrypted on your device. Likewise, using phones or other mobile devices for MAP-related matters is a bad idea. Improving your technical security requires a learning curve, but it isn't hard once you get used to it. If you can learn how to play a computer game, or how to do a semi-skilled job, you can set up a system that will keep you safe.

If police do show up at your door, don't throw yourselves to the wolves. Without a warrant, the police will almost certainly pretend to be your friends, but they are in fact your enemy. Their job is to do whatever it takes to get you to say anything that can be used against you. Don't talk about the weather, or the sports game you saw last night. Don't try to prove your innocence; telling them that you only have legal pictures of children will not help your case. Should they actually have a warrant, ask them if you are legally compelled to do whatever they ask of you, and refuse to co-operate beyond the absolute legal minimum. You do not have to give police your passwords ''without a specific order'', one which they won't have at the time of a raid.

Finally, self-defense. I do not recommend meeting up with minors you talked to online, ''ever''; it is almost always a sting. That said, if you are ever in a position where you feel you may be attacked for being a MAP, be ready to defend yourself lawfully. One of the reasons why people bully MAPs so frequently is that most targets cower in fear and grovel for forgiveness, which gives the bullies exactly what they want. This has to change. Note that if you live in a stand-your-ground jurisdiction, you may even be legally permitted to use lethal force to defend yourself.

===Video-based Advocacy===

These days, a lot of people source their information from videos posted on sites like YouTube and even TikTok. However, the number of MAPs making videos is extremely small. First of all, major platforms are highly censorious, especially when it comes to pro-MAP content. Second, most MAPs are unwilling to show their faces, for obvious reasons. Nonetheless, the [https://fstube.net FreeSpeechTube] platform offers low-censorship hosting, and is particularly popular with MAPs. And for those who are rightly afraid, it is possible to make videos without showing your face, albeit less effective. What I would question most is why the hundreds of thousands of MAPs who have already been outed do not publish pro-MAP videos when so many of them have very little left to lose. Come on, guys...

===Fiction-based Advocacy===

Most people are, unfortunately, more readily swayed by emotions than facts. While it is remarkably difficult to become a ''prominent'' author, those who have a talent for writing fiction may consider publishing stories that have a subtle pro-MAP message. In fictional works, the reader tends to side with the protagonist even when they would ordinarily not side with such a person. Pushing people to empathize with a fictional MAP may well nudge them closer to supporting MAPs in real life.

With self-publishing features offered by sites like Amazon, it is not hard to get started as a writer. The challenge, of course, is in finding an audience.

==Resources==

'''[https://wiki.yesmap.net Newgon Wiki]''' - Contains a plethora of resources to help you publish and defend pro-MAP arguments.

'''[https://www.map-union.org MAP Union]''' - A moderate pro-MAP advocacy group.

'''[https://forum.map-union.org MAP Forum]''' - An activism-based forum for MAPs.

'''[https://www.brianribbon.com Brian Ribbon]''' - My personal blog, offering fresh insights and commentary on MAP-related and other issues.

'''[https://fstube.net Free Speech Tube]''' - A place to publish pro-MAP videos.

'''[https://b4uact.org B4U-ACT]''' - The ''only'' people you should ever contact if you need professional mental health support.

'''[https://lifeline.chat LifeLine Chat] - Peer support service for MAPs (open only when a volunteer is available).

==Contact==

Feel free to contact me at ''contact (at) brianribbon (dot) com''.

Alternatively, come and join the discussion at Mu's '''MAP Forum''', where I frequently hang out.

Essay:A Call for the Abolition of Apathy

2024-12-02T04:00:20Z

BLueRibbon: Created page with "<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''A Call for the Abolition of Apathy''' December 02, 2024 ◆ '''BLueRibbon''' Legend: '''[https://www.map-union.org/encyclopedia/glossary#AMSC AMSC]''' = "Adult-Minor Sexual Contact", '''[https://www.map-union.org/encyclopedia/glossary#PIM PIM]''' = "Prohibited Images of Minors", '''[https://www.map-union.org/encyclopedia/glossary#BLGL BL]''' = "Boy Lover" '''Author Foreword''': This essay is posted in respo..."

<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''A Call for the Abolition of Apathy'''

December 02, 2024 ◆ '''BLueRibbon'''

Legend: '''[https://www.map-union.org/encyclopedia/glossary#AMSC AMSC]''' = "Adult-Minor Sexual Contact", '''[https://www.map-union.org/encyclopedia/glossary#PIM PIM]''' = "Prohibited Images of Minors", '''[https://www.map-union.org/encyclopedia/glossary#BLGL BL]''' = "Boy Lover"

'''Author Foreword''': This essay is posted in response to community apathy toward activism. It is written as an '''urgent call to action''' rather than an attempt at academia. It builds on my work with [https://www.map-union.org/about Mu], which has highlighted key trends in MAP oppression.

Intended to encourage non-violent aggression and self-defense only, no part of my essay should be interpreted as condoning the instigation of violence. In light of the tragic [https://www.map-union.org/perspectives/the-push-how-nicholas-prosper-became-a-murderer Nicholas Prosper murders], I especially discourage any kind of violence against family members, random strangers, and children.

'''Please spread this article far and wide. While I do not encourage readers to visit sites containing illicit material, I am very happy for this article to be shared anywhere, including on such sites.'''

<hr>

==MAP Apathy==

The [[Research:_Prevalence|population of MAPs]] is huge, no matter how you define it. In studies relying on self-reports, around 15-20% of men admit to having some sexual attraction to children. When penile plethysmography is used to properly measure physical reactions to images of children, the number can go even higher.

The proportion of men who actively desire to have sexual contact with a minor (AMSC) is less well researched, and perhaps less honestly answered, but a [https://www.humanrights.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/documents/Identifying%20and%20understanding%20child%20sexual%20offending%20behaviour%20and%20attitudes%20among%20Australian%20men.pdf recent survey] from Australia revealed that 5.7% of men "''would have sexual contact with a child between 12 to 14 years if no one would find out''".

The number of people apparently seeking out illegal images of children (PIM) is huge, to the extent that countries such as the UK and Germany have practically given up on imprisoning people for possession ''due to practical concerns'', despite these countries' insatiable thirst for hunting down MAPs. Darknet PIM boards, which require somewhat advanced tech skills to use and are not easy to find, reportedly have hundreds of thousands of members.

{{Template:MAE}}

Our community is massive, and ceaselessly hunted and oppressed, but the number of activists is barely above zero. Why such apathy? I asked a radical MAP familiar with darknet boards to advertise MAP activism for us, and the response relayed back to me was alarming. Most people felt that getting angry would do nothing, that they were perfectly safe accessing PIM via the darknet (and could live like that forever), or assumed that MAP activist sites were a law enforcement honeypot. On some of the legal MAP boards that I accessed personally, most participants seemed completely disinterested in MAP-related social issues. On one BL board, the forum for 'serious discussions' focused more on US politics than the oppression of MAPs. In debates about matters like the Age of Consent, many BLs parroted the opinions of wider society without any critical thought.

This apathy is incredibly dangerous. A community without advocates, when hated as much as we are, will be hunted mercilessly and with ever greater ferocity until it is destroyed.

If you don't wish for yourself or people like you to end up being locked away forever, in prison or in 'hospital', read on. Learn about how people like you are being driven to loneliness, isolation, and suicide. Hear about MAPs who think they are 'legal' and 'safe' but still get incarcerated. Find out about how you can fight back against this, because we are all potentially 'next'. I would like to see a world in which MAPs can live openly, and at the very least have normal social lives as well as emotionally-affirming friendships with children. To merely reach goals as shamefully pitiful as this, we need your '''anger''' and '''support'''.

==MAP Struggles==

MAP advocacy organization ''Mu'', of which I am a founding member, [https://www.map-union.org/blog/mu-survey-2024-responses-and-analysis-part-1 recently surveyed the community] with a 10-part questionnaire. We asked participants about various issues, such as what they found hardest about being a MAP and the changes they wanted to see. Our analysis of the survey revealed a number of key trends.

===Suicide, Isolation, and Loneliness===

Mu's survey revealed that MAPs suffer massively from stigma, isolation and hatred. The inability to maintain a normal social life and experience platonic relationships with children were the most serious problems. Many of the respondents wanted to experience normal social connections, as well as platonic or romantic relationships with children, but felt unable to do this for a variety of reasons. Many survey participants reported their "most traumatic experience" to be the never-ending nightmare of simply living among a barrage of hateful messaging.

In a separate article published by Mu - an analysis of [https://www.map-union.org/blog/mu-analysis-map-mental-health-crisis MAP mental health] reliant more on academic research - we revealed remarkable suffering among MAPs and off-the-scale rates of suicide and suicidal ideation. Alarmingly, for many of us, mental health crises start when we are minors ourselves, as a significant number of us realize our sexual orientation during our formative teenage years and are unable to access proper support or information about what it means to be a MAP. Even those who desperately seek help to stop engaging in behavior they consider wrong are unable to safely do so.

We are tortured to the brink, more so than any other group in western nations, by the constant barrage of hate. We are then expected to hold ourselves to the highest of standards by vowing never to engage in AMSC, look at real or AI PIM, or even talk about our sexual orientation with anything but the deepest of shame and self-loathing. This is a powder keg for serious mental health issues, and society just laughs about it. They love to watch us suffer.

===Criminalization and Incarceration===

[[File:prisonbars.jpeg|thumb|Criminalization and incarceration are tools used to beat down MAPs and deny us a decent life. Many of those arrested merely downloaded illegal images.]]

Those responding to Mu's survey were less focused on the effects of criminalization and incarceration than we expected. This is perhaps in part because the imprisoned are unable to respond to surveys, and also because many MAPs facing years behind bars choose to end their lives instead, essentially murdered by the weight of MAP hysteria and oppression. It's surprising that so few of these men, who had little left to lose, decided to ''[[Essay:The Push|get back at the world]] while they still could'', but it may be better for the MAP community that they didn't. Aggression is much warranted and frankly needed, yet lines need to be drawn firmly behind wanton terrorism to avoid worsening our already terrible reputation.

For those who did report being arrested as their 'worst experience', we are generally not talking about rapists, but people who merely possessed PIM. Sadly, the kind of asshole that spikes an adult woman's drink to rape her would be more respected both in prison and upon release than a PIM offender. [[Research:_Child_Pornography#The_nature_of_%22CP%22|External research]] indicates that in many cases, the most serious images possessed by such 'criminals' depict no sexual activity whatsoever. Organizations like the [[Internet Watch Foundation|IWF]] and Australian Federal Police claim that terms like 'CSAM' must be used to prevent the 'mistaken' interpretation that PIM typically shows erotic posing. The reality is that these self-serving organizations are lying, destroying MAP lives in the process, for the simple purpose of pretending there is a need for their existence. They are destroying thousands upon thousands of MAP lives in the process, as well as tearing families apart. These evil agencies are our abject enemies.

==Online Censorship, Bullying, and Violence==

In the age of an internet based almost entirely around social media, dominated by just a few major platforms that are insanely hostile toward MAPs, our community is put at a massive disadvantage. It is impossible for us to grow organically when referring to oneself as a MAP leads to a banned account. We cannot correct misunderstandings when doing to so is labeled 'normalization of pedophilia' and therefore a violation of platform rules. While entirely lawful MAP accounts on social media networks are suspended on sight due to such rules, accounts advocating violence against MAPs are supported and glorified.

===Glorification of MAP Hatred===

Please take a look at some examples of suspended MAP accounts, juxtaposed with accounts that are supported by the same providers.

'''Messages permitted by Bluesky:'''

<gallery>
File:Hate1.png|A user states that anyone attracted to children is not human, and killing MAPs should be allowed
File:Hate2.png|A user jokes about wanting to meet up with a MAP in order to kill him
File:Hate3.png|A user jokes that [[Debate Guide: Religious arguments|MAPs deserve to be drowned]]
File:Hate4.png|A user encourages the bullying of MAPs, believing that MAPs aren't bullied enough
File:Hate5.png|A user states that all MAPs should be killed or lobotomized
</gallery>

'''Accounts suspended by Bluesky:'''

In contrast, here is some removed content that is explicitly anti-offending.

<gallery>
File:Mapsite1.png|An account claiming to be operated by VirPed explains their anti-abuse prevention stance
File:Mapsite2.png|A Mu article posted by a user named 'Blossom' is reposted by VirPed. It explains how misunderstanding and isolation are serious problems for MAPs
File:Mapsite3.png|A screenshot of Mu's profile, which explains that Mu aims to improve the mental health of MAPs and discourage offending
File:Mapsite4.png|A post talking about anti-offending and the need for supporting anti-contact MAPs
File:Mapsite5.png|A VirPed post that opposes AMSC
</gallery>

===Vigilante Violence===

[[File:Vigilante2.JPG|thumb|A 70 year old man, alleged to be a 'predator', is violently assaulted by a much younger and stronger vigilante. This kind of content is very popular among the public]]

In addition to deplatforming MAPs and glorifying hatred of our people, social media platforms actively support real-life violent assaults of men alleged to be 'predators'. Examples include punching senior citizens in the face, torturing people for fun, and even the assault of men wrongly accused.

Let's start with a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=%20te4znkocL8 compilation video] from a third party. It shows two streamers engaging in the following activities:

* Taking a man's glasses, throwing them on the ground, and forcing him to crawl like a dog to retrieve them.
* Slapping a man repeatedly to force a confession.
* Ramming a shopping cart violently into a man.
* Chasing a man across a store and slamming him into a table.

Some alleged 'predators' did bravely defend themselves against these bullies. One man had brought a firearm to defend himself, which he used to fend off his attacker. Another responded to a slap with a punch, leading to a comical attempt at a fistfight between two out-of-shape men.

News reports suggest a pattern of assaults against people alleged to be 'predators'. Popular streamer [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitaly%20Zdorovetskiy Vitaly Zdorovetskiy] is well-known for his sting operations turning cruel and violent. His incidents include:

* Throwing confetti and other party objects at an old man, before [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z%20qo321edVk&t=11517s shaving his head and dressing him up like a clown] in exchange for not calling the police.
* An acquaintance punching a man in the face for allegedly attempting to meet a 15 year old.
* A bystander in one of his stings punching a 70 year old man in the face, leading to him cracking his skull on the ground. The 70 year old man was later arrested.

There are many so-called 'predator' or 'pedophile' hunters essentially hunting down people like animals, and bullying the poor men on video for laughs and likes. Livestreams are popular, as viewers can laugh along and post comments on the violent abuse. In most cases, nothing happens to these bullies, even when they physically assault people on video. Leaders of one such group were finally arrested, but only because they [https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/crime/men-falsely-imprisoned-by-vigilante-peadophile-hunters-court-told-4072720 wrongly accused] a man.

It is a shame that so few MAPs exercise their right to self-defense. While I strongly advise '''not''' trying to meet minors online for any reason, I also encourage MAPs who are afraid for their safety to arm themselves in full accordance with their local laws, and be willing to defend themselves against anti-MAP vigilantes to the fullest extent legally permitted. Some of the people who defended themselves physically in 'predator' videos were actually able to get away from their attacker. Cowering and groveling when attacked is not a good solution to harassment.

===Denial of MAP Movement===

Not only do social media platforms and their users bully MAPs for our very existence, but many also attempt to make a mockery of our movement by claiming that we are a hoax created by 4chan trolls, or working on behalf of MAGA or pro-Russia agents. When I made an account on Bluesky, posting as Brian Ribbon and identifying as a responsible MAP, I was subject not only to violent messaging by posters whom Bluesky support, but also accused of not even being a real MAP. I've never had to try so hard to prove that I ''am'' a 'pedophile'. Mu had to release a [https://www.map-union.org/blog/fact-check-mu-and-the-map-movement statement] verifying that there had been a lot of legitimate MAP activity on Bluesky, including an official Mu account.

Such ridiculous claims obviously go back much further than the recent drama on Bluesky. The same nonsense was endorsed even by Snopes, before they [[MAP Flag#Erroneous claims of novelty and trolling by "fact checkers"|backtracked]] after eventually getting around to doing some proper research. This is no thanks in part to the LGBT movement waving their flags in the name of MAP hate, denying the [https://www.map-union.org/blog/are-maps-queer historical connection] to a younger generation unaware of the documented historical facts.

==MAP Killings==

[[File:Thaipolice.jpg|thumb|Stories of anti-MAP violence and arrests come even from Thailand these days]]

There are many reports in the news of hate crimes against MAPs. These occur all over the world, and include attacks as extreme as '''outright murder'''. The modern day lynching of MAPs is almost a global phenomenon.

'''The three cases of anti-MAP killings listed here are all from the past month, highlighting that these are [[Special_Article:_Adverse_effects_of_hysteria#Registry-abetted_Murder|not isolated cases]].'''

====Thailand, November 2024====

Most recently, it was [https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/brit-dad-kills-russian-paedophile-32905980 reported] that a man from the UK - the origin of MAP hate and one of our worst oppressors - killed a Russian man who allegedly propositioned his 15 year old daughter. While that would be a crime in the UK and Russia, it is not so in Thailand, where the Age of Consent is 15 years old.

We don't know the full details of the case, and it's possible that the Russian man acted in a manner that was creepy regardless of the girl's age. However, no such lechery has been reported; the father seemed to be angry simply because he wrongly thought his daughter was underage. He punched the Russian man so hard that he fell and died.

====USA, November 2024====

According to [https://www.themirror.com/news/us-news/child-sex-offender-blasted-dead-814215 a report] from the US, a man was murdered on account of being a registered sex offender. As a 21 year old, he had engaged in a sexual act with a 14 year old. According to the news article, the man was not ruled a 'sexually violent predator'. However, that did not stop a local resident hunting him down and slaughtering him.

It is reported that on the day of the killing, the victim "woke up to a man screaming outside on the front porch." The victim's roommate stated that the attacker "was yelling words similar to “Jesse Grover, you’re a pedophile, get off Logan Avenue.”" The attacker shot the victim in the chest as soon as he opened his front door.

====Canada, November 2024====

The [https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/teens-murder-assiniboine-park-sentencing-1.7377502 final story] comes from Canada, where a man was brutally beaten to death by two young people, accused of being a 'pedophile'. According to the news article, "Paul Enns, 43, was lured to the park by a girl, then 15, in February 2022, before she stabbed him three times with a sharpened screwdriver. Her boyfriend, who was 17, then fatally beat the man."

Trapping him inside his car, the boyfriend beat the victim repeatedly with a baseball bat, fracturing his skull, his jaw, and the bones around his eye sockets. The killers stole his phone, car keys and wallet, and used his money to buy popcorn and a pair of shoes.

They joked with their friends about killing a 'pedophile', laughing at how they watched him "beg for his life" and "there was nothing left" of the man. The male assailant went on to add, "You'd be glad you didn't come, if you're scared of open brains."

==Institutionalized Threats and Violence==

It is not just vigilantes that express hate and commit violence against MAPs. In many countries, this behavior is supported by public institutions such as the police and prison officers.

===Threatening Non-Offending MAPs===

[[File:Simonbailey.jpg|thumb|Senior police officer Simon Bailey threatened police action against non-offending MAPs]]

The first such threat that came to mind may seem mild, but is in fact extreme. Former Lead Child Protection Officer, ''Simon Bailey'', told the BBC:

<blockquote>''Anyone who is having inappropriate thoughts about children, or anyone who believes a family member may be, should seek help from Stop It Now!, otherwise they should expect a visit from police officers.''</blockquote>

Although not a threat of bodily violence, the implications of even a simple visit from police officers for ''anything'' MAP-related are horrific, given how horribly MAPs are treated in countries like the UK. It's important to note that the threat is made not just against those who have committed crimes, but anyone who is merely attracted to children.

Most MAPs know that contacting an organization like ''Stop It Now!'' would itself lead to a police report, and probably an investigation as a result, meaning that ''Simon Bailey'' was essentially threatening to tear apart the life of anyone with a mere attraction to children, with no way of avoiding a knock at the door. This threat was endorsed by the BBC, a [https://www.bbc.com/aboutthebbc/governance/charter de-facto representative] of the British state.

===Prison Violence===

Respected community member ''Nitro'' is an extremely responsible MAP who helps other MAPs to lead fulfilling lives without harming children. He was jailed for possessing videos sold on Amazon and ''widely believed to be legal'', and treated worse than a murderer as a result. Here are some accounts of his imprisonment that he has shared on various MAP forums.

<blockquote>''He was in for attempted murder and was proud as hell of it. I guess his status would have improved if he didn’t have the attempted part. I brushed him off about my charges. To make a longer story short, later in the week, he assaulted me. I was simply not in the physical condition where I could defend myself. I’d had multiple heart attacks, stroke, etc. I was told later by another inmate that this guy had asked a guard what my charges were and was told by the guard that he didn’t want to know. There was one punch and I fell badly against a stool. As I couldn’t get up, he resorted to kicking. Eventually, I dragged myself up and I spoke to several people. I assured everyone that I’d never touched a child, but refused to discuss my charges. People’s concerns were universal that I needed to make sure no guard ever found out what happened, as the whole unit would get locked down. As I got taken out for insulin several times a day, it’s a little hard to hide not being able to walk.''</blockquote>

[[File:Prisonviolence.jpg|thumb|Attacking MAPs in prison is a time-honored tradition to which western governments turn a blind eye]]

He continues...

<blockquote>''The next morning when I had to go for insulin, I really couldn’t walk at all. They had to get a wheel chair. They told me that they were taking me to emergency at the hospital to get an x-ray. A guard also mentioned that they knew what happened. They looked at their video coverage. They took a bunch of pictures and asked if I wanted to press charges. I didn’t. At the hospital they determined I had a leg fracture and a few in the ankle. One in the ankle was particularly severe that I’d need surgery as soon as they could schedule it. They needed to put it a metal plate in it. I got a temporary cast put on, and from that point, got used to being in a wheelchair. Since I was sentenced, I would have been moved from that jail, but they told me they wouldn’t move me with a broken leg and a relatively short sentence.''</blockquote>

Our MAP brother, who had done nothing but look at Azov images, felt virtually abandoned.

<blockquote>''When they brought me back they put me in what they called a medical unit. I was alone in the cell and actually had a sort of bed to sleep on. It wasn’t much of a medical unit. A guard came by periodically to check whether people were still alive or something. It was a mixed unit with GP. We were allowed showers and phone calls now and then and had 20 minutes in a small fenced in yard with other PC inmates. There were 4 or 5 of them. The pain from my leg and ankle was excruciating. The doctor prescribed percocets. I needed to get the swelling down before they could operate, but there was no way, I could keep my foot up in that place so after less than a week there, they moved me to the infirmary.''</blockquote>

Eventually, this warm and caring member of our community, who had been brutalized in prison for the mere possession of naturist imagery, was treated, his limbs filled with shards of metal in a vain attempt to fix his shattered bones. Stories like this should fill every MAP with sheer rage.

==No Safe Place to Hide==

===Tor is under attack===

[[File:Tor.png|thumb|It's possible to correlate the identity of some Tor users, and what they're viewing, if you control enough nodes. Western governments are actively exploiting this weakness, specifically targeting MAPs]]

Many MAPs believe they're safe using Tor, but this is not entirely true. An alliance of police from Germany, the UK, the USA, the Netherlands and Brazil has been working to deanonymize Tor users with some success. At present, their attacks seem to focus on darknet PIM sites. However, the same methods could be used to target people accessing any site via Tor, including those that are perfectly legal but 'unpalatable', and located on the clearnet as well as the darknet. Notably, it was '''not''' only the PIM website operators who were targeted, but also the '''users'''.

It was [https://www.reddit.com/r/TOR/comments/19benkx/operation%20liberty%20lane%20le%20running%20gaurd%20and/ revealed] earlier this year that the USA arrested many hidden service '''visitors''' under an operation titled ''Operation Liberty Lane''. Documents shared on Reddit indicate that at least one of these individuals was a user of alleged former PIM website ''Baby Heart''. Visiting such a website '''even once''' was enough to justify a raid.

Later this year, [https://www.ndr.de/fernsehen/sendungen/panorama/aktuell/Investigations-in-the-so-called-darknet-Law-enforcement-agencies-undermine-Tor-anonymisation,toreng100.html information emerged] on how an administrator of an alleged former PIM site named ''Boys Town'' was arrested. The stories focused on how he'd been using an outdated version of ''Ricochet'', a chat application that operates as a hidden service on each user's computer. This, however, feels like a distraction from what occurred in the USA, where visitors to websites relying on use of the TorBrowser were identified.

Without getting too technical, the Tor attacks are a giant fishing expedition. From 2017 until at least 2022, an international operation has operated thousands of Tor nodes in an attempt to correlate traffic entering and exiting the network, thus revealing the source and origin of the traffic. The user has to be unlucky enough to use a combination of nodes controlled by the attacker, and even then the evidence is not absolute. Alarmingly, in the US at least, this very flimsy evidence has been sufficient to get court orders for searches.

Authorities are investing massive resources into catching people ''simply viewing PIM'', or rather ''accessing sites containing PIM''. In a fit of bloodlust for 'perverts', the fairly weak evidence produced by the attacks on Tor is being accepted as sufficient to perform raids, destroying MAP lives. Efforts like these are only going to be expanded in the future, unless MAPs fight back.

==The Call to Action==

[[File:Action.jpg|thumb|MAPs face massive oppression and abuse. We need to fight back aggressively before things get even worse]]

If you're a MAP who has read this far, you should be seething with rage by now. People like us are systemically denied the right to love, the right to feel safe, and the right to feel part of any community. The communities we build ourselves are dismantled, attacked, and even raided by the police. We are tortured mercilessly, our mental health utterly destroyed in many cases, and after all that, we're screamed at about how we need to 'get help' that we can't even safely get because of the unrepentant hate.

Many of us are told to kill ourselves, and instead of punishing the suicide baiters, the authorities do nothing while the masses laugh and jeer. Simply for ''existing'', we are hunted and subject to mass persecution and arrest. With no safe place to exist, under regimes that support police chiefs openly threatening non-offenders with raids, we need to fight back with extreme aggression even if doing do is incredibly scary.

We should never let our enemies win by killing ourselves, nor should we make our community look worse by instigating violence. It is true that we are horrifically mistreated, and the world is extremely lucky that MAPs are so inherently non-violent. While an urge for retaliatory violence would be very much understandable, such violence is unlikely to be helpful.

If you feel like no hope is left, please get involved with MAP activism and fight back aggressively against those who are torturing us. Read on to find out ''how'' you can help.

==How You Can Help==

MAPs can respond to attacks both online and offline.

===Online Promotion===

[[File:Socialmedia.jpg|thumb|Pro-MAP writers like myself need help spreading our content and arguments on social media]]

As one of the most prolific writers of pro-MAP content this year, mostly on Mu, I have been disappointed by the reach of my articles. Our community's writers need help spreading our content both within the community and outside of it.

'''Inside of our community''', we need help reaching MAPs on forums, the pediverse, darknet sites*, and chat rooms. MAP community leaders cannot connect with everyone, and are not necessarily aware of all the sub-communities or darknet resources. If you're in a group that is not aware of our content, please introduce it.

Writers for Mu and other resources are always looking for '''tips''' and '''assistance''' to help them produce high quality articles. There are even options for '''guest blogs''' on some of these sites. Even if you're not a great writer, established writers within the community will be happy to work with you if you have an idea to contribute or a fledgling article that needs a bit of assistance.

<small><nowiki>*</nowiki>We do not advocate seeking out sites that contain illicit material.</small>

'''Outside of our community''', we need help with both ''aggressive'' and ''subtle'' promotion of pro-MAP messages, especially on social media. There are frequent discussions about MAPs on websites such as Reddit, X, and Bluesky, and not enough people advocating for us. We especially need people who don't identify as MAPs, but express support for those who behave responsibly. Cautiously correcting MAP misunderstandings is crucial. Many platforms ''will'' quickly censor users talking about 'MAP rights', but we need people doing this anyway. Persistence is essential.

* An example of a good comment in a discussion about MAPs would be:

<blockquote>''This may be a controversial opinion, but I feel really sorry for people who are attracted to children. They don't have many options, and even outlets like AI are being made illegal. For those who want to seek psychiatric support, it must be terrifying to actually go to a doctor and tell them they're attracted to kids. We need to make it easier for things like this to be discussed openly.''</blockquote>

'''The more comments we have like this in discussions on social media, the better.'''

===Offline Promotion===

[[File:Menmeeting2.jpg|thumb|Meeting with fellow MAPs, and taking part in other offline activities, can be dangerous. However, they are safer than you may think, and represent a firm stand against the silencing of our people]]

Offline promotion is the scariest. It is not without risk. Then again, simply existing as a MAP is unsafe in many countries, and that won't change without aggressive activism. For those who have already been outed following MAP-related arrests, offline activism is strongly encouraged. Being outed forcefully comes with many horrible consequences; perhaps the ''one'' 'gift' such people have is the freedom to no longer be forced to hide. This 'gift' can be used to fight back without the same fears that closeted MAPs understandably have.

'''Coming out''' to two or three trusted people is something that, done on masse, will help to advance our cause. Mu's survey of MAPs revealed that most people experienced positive or neutral reactions upon coming to out to family and friends. As the principal researcher, I was very surprised, but the message was clear: coming out to people you trust is less dangerous than it seems. Given the significant number of MAPs, more of us letting family and friends see that we're not monsters lurking in the shadows could have a major impact on how MAPs are perceived.

'''Posters, leaflets and placards''' are also ways of spreading pro-MAP messaging. Attaching posters to lampposts and other fixtures in the middle of the night, while wearing a baseball cap and face mask, would be the safest option. For those who look presentable and have already been outed, handing out leaflets or holding placards at major events is a riskier but possibly more effective option. Good material would have a QR code that linked to important information about our community, such as the [https://www.map-union.org/about/faq Mu FAQ].

'''MAP meetups''' are a great way of building community and also an excellent source of ragebait, but there is an obvious risk of infiltration. Such meetups have been attended by undercover journalists and police, and have led to outcries in local and national media. People attending these meetings should follow basic rules, such as using a pseudonym and not discussing illegal activity of any kind. To protect themselves against violence from vigilantes, attendees should arm themselves as far as is allowed under their local laws. It is not a good idea to meet anyone you've been communicating with on sites featuring illicit content, or to whom you've admitted to any kind of illegal activity.

==Further Reading and Resources==

If you're thinking about getting involved, you should familiarize yourself with popular community stances and activist resources. Promote whichever position you wish, according your own values and expectations of public response.

===AMSC and PIM===

On '''AMSC''', there are three main stances: '''[[Pro-c|pro-c]]''', '''[[Anti-contact|anti-c]]''', and the newer '''[[Essay:Pro-Reform: The Rational Middle Ground|pro-reform framework]]'''.

On '''PIM''', there are also multiple stances. Pro-c activists typically support decriminalization of the possession of PIM, while anti-c activists may be opposed to the use of PIM featuring real children but in favor of decriminalizing AI PIM. Some people may be opposed to use of PIM, but feel the penalties are too extreme.

===Activist Resources===

You are currently on '''Newgon''', which hosts a '''[[Debate_Guide|Debate Guide]]''' and an extensive collection of other resources. The many research summaries on this wiki are very useful for constructing arguments in our favor.

'''[https://www.map-union.org/ Mu]''' is a new organization set up to support MAP activists around the world. It publishes extremely high quality articles on various MAP issues, contacts mainstream media to offer pro-MAP perspectives, operates a small forum for MAP activism and discussion, and offers guest blogging with copy editing.

'''[https://minorattracted.org/ MEDAL]''' is another new organization, with a progressive stance and transgender committee members.

'''[[Help:Joining PCMA chat|PCMA]]''' is a radical pro-c Matrix server. Some of the opinions expressed there may be offensive.

'''[https://mapcommunity.org/ OMC]''' is another group on Matrix. They are focused more on peer support.

'''[https://nnia.space/about NNIA]''' is an alliance of people with stigmatized sexual identities, whose members post a lot of public-facing pro-MAP content. Regrettably, there is a longstanding conflict between Newgon and NNIA, but I am linking them here as an attempt to reduce the animosity.

For a more extensive list, please see [https://www.map-union.org/community Mu's collection].

[[Category:Essays]][[Category:BLueRibbon's Essays]]

Essay:Pro-Reform: The Rational Middle Ground

2024-09-28T05:42:58Z

BLueRibbon: /* Discussion on Social Reforms */

<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''Pro-Reform: The Rational Middle Ground'''

Jun 16, 2024 ◆ '''BLueRibbon'''

''Includes thoughts and minor additions from '''Fragment'''.''

Legend: '''AMSC''' = "Adult-Minor Sexual Contact", '''PIM''' = "Prohibited Images of Minors".

'''Author Foreword''': As a teenager attracted to pre-pubescent boys, ''BLueRibbon'' was one of the original advocates of the ''non-offending pedophile'' position, now reinterpreted as 'NOMAP' activism. During his childhood, he possessed very strict interpersonal boundaries and disliked any kind of physical contact. Through this lens, the anti-contact position seemed logical. Now an adult approaching middle age, who has worked with thousands of boys and observed the reality of boyhood, he realizes that although his experience of childhood correlated with the claims made by those opposed to AMSC, his experience did not align with that of most children. In this essay, the author acknowledges the importance of the work done by NOMAP activists, highlights the limitations of the NOMAP position in the third wave of MAP activism, and proposes the '''Pro-Reform position''' as a rational and agreeable framework for both 'pro-contact' and 'anti-contact' activists.

<hr>

===The Birth of NOMAP Advocacy===
{{Template:MAE}}
''Non-offending pedophile''. ''NOMAP''. ''Anti-C''. ''Virtuous Pedophile''. ''Gold Star Pedophile''. Prior to 2006, these were concepts that did not exist. In the second wave of what is now known as MAP activism, a number of people associated with the [[AttractedToChildren.org|ANU/ATC blog]], led by myself, pushed the concept of the ''non-offending pedophile'' and ''non-contact pedophile'' incredibly hard. In addition to posting articles on our own websites, we submitted comments to various forums, blogs, online newspapers, and traditional social media platforms like ''Slashdot''. We participated in protracted editing wars on Wikipedia and Wikia. We engaged to a small degree with the mainstream media, limited by the need for anonymity. Back then, the idea of a ''non-offending pedophile'' was a very radical concept, and we received a barrage of hate and abuse.

''Virtuous Pedophiles'' did a much better job of publicizing the main idea that we were trying to convey: ''being attracted to children'' and ''having sex with children'' are not the same thing. Meanwhile, B4U-Act worked quietly to persuade mental health professionals of this distinction while working to improve academic understanding, research, and access to mental health support. I understand that various other groups sprang up and faded away while I was busy with other pursuits.

These days, there is still a lot of resistance to the concept of MAPs as non-offenders or victims, but there is also a lot of support. There are many articles condemning MAPs, yet even generic pro-establishment news organizations like the BBC have published articles about non-offending MAPs. Some of the most upvoted comments in discussions about 'MAPs' or 'pedophiles' on major social media platform ''Reddit'' are supportive of MAPs who do not act on their feelings. This is progress, but the victories come with caveats, and we are close to reaching the limitations of what has been a very successful model so far.

===Limitations of the NOMAP Model===

One of the most common complaints from detractors in discussions about non-offending MAPs is that, to be considered a 'safe and proper' member of society, the MAP should at least do something about their feelings by 'getting help'. Some of these adversaries acknowledge that it is extremely hard for MAPs to 'get help', but many think it is an MAP's responsibility regardless of the risk. Unfortunately, there are still a significant number of people who label our sexual orientation a treatable mental illness, despite the absence of evidence to support that a sexual attraction to any demographic can ever be 'cured'.

Many of our detractors believe that, without treatment, we will all eventually act on our feelings, and that we will cause harm by doing so, either through the use of PIM or by engaging in AMSC. While it is not correct that PIM always depict AMSC, and the argument that every instance of ''viewing'' AMSC contributes to the abuse of a child is incredibly illogical in itself, all arguments against PIM (except for religious nonsense) have absolutely no basis if we can successfully argue that AMSC is not inherently harmful. Of more importance, if AMSC were accepted as a potentially positive experience, much like AASC and MMSC, the argument that non-offenders are nothing better than ticking time bombs would be of no use either. In fact, the 'ticking time bomb' argument could only be used to ''support'' [[Essay:The_Push|my argument that MAPs should not be pushed]] into dangerous behavior by unnecessarily harsh social and legal structures.

Every argument against non-contact MAPs is predicated on the belief that 'pro-contact' MAPs are fighting against: the idea that AMSC is harmful. And with their staunch position against AMSC, NOMAPs are now at a point where the inflexibility of their position is shooting themselves in the foot. The anti-contact lobby needs to adopt a more moderate position.

===Pro-Reform Advocacy===

'Pro-Reform' advocacy is moderate. It is not about going out and penetrating a 5 year old, nor do many of its supporters think that would be a decent thing to do. In fact, due to the ''possible risk'' of secondary harm, the position grudgingly does not even advocate AMSC with minors that would be inherently mature enough to give appreciable consent. However, Pro-Reform expresses the premise that the broad condemnation of AMSC in itself, without considering all of the circumstances, is absurd. A lot depends on the nature of the acts and the minor's age. Pro-Reformists believe that many instances of AMSC are not terrible acts of abuse. We would point out that there is some agreement from wider society, too; most regular men would laugh at the sheer luck of a 14 year old boy receiving a blow job from an attractive young woman. Pro-Reformists additionally argue that not all cases of AMSC do actually lead to secondary harm, but do not deny that there is ''some'' risk.

The Pro-Reform position is all about balance. The ''moderate'' arguments it puts forward act as a bridge between 'Anti-Contact' and 'Pro-Contact'. Some ideas are not dissimilar to views expressed by anti-contact golden boy ''Ethan Edwards'', but they are also not in contradiction with the sex-positive messaging of the pro-contact lobby. In addition, the Pro-Reform position is named in such a way that it makes the very important distinction between seeking significant legal reforms and encouraging supporters to engage in illegal activity. Much like the separation of 'MAP' and 'child molester' endorsed with a degree of success by NOMAP activists, the very clear delineation of our viewpoints and our actions is crucial, making condemnation of our demands for legal reform significantly more challenging.

Pro-reformists would ideally like to bring the questioning anti-contacters on board, and we believe they may be hiding in unlikely places. The famously anti-contact ''Virtous Pedophiles'' made a name for itself as the quintessential anti-contact organization, but the personally expressed views of one its founders are very much ''questioning'' in nature and somewhat in line with the arguments of moderately 'pro-contact' MAPs. One of its co-founders, Ethan Edwards, [https://celibatepedos.virped.org/archives/74-How-things-change-when-the-girl-is-13-instead-of-8.html argued in 2015] that perhaps the age of consent should be set at 13 with additional protections for older minors. He even questioned the likelihood of secondary harm, the most realistic argument against AMSC in present society. The general take-away from his essay was that although it ''could'' be harmful for adults to engage in AMSC with teenagers, ''and so they shouldn't do it'', the harm was often derived more from social structures and sociolegal consequences, rather than AMSC with teenagers being inherently wrong. Doesn't that sound like the argument of a grounded, realistic ''pro-contact'' activist?

===Proposed Legal Reforms===

The following positions are proposed as calm and rational, desirable while remaining somewhat palatable, and agreeably moderate to most members of the MAP activist community.

====Age of Consent====

* '''Age of Consent of 12 + Additional Protections'''

Internationally, the Age of Consent was historically set at 10, 12, or 'puberty', to prevent adults engaging in sexual contact with very young children. It was never supposed to apply to teenagers, who are undeniably sexual by nature. It was only set higher than ''puberty'' to prevent commercial exploitation in the appalling conditions of 19th century London, before being adopted and exported by the same puritanical movement that led to the American Prohibition.

In ''[[Essay:The Push|The Push]]'', I argued that instead of ''protecting children'', setting the AoC so high only increases the risk of harm from AMSC. With such a high AoC, MAPs who choose to be sexually active have no legal outlet and are encouraged to prioritize sexual relationships with minors who are most likely to 'keep quiet', instead of minors who are most interested in sex with an adult and least likely to suffer from harm. If the age of consent were set at 12, with additional protections for 12-15 year olds against coercion and exploitation (similar to laws in place in the Netherlands as recently as the 2000s), this push toward AMSC with a greater likelihood of harm would be eliminated. Instead, sexually active MAPs would be encouraged to engage in AMSC with older children who have some desire for a sexual experience with an older partner.

The balanced nature of the proposal is important. Advocating a lower age of consent would not allow us to use the argument that our suggestion applied to adult-pubescent sexual contact only. However advocating a higher age of consent would put adult-minor relationships outside the reach of many MAPs; many pedophiles have an upper attraction to 12 and 13 year olds, that fades quickly at 14 years and older. In addition to being of little use from the perspective of a reformist, it would also damage our arguments against MAPs being inherent 'ticking time bombs' and the need to avoid ''The Push''.

====Prohibited Images of Minors====

* '''Legalization of Simple Possession of PIM'''

Advocating the legalization of the simple possession of PIM should be an absolute minimum for any moderate position. It comes from a place of pure logic. It is a rejection of the emotionally charged and nonsensical argument that 'a child is harmed every time their image is viewed'; nobody has ever been able to explain a mechanism for this. Furthermore, it refuses to accept the strange belief that PIM is harmful due to supply and demand economics, noting that this cannot logically apply to PIM which has essentially been pirated. In a reflection of the potential harm caused by financial support of hardcore PIM production, we could support proportionate laws and penalties to be applied to those who purchase PIM in cases where a minor has clearly been harmed in the production. However, these penalties should be minor and non-custodial in recognition of the incredibly small part played by each individual purchaser.

We need to argue that, as regards PIM, the expectations placed on MAPs are extreme and unrealistic. It is unreasonable for society to expect MAPs to not view pirated PIM, and extreme expectations such as these push a small number of MAPs to a mental state in which they pursue more problematic outlets for their sexual needs, as outlined in my aforementioned essay. Coupled with the scarcity of safe access to professional mental health support, criminalization of the use of pirated PIM creates a dangerous situation in which a small number of MAPs feel they will be prosecuted or driven to suicide no matter which outlet they choose, significantly increasing the risk of potentially harmful behavior.

* '''No Laws Against Artificially-Generated PIM'''

Generative AI programs can generate images entirely from text prompts, without the need for sexual images of real children at any stage of the production process. During the entire production and distribution process, there is no point at which any child could ever have been harmed, because the process is entirely artificial. MAPs using these programs to generate artificial PIM have reported difficulties in reproducing children's genitalia precisely because images of real children in pornographic situations were not used in the images on which the AI was trained.

Despite the realities of the technology, photo-realistic and animated representations of minors are criminalized in many jurisdictions. Decriminalizing these images would offer a legal outlet for MAPs, thereby offering a safe alternative to real PIM and making the production of real images of children significantly less desirable. There is no valid child protection justification for the criminalization of entirely fictitious images.

===Discussion on Social Reforms===

In addition to the proposed legal reforms, pro-reformists should continue the work of anti-contact and pro-contact activists in combating social stigma, pushing for access to mental health support, supporting an improvement in sexual education for minors, and arguing for the humane treatment of ex-offenders.

* '''Minor-Attraction is Not Rape'''

The Pro-Reform framework has the benefit of arguing that many MAPs do not engage in AMSC, while ''also'' arguing that if this were to happen, it would not necessarily be harmful. Advocating an appropriate age of consent of ''12 with protections'', and stating that such acts are not necessarily harmful, allows us to fight back against claims that MAPs are dangerous because we ''may'' act on our feelings. It is a good response to common retorts like, "I constantly fantasize about murdering people but I'd never do it. Please understand me!" However, the moderacy of pro-reform arguments separates us from extreme age of consent abolitionists who would simply be laughed at and ignored entirely.

* '''Mental Health Access'''

Difficulty in accessing mental health support is a major issue in our community. Pro-Reformists should support the efforts of contact-neutral organization ''B4U-Act'' in working to improve professional understanding of MAPs and access to therapy that does not seek to 'convert' our sexual orientation. We should engage with legitimate researchers who identify themselves appropriately and do not have obviously sinister motivations.

* '''Right to Association'''

In September 2024, a community erupted over reports of a planned '[https://newschannel9.com/news/nation-world/pedophile-group-claims-oppression-over-vt-camp-gathering-outrage-deeply-offensive-vermont-minor-attracted-persons-marshfield-montpelier-burlington-new-england-pedophilia-map-union-gender MAP Camp]', an intended meeting of anti-contact MAPs who hoped to enjoy camping and hiking among the incredible fall scenery in their local area. The event was canceled following uproar, but that didn't stop a nearby school calling in State Police and Homeland Security over fears that a MAP might abduct and rape a child. The alleged organizer and his non-MAP friend were relentlessly hounded and threatened after being doxxed on social media. The Pro-Reform framework must actively defend the right of MAPs to hold lawful meetings without fear of hounding, threats, or violence.

* '''Humane Treatment of Convicted Sex Offenders'''

One of the major consequences of being convicted of sexual offenses is not the sentence itself, but the difficulty of rebuilding one's life with such a conviction on record. Among the issues faced by ex-offenders after release are access to housing, employment, and mental health support. Along with a greater social support framework for all vulnerable people, ex-offenders should be provided with social support in these areas by redirecting funds spent on 'negatives' like military pursuits and long-term imprisonment, by taxing organized religion, and by decriminalizing and taxing softer recreational drugs.

* '''Improving Sexual Education'''

While setting an age of consent at ''12 with protections'', it would also be sensible to advocate for age appropriate sex and relationship education to occur during the upper years of elementary school so minors are suitably informed about sex before reaching the age of consent. Having a stronger knowledge base would make arguments about informed consent less persuasive and allow youth to better exercise their agency and autonomy.

===The Benefit of Avoiding Dystonia===

In addition to the benefits of the Pro-Reform position from an activist perspective, the relatively sex-positive nature of Pro-Reform offers mental health benefits to the community when compared to the anti-contact position.

It was pointed out to me, by an individual who read my previous essay and the foundations of this one, that the anti-contact position adopted by many young MAPs is awfully dystonic. Young MAPs are told that what they desire is wrong, to avoid children in case they commit a terrible act, and that masturbating to certain images of children is more or less a disease. They regularly internalize these messages.

For some people, acceptance of the negative messaging could make the commission of illegal behavior a self-fulfilling prophecy, leading them to engage in such acts even when they otherwise would not have done. Even if this doesn't happen, the dystonia caused by the negative messaging could lead to mental health issues that increase the risk of the person engaging in harmful behavior, either directed at minors or expressed through acts of violence or self-harm.

Anti-contact activists frequently focus on mental health issues, but we cannot really improve the mental health of our community until we get as many people as possible to accept that what they desire is not always inherently wrong. The balanced sex-positivity of Pro-Reform is a useful antidote to this issue, without having an off-putting extremism that alienates younger individuals.

===Conclusion===

The divisions within our community are pronounced. The anti-contact position offers little more in the way of future progress, and actively spreads dystonic messaging to impressionable young MAPs. To solve these issues, it must adopt ''some'' of the sex positivity of the pro-contact position. However, the traditional pro-contact positions of ''total age of consent abolitionism'' and decriminalization of real PIM ''production'' go too far to ever be taken seriously. Pro-Reform offers a very reasonable middle ground between the two positions. It is a useful framework for MAP activism, with demands that would improve our lives and have some hope of acceptance in the future.

[[Category:Essays]][[Category:BLueRibbon's Essays]]

Essay:The Push

2024-09-12T18:21:21Z

BLueRibbon: /* The Push */

<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''The Push.'''

May 23, 2024 ◆ '''BLueRibbon'''

Legend: '''MAP''' = "Minor-Attracted Person", '''AMSC''' = "Adult-Minor Sexual Contact", '''PIM''' = "Prohibited Images of Minors".

<hr>

'''Author Foreword''': My first essay on MAP issues since 2010 is about the extremely dangerous concept I call "''The Push''". Unpolished and meandering, the essay's main purpose is to describe how everyone is ultimately harmed or endangered by the relentless and unnecessary hunt of MAPs, the attempts to criminalize every possible outlet available to us, and the poor availability of mental health support for our community.

==The Case==

There was a case in the news perhaps a month ago. A former marine in the US showed up to have sex with two little girls, armed with a gun, and was executed by the mob in blue. Some MAPs interpreted the gun as a tool of self-defense. Others thought it was suicide by cop. My interpretation was that the man knew it was ''probably'' a sting, but was willing to go down shooting for some chance of ''either'' having sex with a child ''or'' gaining retribution for the horrific persecution to which MAPs are shamelessly subjected.

Should the man have been willing to have sex with two little girls being sold by their parents? Probably not. I am very much in favor of reforming the laws that outright prohibit AMSC (Adult-Minor Sexual Contact) with no regard for the circumstances, but paying a parent to have sex with their children sounds like a very real kind of ''bad touch''. There are healthy adult-minor relationships, including sexual ones, and there are acts of evil, and there are many shades of grey. But even that is an oversimplification of a man's actions, a misguided focus on the nature of the acts themselves and an ignorance of their origins.
{{Template:MAE}}

==The Contradiction==

I believe that minors can give meaningful consent to sex with adults, with a caveat that may disappoint the extremists within our community: I also partially agree with wider society that minors are more vulnerable to exploitation than most adults. However, I firmly disagree with the absolute singling out of minors - ''up to ages as high as 21'' - as helpless subjects of abuse, and with the nonsensical juxtaposition of the ''lack of protection afforded to vulnerable adults'' and the ''insane paranoia surrounding any perceived threat to minors''.

I believe that minors are similarly vulnerable to women from poor countries, many of whom are horribly exploited in brothels in western countries, and at high risk of mistreatment in their home countries too. However, instead of prohibiting sex with poor women (which would be ridiculous!), we judge sex with adults on a case by case basis. Or at least we should. In reality, some adults don't even enjoy the most ''basic'' of protections, while ''all'' AMSC is deemed sexual violence. The abuse of adults is allowed to occur right out in the open in many cases, especially when the victims are of certain classes such as 'male', or 'immigrant', or whomever else the police decide they aren't willing to help.

Consider Amsterdam as an example. It is a beautiful city that used to be considered 'cool', but the red lights for which it's known haven't been cool for quite some time. The women sold like slabs of meat there are not perky Dutch girls making money to buy a designer handbag. They are victims of human trafficking, tricked away from their home countries by gangsters and put on display, subject to what is more or less rape in full view of the public, while the Netherlands' righteous government throws MAP activists in prison for advocating discussion over the age of consent.

Actual rape of immigrant women? "Fine."

Talking about whether a law is morally just? "Prison!"

==The Backstory==

Why is that discussion so controversial? We know that teenagers are not asexual; it's not even a matter of debate. The idea that sex with teenagers is inherently wrong is actually a construction of 19th century laws intended to combat the awful abuse of women and young girls in the sex trade. The very first law criminalizing sex wtih teenagers was enacted in response to the behavior of men likely ''not'' primarily attracted to minors, but by opportunists in the deepest depths of Dickensian London. Ethical AMSC with pubescents was never really supposed to be punished; the 'original' law to raise the age of consent above 12 years old was created to give the authorities a way to easily crack down on the rampant prostitution of teenage girls in what was an awful time to be anything but a rich, straight, white man.

That law, perhaps a necessary sledgehammer to eliminate some of the very real horrors of 19th century London, should have been nothing but a temporary measure. Instead, it was used as fuel for the campaigns of American puritans, who co-opted it for their campaign of righteousness. Much like religious leaders brainwash their congregations into believing the most absurd concoctions imaginable, the moral crusaders of depression-era America were somehow able to persuade enough people that sex with teenagers was morally wrong in itself, and so an imported law that was never meant to be interpreted very strictly was inexplicably adopted as a moral standard. While unpopular ideas such as the prohibition of alcohol failed to persist, thanks to the universal love of liquor, the ''equally unrealistic'' idea of abstinent teens was spread across the globe, bit by bit, for reasons that are not entirely clear to anyone.

==The Reality==

What is the reality of minor sexuality and how it relates to adults? As much as I would like to, it is impossible to provide personal anecdotes about female sexuality and man-girl interaction, so I will leave that to our GL friends. However, I can and will talk about my experience as a BL during my days of relative absence from our community.

During my hiatus, I worked jobs where I interacted with thousands of boys in a country that totally ignores non-contact BLs, but doesn't let you fuck around quite the way that, say, 1980s Thailand apparently did. As a fairly normal-looking man, of healthy weight and neither beautiful nor grotesque, I had situations where I unfortunately had to decline offers, that I had not encouraged, from wild-natured boys who were interested in sexual experimentation. It is very frustrating to have to do this, and I cast zero judgment on those who take whatever opportunity comes. There's nothing worse than having to pull your hand away when a sex-crazed 12 year old boy, straight nonetheless, tries to put your hand on his crotch because he's curious. Most boys do not behave like this with adults, but some do.

These boys are the natural ally and playmate of BLs, amused and unharmed by the games they seek to incite. They are also our greatest danger. The problem with wild boys is that their madness isn't restricted to gender-indifferent precociousness. It permeates every essence of their being, and this includes their willingness to broadcast their not-so-private lives to their parents, teachers, counselors, gaming buddies, local beggars, jealous priests, and anyone else they may know. In a sane world, nobody would care and this wouldn't matter, but that is not the kind of world we inhabit. We live in a world where simply saying "OK" can be a death sentence, where you are painted as an actual rapist, beaten up by murderers in prison because you are 'worse' than them. Actions like giving a 15 year old boy a blowjob are enough to trigger this reaction.

This is a world in which the only acceptable targets of outright abuse are MAPs, and any intimate expressions between us and minors are instantly problematized, treated as rape regardless of circumstance. Defenders of this approach will insist that they are just trying to protect children. They will say that children cannot consent because children cannot consent. I've never seen a convincing explanation that is not entirely circular in nature. An immense library of ''poor quality'' research will support claims that AMSC is inherently harmful, but better quality research suggests that AMSC is not inherently harmful, or at least no more so than AASC or MMSC.

==The Hunt==

The reality behind our detractors' motivations is not as they state. We are subject to laws that criminalize what we view, even when the images are generated entirely by AI. We have to use complex security tools to avoid harassment from the authorities, and even this may not be enough. It was recently revealed that the German, American, British and Brazilian governments spent millions on a Tor de-anonymization project with the sole intent of identifying people simply visiting websites offering PIM (Prohibited Images of Minors). Merely accessing the websites, even if you only view the legal material they reportedly offer, is enough to justify a raid in some jurisdictions. Meanwhile, European police, desperate to prevent their jobs being made harder and willing to invade the privacy of the European public, recently argued for a prohibition on end-to-end encryption for everyone in the EU; not to prevent children being raped, but so that they could identify "individuals with a sexual interest in children."

You really don't have to do anything illegal to be hunted by the police, despite the endless barrage of laws their governments rain down on us. Realistically, the most hostile countries would criminalize simply being attracted to children if they had any hope of covering the costs of imprisoning the entirety of our enormous community. It's also convenient, of course, that they are able to use us as pathetic pawns for their own ends whenever they feel the need. Other than 'dirty Muslims', we're the easiest group for them to exploit. The reality is that the world hates MAPs for who we are, no matter what we do, and gullible people will sacrifice their privacy for the sake of sadistically ending the free life of anybody attracted to children.

==The Push==

Despite the ways in which we are relentlessly hunted and hounded, access to mental health support, for MAPs, is very challenging. In most countries, telling a psychologist that you're attracted to children feels like an absolute no-go. This necessitates a complex performative dance around the issues for any MAP needing therapy, leaving most unwilling to go a psychologist and seek treatment for any issue, including dangerous feelings of anger toward society or the inability to control their sexual urges. The work of B4U-Act is extremely helpful in this regard, and they maintain a list of recommended therapists. However, their work is primarily confined to North America, doing nothing to help MAPs in other parts of the world, much of which is also incredibly hostile toward MAPs.

I know of two men who experienced mental health crises recently, visitors to a peer support chat, who went on to engage in dangerous and somewhat unethical activities because they felt they would never be happy otherwise. It was inevitable that they would be caught, and I think they knew it. It was more or less a slow suicide of indifference. One of those men is now dead; society might as well have pushed him off the ledge. The other man is now in the system, his family in extreme distress. With proper mental health support, might their outcomes have been different?

Additionally, we need to think about the rock that many people have to fall on when faced with severe distress. ''Friends and family''. Many MAPs, due to the evil of ''The Hunt'', don't even feel able to be open with those who would otherwise be close to them. There really is nowhere to go for MAPs who are understandably afraid of confiding in friends and family. These people often have no real connection with ''anyone''. Being completely isolated from the world, with nobody to rely on and nothing to lose, society can quickly end up with very dangerous men made out of those who would be saints.

MAPs are at serious risk if we engage in sexual contact with minors, including sexually active and curious teenagers, despite the laws against AMSC with adolescents being borne of concern over exploitive prostitution in a very different time. We are at risk if we view any imagery of minors in a slightly sexual, naked, or posed situation, even if the imagery was created entirely by AI. We are not able to get access to mental health support safely, even if we are highly distressed and a danger to ourselves or others. Confiding in friends and family is also much harder than it would be for virtually any other group in the world. There is, for many of us, no alternative to living in a state of depression, committing suicide or self-harm, or resorting to potentially harmful behavior in which we would otherwise never engage.

This is what I call ''The Push''. It describes the way that society is ''pushing'' MAPs to engage in harmful behavior that they would not engage in given ethical treatment from legislators, law enforcement agencies, mental health professionals, prison officials, and society in general. It leads, or will ultimately lead, toward an inevitable conclusion of rape, incarceration, death, and destruction.

With nowhere to go, most BLs, despite the fleeting depravity of curious young boys, accept loneliness, despair, and sexual frustration. Some BLs are understandably unwilling to accept this, and some of these people go on to seek relationships with quieter boys, acknowledging that they are a 'safer option' more willing to keep secrets. This is not because these BLs are sociopaths who hate children; they genuinely love these boys, and ultimately engage in consensual AMSC when the boys reciprocate their love, which is a frequent occurrence. Unfortunately, these boys don't wear their heart on their sleeve quite like the crazy, 'dirty', 'perverted', outgoing boys that would seek AMSC with their adult friends. They have a richer inner life than most people give them credit for, and they have a tendency to ponder that can quickly lead to negative thinking and self-hate. Emotionally vulnerable and easily influenced by wider society, these boys may later feel harmed by their encounter due to society's archaic conservative messaging about AMSC, even if the sexual contact itself was not innately harmful. The end result is a highly distressed child and imprisonment for the BL. Beyond the obvious moral issues, which I do not deny, seeking out AMSC with the quieter boys is a tempting but poor alternative for both the adult and the minor. Are the BLs who seek these relationships evil people who don't care about boys? I say no. With a logical AoC of 12 or so, plus additional protections to prevent outright exploitation, most active BLs would not seek out sexual contact with those boys. So why do some do it? They are subjected to ''The Push''.

Another thing that I consider harmful is 'capping'. According to reports from darkweb enthusiasts, and media reports that I would be less inclined to trust, there has been a massive explosion in men pretending to be girls, tricking boys into sexual activity on camera, and then sharing these videos online. Even though I am in favor of the legalization of PIM possession, it has to be said that manipulating boys like this, sometimes even threatening them with exposure if they don't send more videos and images, is utterly deplorable behavior that could cause massive distress to the boys. Are BLs inherently evil for engaging in and supporting these evil actions? I say no. If PIM were legal to possess, and an authorized, moderated website like Pornhub were allowed to distribute old PIM, the vast majority of MAPs would never end up on the complex and inconvenient darkweb, the 'cappers' would not receive the adulation that drives them, and these boys would not be victimized. Why does it happen the way it does? BLs are ''pushed'' to the darkweb and its highly questionable interactions.

Finally, without the confidence to trust regular friends and family, many MAPs are pushed to rely on peers for support, instead of engaging with a wider group of people and developing a balanced range of views. Although the MAP community has a much wider range of views than people give us credit for, the push to rely on a single community for one's entire social life is a fairly serious incitement to the development of extreme views. Online communities of any kind, no matter their target audience, have a tendency to push members toward a more singular and extreme form of behavior.

==The Future==

I predict a very dark future if there are no significant changes in how MAPs are treated.

The state of affairs for MAPs and minors is horrific, and I find it absolutely remarkable that there are so few cases of attempted MAP-led violence like the one reported in the news last month. In its treatment of MAPs, society breaks every rule in the book when it comes to not pushing people toward extremism, most notably in how it does its level best to leave so many of us with nowhere to go, nobody to rely on, and nothing to lose. ''The Push'' does so much damage to MAPs, to their friends and families who deal with their incarceration, despair, and suicide, and to the minors who are victimized when they otherwise would not have been harmed. Many publicly registered sex offenders, in particular, have few reasons to live; their lives are made intentionally difficult, torturous in fact, and I can't fathom how we are not seeing more cases of them violently exploding.

Eventually, I believe that as ''The Push'' continues and becomes more extreme, we will see many cases of violence from MAPs; shootings, stabbings, and even bombs. I suspect we are also likely to see violence from minor (or former minor) victims who have been harmed by ''The Push''. As a returning MAP activist, I really hope things don't go that way, for the sake of boys and the many random members of the public who may be harmed as collateral damage. There are some excellent activists within our community who are making progress peacefully; we now have allies in the academic and mental health community, even if some people do call them 'cunts' and tell them to fuck off when they post on our boards. A new activist project will be starting soon, and we will mix academic engagement with tactful ragebait and media manipulation. Nonetheless, the activists like myself who engage in peaceful activism are but a tiny portion of the MAP community, and we have no control over what others do. I really hope that society will start to choose engagement instead of persecution, to prevent the worsening of what is already a terrible situation heading for absolute disaster. ''The Push'' is a very dangerous thing.

[[Category:Essays]][[Category:BLueRibbon's Essays]]

Essay:The Push

2024-09-12T18:17:47Z

BLueRibbon: /* The Push */

<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''The Push.'''

May 23, 2024 ◆ '''BLueRibbon'''

Legend: '''MAP''' = "Minor-Attracted Person", '''AMSC''' = "Adult-Minor Sexual Contact", '''PIM''' = "Prohibited Images of Minors".

<hr>

'''Author Foreword''': My first essay on MAP issues since 2010 is about the extremely dangerous concept I call "''The Push''". Unpolished and meandering, the essay's main purpose is to describe how everyone is ultimately harmed or endangered by the relentless and unnecessary hunt of MAPs, the attempts to criminalize every possible outlet available to us, and the poor availability of mental health support for our community.

==The Case==

There was a case in the news perhaps a month ago. A former marine in the US showed up to have sex with two little girls, armed with a gun, and was executed by the mob in blue. Some MAPs interpreted the gun as a tool of self-defense. Others thought it was suicide by cop. My interpretation was that the man knew it was ''probably'' a sting, but was willing to go down shooting for some chance of ''either'' having sex with a child ''or'' gaining retribution for the horrific persecution to which MAPs are shamelessly subjected.

Should the man have been willing to have sex with two little girls being sold by their parents? Probably not. I am very much in favor of reforming the laws that outright prohibit AMSC (Adult-Minor Sexual Contact) with no regard for the circumstances, but paying a parent to have sex with their children sounds like a very real kind of ''bad touch''. There are healthy adult-minor relationships, including sexual ones, and there are acts of evil, and there are many shades of grey. But even that is an oversimplification of a man's actions, a misguided focus on the nature of the acts themselves and an ignorance of their origins.
{{Template:MAE}}

==The Contradiction==

I believe that minors can give meaningful consent to sex with adults, with a caveat that may disappoint the extremists within our community: I also partially agree with wider society that minors are more vulnerable to exploitation than most adults. However, I firmly disagree with the absolute singling out of minors - ''up to ages as high as 21'' - as helpless subjects of abuse, and with the nonsensical juxtaposition of the ''lack of protection afforded to vulnerable adults'' and the ''insane paranoia surrounding any perceived threat to minors''.

I believe that minors are similarly vulnerable to women from poor countries, many of whom are horribly exploited in brothels in western countries, and at high risk of mistreatment in their home countries too. However, instead of prohibiting sex with poor women (which would be ridiculous!), we judge sex with adults on a case by case basis. Or at least we should. In reality, some adults don't even enjoy the most ''basic'' of protections, while ''all'' AMSC is deemed sexual violence. The abuse of adults is allowed to occur right out in the open in many cases, especially when the victims are of certain classes such as 'male', or 'immigrant', or whomever else the police decide they aren't willing to help.

Consider Amsterdam as an example. It is a beautiful city that used to be considered 'cool', but the red lights for which it's known haven't been cool for quite some time. The women sold like slabs of meat there are not perky Dutch girls making money to buy a designer handbag. They are victims of human trafficking, tricked away from their home countries by gangsters and put on display, subject to what is more or less rape in full view of the public, while the Netherlands' righteous government throws MAP activists in prison for advocating discussion over the age of consent.

Actual rape of immigrant women? "Fine."

Talking about whether a law is morally just? "Prison!"

==The Backstory==

Why is that discussion so controversial? We know that teenagers are not asexual; it's not even a matter of debate. The idea that sex with teenagers is inherently wrong is actually a construction of 19th century laws intended to combat the awful abuse of women and young girls in the sex trade. The very first law criminalizing sex wtih teenagers was enacted in response to the behavior of men likely ''not'' primarily attracted to minors, but by opportunists in the deepest depths of Dickensian London. Ethical AMSC with pubescents was never really supposed to be punished; the 'original' law to raise the age of consent above 12 years old was created to give the authorities a way to easily crack down on the rampant prostitution of teenage girls in what was an awful time to be anything but a rich, straight, white man.

That law, perhaps a necessary sledgehammer to eliminate some of the very real horrors of 19th century London, should have been nothing but a temporary measure. Instead, it was used as fuel for the campaigns of American puritans, who co-opted it for their campaign of righteousness. Much like religious leaders brainwash their congregations into believing the most absurd concoctions imaginable, the moral crusaders of depression-era America were somehow able to persuade enough people that sex with teenagers was morally wrong in itself, and so an imported law that was never meant to be interpreted very strictly was inexplicably adopted as a moral standard. While unpopular ideas such as the prohibition of alcohol failed to persist, thanks to the universal love of liquor, the ''equally unrealistic'' idea of abstinent teens was spread across the globe, bit by bit, for reasons that are not entirely clear to anyone.

==The Reality==

What is the reality of minor sexuality and how it relates to adults? As much as I would like to, it is impossible to provide personal anecdotes about female sexuality and man-girl interaction, so I will leave that to our GL friends. However, I can and will talk about my experience as a BL during my days of relative absence from our community.

During my hiatus, I worked jobs where I interacted with thousands of boys in a country that totally ignores non-contact BLs, but doesn't let you fuck around quite the way that, say, 1980s Thailand apparently did. As a fairly normal-looking man, of healthy weight and neither beautiful nor grotesque, I had situations where I unfortunately had to decline offers, that I had not encouraged, from wild-natured boys who were interested in sexual experimentation. It is very frustrating to have to do this, and I cast zero judgment on those who take whatever opportunity comes. There's nothing worse than having to pull your hand away when a sex-crazed 12 year old boy, straight nonetheless, tries to put your hand on his crotch because he's curious. Most boys do not behave like this with adults, but some do.

These boys are the natural ally and playmate of BLs, amused and unharmed by the games they seek to incite. They are also our greatest danger. The problem with wild boys is that their madness isn't restricted to gender-indifferent precociousness. It permeates every essence of their being, and this includes their willingness to broadcast their not-so-private lives to their parents, teachers, counselors, gaming buddies, local beggars, jealous priests, and anyone else they may know. In a sane world, nobody would care and this wouldn't matter, but that is not the kind of world we inhabit. We live in a world where simply saying "OK" can be a death sentence, where you are painted as an actual rapist, beaten up by murderers in prison because you are 'worse' than them. Actions like giving a 15 year old boy a blowjob are enough to trigger this reaction.

This is a world in which the only acceptable targets of outright abuse are MAPs, and any intimate expressions between us and minors are instantly problematized, treated as rape regardless of circumstance. Defenders of this approach will insist that they are just trying to protect children. They will say that children cannot consent because children cannot consent. I've never seen a convincing explanation that is not entirely circular in nature. An immense library of ''poor quality'' research will support claims that AMSC is inherently harmful, but better quality research suggests that AMSC is not inherently harmful, or at least no more so than AASC or MMSC.

==The Hunt==

The reality behind our detractors' motivations is not as they state. We are subject to laws that criminalize what we view, even when the images are generated entirely by AI. We have to use complex security tools to avoid harassment from the authorities, and even this may not be enough. It was recently revealed that the German, American, British and Brazilian governments spent millions on a Tor de-anonymization project with the sole intent of identifying people simply visiting websites offering PIM (Prohibited Images of Minors). Merely accessing the websites, even if you only view the legal material they reportedly offer, is enough to justify a raid in some jurisdictions. Meanwhile, European police, desperate to prevent their jobs being made harder and willing to invade the privacy of the European public, recently argued for a prohibition on end-to-end encryption for everyone in the EU; not to prevent children being raped, but so that they could identify "individuals with a sexual interest in children."

You really don't have to do anything illegal to be hunted by the police, despite the endless barrage of laws their governments rain down on us. Realistically, the most hostile countries would criminalize simply being attracted to children if they had any hope of covering the costs of imprisoning the entirety of our enormous community. It's also convenient, of course, that they are able to use us as pathetic pawns for their own ends whenever they feel the need. Other than 'dirty Muslims', we're the easiest group for them to exploit. The reality is that the world hates MAPs for who we are, no matter what we do, and gullible people will sacrifice their privacy for the sake of sadistically ending the free life of anybody attracted to children.

==The Push==

Despite the ways in which we are relentlessly hunted and hounded, access to mental health support, for MAPs, is very challenging. In most countries, telling a psychologist that you're attracted to children feels like an absolute no-go. This necessitates a complex performative dance around the issues for any MAP needing therapy, leaving most unwilling to go a psychologist and seek treatment for any issue, including dangerous feelings of anger toward society or the inability to control their sexual urges. The work of B4U-Act is extremely helpful in this regard, and they maintain a list of recommended therapists. However, their work is primarily confined to North America, doing nothing to help MAPs in other parts of the world, much of which is also incredibly hostile toward MAPs.

I know of two men who experienced mental health crises recently, visitors to a peer support chat, who went on to engage in dangerous and somewhat unethical activities because they felt they would never be happy otherwise. It was inevitable that they would be caught, and I think they knew it. It was more or less a slow suicide of indifference. One of those men is now dead; society might as well have pushed him off the ledge. The other man is now in the system, his family in extreme distress. With proper mental health support, might their outcomes have been different?

Additionally, we need to think about the rock that many people have to fall on when faced with severe distress. ''Friends and family''. Many MAPs, due to the evil of ''The Hunt'', don't even feel able to be open with those who would otherwise be close to them. There really is nowhere to go for MAPs who are understandably afraid of confiding in friends and family. These people often have no real connection with ''anyone''. Being completely isolated from the world, with nobody to rely on and nothing to lose, society can quickly end up with very dangerous men made out of those who would be saints.

MAPs are at serious risk if we engage in sexual contact with minors, including sexually active and curious teenagers, despite the laws against AMSC with adolescents being borne of concern over exploitive prostitution in a very different time. We are at risk if we view any imagery of minors in a slightly sexual, naked, or posed situation, even if the imagery was created entirely by AI. We are not able to get access to mental health support safely, even if we are highly distressed and a danger to ourselves or others. Confiding in friends and family is also much harder than it would be for virtually any other group in the world. There is, for many of us, no alternative to living in a state of depression, committing suicide or self-harm, or resorting to potentially harmful behavior in which we would otherwise never engage.

This is what I call ''The Push''. It describes the way that society is ''pushing'' MAPs to engage in harmful behavior that they would not engage in given ethical treatment from legislators, law enforcement agencies, mental health professionals, prison officials, and society in general. It leads, or will ultimately lead, toward an inevitable conclusion of rape, incarceration, death, and destruction.

With nowhere to go, most BLs, despite the fleeting depravity of curious young boys, accept loneliness, despair, and sexual frustration. Some BLs are understandably unwilling to accept this, and some of these people go on to seek relationships with quieter boys, acknowledging that they are a 'safer option' more willing to keep secrets. This is not because these BLs are sociopaths who hate children; they genuinely love these boys, and ultimately engage in consensual AMSC when the boys reciprocate their love, which is a frequent occurrence. Unfortunately, these boys don't wear their heart on their sleeve quite like the crazy, 'dirty', 'perverted', outgoing boys that would seek AMSC with their adult friends. They have a richer inner life than most people give them credit for, and they have a tendency to ponder that can quickly lead to negative thinking and self-hate. Emotionally vulnerable and easily influenced by wider society, these boys may later feel harmed by their encounter due to society's archaic conservative messaging about AMSC, even if the sexual contact itself was not innately harmful. The end result is a highly distressed child and imprisonment for the BL. Beyond the obvious moral issues, which I do not deny, seeking out AMSC with the quieter boys is a tempting but poor alternative for both the adult and the minor. Are the BLs who seek these relationships evil people who don't care about boys? I say no. With a logical AoC of 12 or so, plus additional protections to prevent outright exploitation, most active BLs would not seek out sexual contact with those boys. So why do some do it? They are subjected to ''The Push''.

Another thing that I consider harmful is 'capping'. According to reports from darkweb enthusiasts, and media reports that I would be less inclined to trust, there has been a massive explosion in men pretending to be girls, tricking boys into sexual activity on camera, and then sharing these videos online. Even though I am in favor of the legalization of PIM possession, it has to be said that manipulating boys like this, sometimes even threatening them with exposure if they don't send more videos and images, is utterly deplorable behavior that could cause massive distress to the boys. Are BLs inherently evil for engaging in and supporting these evil actions? I say no. If PIM were legal to possess, and an authorized, moderated website like Pornhub were allowed to distribute old PIM, the vast majority of MAPs would never end up on the darkweb, the 'cappers' would not receive the adulation that drives them, and these boys would not be victimized. Why does it happen the way it does? BLs are ''pushed'' to the darkweb and its highly questionable interactions.

Finally, without the confidence to trust regular friends and family, many MAPs are pushed to rely on peers for support, instead of engaging with a wider group of people and developing a balanced range of views. Although the MAP community has a much wider range of views than people give us credit for, the push to rely on a single community for one's entire social life is a fairly serious incitement to the development of extreme views. Online communities of any kind, no matter their target audience, have a tendency to push members toward a more singular and extreme form of behavior.

==The Future==

I predict a very dark future if there are no significant changes in how MAPs are treated.

The state of affairs for MAPs and minors is horrific, and I find it absolutely remarkable that there are so few cases of attempted MAP-led violence like the one reported in the news last month. In its treatment of MAPs, society breaks every rule in the book when it comes to not pushing people toward extremism, most notably in how it does its level best to leave so many of us with nowhere to go, nobody to rely on, and nothing to lose. ''The Push'' does so much damage to MAPs, to their friends and families who deal with their incarceration, despair, and suicide, and to the minors who are victimized when they otherwise would not have been harmed. Many publicly registered sex offenders, in particular, have few reasons to live; their lives are made intentionally difficult, torturous in fact, and I can't fathom how we are not seeing more cases of them violently exploding.

Eventually, I believe that as ''The Push'' continues and becomes more extreme, we will see many cases of violence from MAPs; shootings, stabbings, and even bombs. I suspect we are also likely to see violence from minor (or former minor) victims who have been harmed by ''The Push''. As a returning MAP activist, I really hope things don't go that way, for the sake of boys and the many random members of the public who may be harmed as collateral damage. There are some excellent activists within our community who are making progress peacefully; we now have allies in the academic and mental health community, even if some people do call them 'cunts' and tell them to fuck off when they post on our boards. A new activist project will be starting soon, and we will mix academic engagement with tactful ragebait and media manipulation. Nonetheless, the activists like myself who engage in peaceful activism are but a tiny portion of the MAP community, and we have no control over what others do. I really hope that society will start to choose engagement instead of persecution, to prevent the worsening of what is already a terrible situation heading for absolute disaster. ''The Push'' is a very dangerous thing.

[[Category:Essays]][[Category:BLueRibbon's Essays]]

Essay:The Push

2024-09-12T18:12:16Z

BLueRibbon: /* The Push */

<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''The Push.'''

May 23, 2024 ◆ '''BLueRibbon'''

Legend: '''MAP''' = "Minor-Attracted Person", '''AMSC''' = "Adult-Minor Sexual Contact", '''PIM''' = "Prohibited Images of Minors".

<hr>

'''Author Foreword''': My first essay on MAP issues since 2010 is about the extremely dangerous concept I call "''The Push''". Unpolished and meandering, the essay's main purpose is to describe how everyone is ultimately harmed or endangered by the relentless and unnecessary hunt of MAPs, the attempts to criminalize every possible outlet available to us, and the poor availability of mental health support for our community.

==The Case==

There was a case in the news perhaps a month ago. A former marine in the US showed up to have sex with two little girls, armed with a gun, and was executed by the mob in blue. Some MAPs interpreted the gun as a tool of self-defense. Others thought it was suicide by cop. My interpretation was that the man knew it was ''probably'' a sting, but was willing to go down shooting for some chance of ''either'' having sex with a child ''or'' gaining retribution for the horrific persecution to which MAPs are shamelessly subjected.

Should the man have been willing to have sex with two little girls being sold by their parents? Probably not. I am very much in favor of reforming the laws that outright prohibit AMSC (Adult-Minor Sexual Contact) with no regard for the circumstances, but paying a parent to have sex with their children sounds like a very real kind of ''bad touch''. There are healthy adult-minor relationships, including sexual ones, and there are acts of evil, and there are many shades of grey. But even that is an oversimplification of a man's actions, a misguided focus on the nature of the acts themselves and an ignorance of their origins.
{{Template:MAE}}

==The Contradiction==

I believe that minors can give meaningful consent to sex with adults, with a caveat that may disappoint the extremists within our community: I also partially agree with wider society that minors are more vulnerable to exploitation than most adults. However, I firmly disagree with the absolute singling out of minors - ''up to ages as high as 21'' - as helpless subjects of abuse, and with the nonsensical juxtaposition of the ''lack of protection afforded to vulnerable adults'' and the ''insane paranoia surrounding any perceived threat to minors''.

I believe that minors are similarly vulnerable to women from poor countries, many of whom are horribly exploited in brothels in western countries, and at high risk of mistreatment in their home countries too. However, instead of prohibiting sex with poor women (which would be ridiculous!), we judge sex with adults on a case by case basis. Or at least we should. In reality, some adults don't even enjoy the most ''basic'' of protections, while ''all'' AMSC is deemed sexual violence. The abuse of adults is allowed to occur right out in the open in many cases, especially when the victims are of certain classes such as 'male', or 'immigrant', or whomever else the police decide they aren't willing to help.

Consider Amsterdam as an example. It is a beautiful city that used to be considered 'cool', but the red lights for which it's known haven't been cool for quite some time. The women sold like slabs of meat there are not perky Dutch girls making money to buy a designer handbag. They are victims of human trafficking, tricked away from their home countries by gangsters and put on display, subject to what is more or less rape in full view of the public, while the Netherlands' righteous government throws MAP activists in prison for advocating discussion over the age of consent.

Actual rape of immigrant women? "Fine."

Talking about whether a law is morally just? "Prison!"

==The Backstory==

Why is that discussion so controversial? We know that teenagers are not asexual; it's not even a matter of debate. The idea that sex with teenagers is inherently wrong is actually a construction of 19th century laws intended to combat the awful abuse of women and young girls in the sex trade. The very first law criminalizing sex wtih teenagers was enacted in response to the behavior of men likely ''not'' primarily attracted to minors, but by opportunists in the deepest depths of Dickensian London. Ethical AMSC with pubescents was never really supposed to be punished; the 'original' law to raise the age of consent above 12 years old was created to give the authorities a way to easily crack down on the rampant prostitution of teenage girls in what was an awful time to be anything but a rich, straight, white man.

That law, perhaps a necessary sledgehammer to eliminate some of the very real horrors of 19th century London, should have been nothing but a temporary measure. Instead, it was used as fuel for the campaigns of American puritans, who co-opted it for their campaign of righteousness. Much like religious leaders brainwash their congregations into believing the most absurd concoctions imaginable, the moral crusaders of depression-era America were somehow able to persuade enough people that sex with teenagers was morally wrong in itself, and so an imported law that was never meant to be interpreted very strictly was inexplicably adopted as a moral standard. While unpopular ideas such as the prohibition of alcohol failed to persist, thanks to the universal love of liquor, the ''equally unrealistic'' idea of abstinent teens was spread across the globe, bit by bit, for reasons that are not entirely clear to anyone.

==The Reality==

What is the reality of minor sexuality and how it relates to adults? As much as I would like to, it is impossible to provide personal anecdotes about female sexuality and man-girl interaction, so I will leave that to our GL friends. However, I can and will talk about my experience as a BL during my days of relative absence from our community.

During my hiatus, I worked jobs where I interacted with thousands of boys in a country that totally ignores non-contact BLs, but doesn't let you fuck around quite the way that, say, 1980s Thailand apparently did. As a fairly normal-looking man, of healthy weight and neither beautiful nor grotesque, I had situations where I unfortunately had to decline offers, that I had not encouraged, from wild-natured boys who were interested in sexual experimentation. It is very frustrating to have to do this, and I cast zero judgment on those who take whatever opportunity comes. There's nothing worse than having to pull your hand away when a sex-crazed 12 year old boy, straight nonetheless, tries to put your hand on his crotch because he's curious. Most boys do not behave like this with adults, but some do.

These boys are the natural ally and playmate of BLs, amused and unharmed by the games they seek to incite. They are also our greatest danger. The problem with wild boys is that their madness isn't restricted to gender-indifferent precociousness. It permeates every essence of their being, and this includes their willingness to broadcast their not-so-private lives to their parents, teachers, counselors, gaming buddies, local beggars, jealous priests, and anyone else they may know. In a sane world, nobody would care and this wouldn't matter, but that is not the kind of world we inhabit. We live in a world where simply saying "OK" can be a death sentence, where you are painted as an actual rapist, beaten up by murderers in prison because you are 'worse' than them. Actions like giving a 15 year old boy a blowjob are enough to trigger this reaction.

This is a world in which the only acceptable targets of outright abuse are MAPs, and any intimate expressions between us and minors are instantly problematized, treated as rape regardless of circumstance. Defenders of this approach will insist that they are just trying to protect children. They will say that children cannot consent because children cannot consent. I've never seen a convincing explanation that is not entirely circular in nature. An immense library of ''poor quality'' research will support claims that AMSC is inherently harmful, but better quality research suggests that AMSC is not inherently harmful, or at least no more so than AASC or MMSC.

==The Hunt==

The reality behind our detractors' motivations is not as they state. We are subject to laws that criminalize what we view, even when the images are generated entirely by AI. We have to use complex security tools to avoid harassment from the authorities, and even this may not be enough. It was recently revealed that the German, American, British and Brazilian governments spent millions on a Tor de-anonymization project with the sole intent of identifying people simply visiting websites offering PIM (Prohibited Images of Minors). Merely accessing the websites, even if you only view the legal material they reportedly offer, is enough to justify a raid in some jurisdictions. Meanwhile, European police, desperate to prevent their jobs being made harder and willing to invade the privacy of the European public, recently argued for a prohibition on end-to-end encryption for everyone in the EU; not to prevent children being raped, but so that they could identify "individuals with a sexual interest in children."

You really don't have to do anything illegal to be hunted by the police, despite the endless barrage of laws their governments rain down on us. Realistically, the most hostile countries would criminalize simply being attracted to children if they had any hope of covering the costs of imprisoning the entirety of our enormous community. It's also convenient, of course, that they are able to use us as pathetic pawns for their own ends whenever they feel the need. Other than 'dirty Muslims', we're the easiest group for them to exploit. The reality is that the world hates MAPs for who we are, no matter what we do, and gullible people will sacrifice their privacy for the sake of sadistically ending the free life of anybody attracted to children.

==The Push==

Despite the ways in which we are relentlessly hunted and hounded, access to mental health support, for MAPs, is very challenging. In most countries, telling a psychologist that you're attracted to children feels like an absolute no-go. This necessitates a complex performative dance around the issues for any MAP needing therapy, leaving most unwilling to go a psychologist and seek treatment for any issue, including dangerous feelings of anger toward society or the inability to control their sexual urges. The work of B4U-Act is extremely helpful in this regard, and they maintain a list of recommended therapists. However, their work is primarily confined to North America, doing nothing to help MAPs in other parts of the world, much of which is also incredibly hostile toward MAPs.

I know of two men who experienced mental health crises recently, visitors to a peer support chat, who went on to engage in dangerous and somewhat unethical activities because they felt they would never be happy otherwise. It was inevitable that they would be caught, and I think they knew it. It was more or less a slow suicide of indifference. One of those men is now dead; society might as well have pushed him off the ledge. The other man is now in the system, his family in extreme distress. With proper mental health support, might their outcomes have been different?

Additionally, we need to think about the rock that many people have to fall on when faced with severe distress. ''Friends and family''. Many MAPs, due to the evil of ''The Hunt'', don't even feel able to be open with those who would otherwise be close to them. There really is nowhere to go for MAPs who are understandably afraid of confiding in friends and family. These people often have no real connection with ''anyone''. Being completely isolated from the world, with nobody to rely on and nothing to lose, society can quickly end up with very dangerous men made out of those who would be saints.

MAPs are at serious risk if we engage in sexual contact with sexually curious teenagers, despite the applicable laws being co-opted as something they were never supposed to be. We are at risk if we view any imagery of minors in a slightly sexual, naked, or posed situation, even if the imagery was created entirely by AI. We are not able to get access to mental health support safely, even if we are highly distressed and a danger to ourselves or others. Confiding in friends and family is also much harder than it would be for virtually any other group in the world. There is, for many of us, no alternative to living in a state of depression, committing suicide or self-harm, or resorting to potentially harmful behavior in which we would otherwise never engage.

This is what I call ''The Push''. It describes the way that society is ''pushing'' MAPs to engage in harmful behavior that they would not engage in given ethical treatment from legislators, law enforcement agencies, mental health professionals, prison officials, and society in general. It leads, or will ultimately lead, toward an inevitable conclusion of rape, incarceration, death, and destruction.

With nowhere to go, most BLs, despite the fleeting depravity of curious young boys, accept loneliness, despair, and sexual frustration. Some BLs are understandably unwilling to accept this, and some of these people go on to seek relationships with quieter boys, acknowledging that they are a 'safer option' more willing to keep secrets. This is not because these BLs are sociopaths who hate children; they genuinely love these boys, and ultimately engage in consensual AMSC when the boys reciprocate their love, which is a frequent occurrence. Unfortunately, these boys don't wear their heart on their sleeve quite like the crazy, 'dirty', 'perverted', outgoing boys that would seek AMSC with their adult friends. They have a richer inner life than most people give them credit for, and they have a tendency to ponder that can quickly lead to negative thinking and self-hate. Emotionally vulnerable and easily influenced by wider society, these boys may later feel harmed by their encounter due to society's archaic conservative messaging about AMSC, even if the sexual contact itself was not innately harmful. The end result is a highly distressed child and imprisonment for the BL. Beyond the obvious moral issues, which I do not deny, seeking out AMSC with the quieter boys is a tempting but poor alternative for both the adult and the minor. Are the BLs who seek these relationships evil people who don't care about boys? I say no. With a logical AoC of 12 or so, plus additional protections to prevent outright exploitation, most active BLs would not seek out sexual contact with those boys. So why do some do it? They are subjected to ''The Push''.

Another thing that I consider harmful is 'capping'. According to reports from darkweb enthusiasts, and media reports that I would be less inclined to trust, there has been a massive explosion in men pretending to be girls, tricking boys into sexual activity on camera, and then sharing these videos online. Even though I am in favor of the legalization of PIM possession, it has to be said that manipulating boys like this, sometimes even threatening them with exposure if they don't send more videos and images, is utterly deplorable behavior that could cause massive distress to the boys. Are BLs inherently evil for engaging in and supporting these evil actions? I say no. If PIM were legal to possess, and an authorized, moderated website like Pornhub were allowed to distribute old PIM, the vast majority of MAPs would never end up on the darkweb, the 'cappers' would not receive the adulation that drives them, and these boys would not be victimized. Why does it happen the way it does? BLs are ''pushed'' to the darkweb and its highly questionable interactions.

Finally, without the confidence to trust regular friends and family, many MAPs are pushed to rely on peers for support, instead of engaging with a wider group of people and developing a balanced range of views. Although the MAP community has a much wider range of views than people give us credit for, the push to rely on a single community for one's entire social life is a fairly serious incitement to the development of extreme views. Online communities of any kind, no matter their target audience, have a tendency to push members toward a more singular and extreme form of behavior.

==The Future==

I predict a very dark future if there are no significant changes in how MAPs are treated.

The state of affairs for MAPs and minors is horrific, and I find it absolutely remarkable that there are so few cases of attempted MAP-led violence like the one reported in the news last month. In its treatment of MAPs, society breaks every rule in the book when it comes to not pushing people toward extremism, most notably in how it does its level best to leave so many of us with nowhere to go, nobody to rely on, and nothing to lose. ''The Push'' does so much damage to MAPs, to their friends and families who deal with their incarceration, despair, and suicide, and to the minors who are victimized when they otherwise would not have been harmed. Many publicly registered sex offenders, in particular, have few reasons to live; their lives are made intentionally difficult, torturous in fact, and I can't fathom how we are not seeing more cases of them violently exploding.

Eventually, I believe that as ''The Push'' continues and becomes more extreme, we will see many cases of violence from MAPs; shootings, stabbings, and even bombs. I suspect we are also likely to see violence from minor (or former minor) victims who have been harmed by ''The Push''. As a returning MAP activist, I really hope things don't go that way, for the sake of boys and the many random members of the public who may be harmed as collateral damage. There are some excellent activists within our community who are making progress peacefully; we now have allies in the academic and mental health community, even if some people do call them 'cunts' and tell them to fuck off when they post on our boards. A new activist project will be starting soon, and we will mix academic engagement with tactful ragebait and media manipulation. Nonetheless, the activists like myself who engage in peaceful activism are but a tiny portion of the MAP community, and we have no control over what others do. I really hope that society will start to choose engagement instead of persecution, to prevent the worsening of what is already a terrible situation heading for absolute disaster. ''The Push'' is a very dangerous thing.

[[Category:Essays]][[Category:BLueRibbon's Essays]]

Essay:The Push

2024-09-12T18:10:30Z

BLueRibbon: /* The Hunt */

<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''The Push.'''

May 23, 2024 ◆ '''BLueRibbon'''

Legend: '''MAP''' = "Minor-Attracted Person", '''AMSC''' = "Adult-Minor Sexual Contact", '''PIM''' = "Prohibited Images of Minors".

<hr>

'''Author Foreword''': My first essay on MAP issues since 2010 is about the extremely dangerous concept I call "''The Push''". Unpolished and meandering, the essay's main purpose is to describe how everyone is ultimately harmed or endangered by the relentless and unnecessary hunt of MAPs, the attempts to criminalize every possible outlet available to us, and the poor availability of mental health support for our community.

==The Case==

There was a case in the news perhaps a month ago. A former marine in the US showed up to have sex with two little girls, armed with a gun, and was executed by the mob in blue. Some MAPs interpreted the gun as a tool of self-defense. Others thought it was suicide by cop. My interpretation was that the man knew it was ''probably'' a sting, but was willing to go down shooting for some chance of ''either'' having sex with a child ''or'' gaining retribution for the horrific persecution to which MAPs are shamelessly subjected.

Should the man have been willing to have sex with two little girls being sold by their parents? Probably not. I am very much in favor of reforming the laws that outright prohibit AMSC (Adult-Minor Sexual Contact) with no regard for the circumstances, but paying a parent to have sex with their children sounds like a very real kind of ''bad touch''. There are healthy adult-minor relationships, including sexual ones, and there are acts of evil, and there are many shades of grey. But even that is an oversimplification of a man's actions, a misguided focus on the nature of the acts themselves and an ignorance of their origins.
{{Template:MAE}}

==The Contradiction==

I believe that minors can give meaningful consent to sex with adults, with a caveat that may disappoint the extremists within our community: I also partially agree with wider society that minors are more vulnerable to exploitation than most adults. However, I firmly disagree with the absolute singling out of minors - ''up to ages as high as 21'' - as helpless subjects of abuse, and with the nonsensical juxtaposition of the ''lack of protection afforded to vulnerable adults'' and the ''insane paranoia surrounding any perceived threat to minors''.

I believe that minors are similarly vulnerable to women from poor countries, many of whom are horribly exploited in brothels in western countries, and at high risk of mistreatment in their home countries too. However, instead of prohibiting sex with poor women (which would be ridiculous!), we judge sex with adults on a case by case basis. Or at least we should. In reality, some adults don't even enjoy the most ''basic'' of protections, while ''all'' AMSC is deemed sexual violence. The abuse of adults is allowed to occur right out in the open in many cases, especially when the victims are of certain classes such as 'male', or 'immigrant', or whomever else the police decide they aren't willing to help.

Consider Amsterdam as an example. It is a beautiful city that used to be considered 'cool', but the red lights for which it's known haven't been cool for quite some time. The women sold like slabs of meat there are not perky Dutch girls making money to buy a designer handbag. They are victims of human trafficking, tricked away from their home countries by gangsters and put on display, subject to what is more or less rape in full view of the public, while the Netherlands' righteous government throws MAP activists in prison for advocating discussion over the age of consent.

Actual rape of immigrant women? "Fine."

Talking about whether a law is morally just? "Prison!"

==The Backstory==

Why is that discussion so controversial? We know that teenagers are not asexual; it's not even a matter of debate. The idea that sex with teenagers is inherently wrong is actually a construction of 19th century laws intended to combat the awful abuse of women and young girls in the sex trade. The very first law criminalizing sex wtih teenagers was enacted in response to the behavior of men likely ''not'' primarily attracted to minors, but by opportunists in the deepest depths of Dickensian London. Ethical AMSC with pubescents was never really supposed to be punished; the 'original' law to raise the age of consent above 12 years old was created to give the authorities a way to easily crack down on the rampant prostitution of teenage girls in what was an awful time to be anything but a rich, straight, white man.

That law, perhaps a necessary sledgehammer to eliminate some of the very real horrors of 19th century London, should have been nothing but a temporary measure. Instead, it was used as fuel for the campaigns of American puritans, who co-opted it for their campaign of righteousness. Much like religious leaders brainwash their congregations into believing the most absurd concoctions imaginable, the moral crusaders of depression-era America were somehow able to persuade enough people that sex with teenagers was morally wrong in itself, and so an imported law that was never meant to be interpreted very strictly was inexplicably adopted as a moral standard. While unpopular ideas such as the prohibition of alcohol failed to persist, thanks to the universal love of liquor, the ''equally unrealistic'' idea of abstinent teens was spread across the globe, bit by bit, for reasons that are not entirely clear to anyone.

==The Reality==

What is the reality of minor sexuality and how it relates to adults? As much as I would like to, it is impossible to provide personal anecdotes about female sexuality and man-girl interaction, so I will leave that to our GL friends. However, I can and will talk about my experience as a BL during my days of relative absence from our community.

During my hiatus, I worked jobs where I interacted with thousands of boys in a country that totally ignores non-contact BLs, but doesn't let you fuck around quite the way that, say, 1980s Thailand apparently did. As a fairly normal-looking man, of healthy weight and neither beautiful nor grotesque, I had situations where I unfortunately had to decline offers, that I had not encouraged, from wild-natured boys who were interested in sexual experimentation. It is very frustrating to have to do this, and I cast zero judgment on those who take whatever opportunity comes. There's nothing worse than having to pull your hand away when a sex-crazed 12 year old boy, straight nonetheless, tries to put your hand on his crotch because he's curious. Most boys do not behave like this with adults, but some do.

These boys are the natural ally and playmate of BLs, amused and unharmed by the games they seek to incite. They are also our greatest danger. The problem with wild boys is that their madness isn't restricted to gender-indifferent precociousness. It permeates every essence of their being, and this includes their willingness to broadcast their not-so-private lives to their parents, teachers, counselors, gaming buddies, local beggars, jealous priests, and anyone else they may know. In a sane world, nobody would care and this wouldn't matter, but that is not the kind of world we inhabit. We live in a world where simply saying "OK" can be a death sentence, where you are painted as an actual rapist, beaten up by murderers in prison because you are 'worse' than them. Actions like giving a 15 year old boy a blowjob are enough to trigger this reaction.

This is a world in which the only acceptable targets of outright abuse are MAPs, and any intimate expressions between us and minors are instantly problematized, treated as rape regardless of circumstance. Defenders of this approach will insist that they are just trying to protect children. They will say that children cannot consent because children cannot consent. I've never seen a convincing explanation that is not entirely circular in nature. An immense library of ''poor quality'' research will support claims that AMSC is inherently harmful, but better quality research suggests that AMSC is not inherently harmful, or at least no more so than AASC or MMSC.

==The Hunt==

The reality behind our detractors' motivations is not as they state. We are subject to laws that criminalize what we view, even when the images are generated entirely by AI. We have to use complex security tools to avoid harassment from the authorities, and even this may not be enough. It was recently revealed that the German, American, British and Brazilian governments spent millions on a Tor de-anonymization project with the sole intent of identifying people simply visiting websites offering PIM (Prohibited Images of Minors). Merely accessing the websites, even if you only view the legal material they reportedly offer, is enough to justify a raid in some jurisdictions. Meanwhile, European police, desperate to prevent their jobs being made harder and willing to invade the privacy of the European public, recently argued for a prohibition on end-to-end encryption for everyone in the EU; not to prevent children being raped, but so that they could identify "individuals with a sexual interest in children."

You really don't have to do anything illegal to be hunted by the police, despite the endless barrage of laws their governments rain down on us. Realistically, the most hostile countries would criminalize simply being attracted to children if they had any hope of covering the costs of imprisoning the entirety of our enormous community. It's also convenient, of course, that they are able to use us as pathetic pawns for their own ends whenever they feel the need. Other than 'dirty Muslims', we're the easiest group for them to exploit. The reality is that the world hates MAPs for who we are, no matter what we do, and gullible people will sacrifice their privacy for the sake of sadistically ending the free life of anybody attracted to children.

==The Push==

Despite the ways in which we are relentlessly hunted and hounded, access to mental health support, for MAPs, is very challenging. In most countries, telling a psychologist that you're attracted to children feels like an absolute no-go. This necessitates a complex performative dance around the issues for any MAP needing therapy, leaving most unwilling to go a psychologist and seek treatment for any issue, including dangerous feelings of anger toward society or the inability to control their sexual urges. The work of B4U-Act is extremely helpful in this regard, and they maintain a list of recommended therapists. However, their work is confined to North America, doing nothing to help MAPs in other parts of the world, much of which is also incredibly hostile toward MAPs.

I know of two men who experienced mental health crises recently, visitors to a peer support chat, who went on to engage in dangerous and somewhat unethical activities because they felt they would never be happy otherwise. It was inevitable that they would be caught, and I think they knew it. It was more or less a slow suicide of indifference. One of those men is now dead; society might as well have pushed him off the ledge. The other man is now in the system, his family in extreme distress. With proper mental health support, might their outcomes have been different?

Additionally, we need to think about the rock that many people have to fall on when faced with severe distress. ''Friends and family''. Many MAPs, due to the evil of ''The Hunt'', don't even feel able to be open with those who would otherwise be close to them. There really is nowhere to go for MAPs who are understandably afraid of confiding in friends and family. These people often have no real connection with ''anyone''. Being completely isolated from the world, with nobody to rely on and nothing to lose, society can quickly end up with very dangerous men made out of those who would be saints.

MAPs are at serious risk if we engage in sexual contact with sexually curious teenagers, despite the applicable laws being co-opted as something they were never supposed to be. We are at risk if we view any imagery of minors in a slightly sexual, naked, or posed situation, even if the imagery was created entirely by AI. We are not able to get access to mental health support safely, even if we are highly distressed and a danger to ourselves or others. Confiding in friends and family is also much harder than it would be for virtually any other group in the world. There is, for many of us, no alternative to living in a state of depression, committing suicide or self-harm, or resorting to potentially harmful behavior in which we would otherwise never engage.

This is what I call ''The Push''. It describes the way that society is ''pushing'' MAPs to engage in harmful behavior that they would not engage in given ethical treatment from legislators, law enforcement agencies, mental health professionals, prison officials, and society in general. It leads, or will ultimately lead, toward an inevitable conclusion of rape, incarceration, death, and destruction.

With nowhere to go, most BLs, despite the fleeting depravity of curious young boys, accept loneliness, despair, and sexual frustration. Some BLs are understandably unwilling to accept this, and some of these people go on to seek relationships with quieter boys, acknowledging that they are a 'safer option' more willing to keep secrets. This is not because these BLs are sociopaths who hate children; they genuinely love these boys, and ultimately engage in consensual AMSC when the boys reciprocate their love, which is a frequent occurrence. Unfortunately, these boys don't wear their heart on their sleeve quite like the crazy, 'dirty', 'perverted', outgoing boys that would seek AMSC with their adult friends. They have a richer inner life than most people give them credit for, and they have a tendency to ponder that can quickly lead to negative thinking and self-hate. Emotionally vulnerable and easily influenced by wider society, these boys may later feel harmed by their encounter due to society's archaic conservative messaging about AMSC, even if the sexual contact itself was not innately harmful. The end result is a highly distressed child and imprisonment for the BL. Beyond the obvious moral issues, which I do not deny, seeking out AMSC with the quieter boys is a tempting but poor alternative for both the adult and the minor. Are the BLs who seek these relationships evil people who don't care about boys? I say no. With a logical AoC of 12 or so, plus additional protections to prevent outright exploitation, most active BLs would not seek out sexual contact with those boys. So why do some do it? They are subjected to ''The Push''.

Another thing that I consider harmful is 'capping'. According to reports from darkweb enthusiasts, and media reports that I would be less inclined to trust, there has been a massive explosion in men pretending to be girls, tricking boys into sexual activity on camera, and then sharing these videos online. Even though I am in favor of the legalization of PIM possession, it has to be said that manipulating boys like this, sometimes even threatening them with exposure if they don't send more videos and images, is utterly deplorable behavior that could cause massive distress to the boys. Are BLs inherently evil for engaging in and supporting these evil actions? I say no. If PIM were legal to possess, and an authorized, moderated website like Pornhub were allowed to distribute old PIM, the vast majority of MAPs would never end up on the darkweb, the 'cappers' would not receive the adulation that drives them, and these boys would not be victimized. Why does it happen the way it does? BLs are ''pushed'' to the darkweb and its highly questionable interactions.

Finally, without the confidence to trust regular friends and family, many MAPs are pushed to rely on peers for support, instead of engaging with a wider group of people and developing a balanced range of views. Although the MAP community has a much wider range of views than people give us credit for, the push to rely on a single community for one's entire social life is a fairly serious incitement to the development of extreme views. Online communities of any kind, no matter their target audience, have a tendency to push members toward a more singular and extreme form of behavior.

==The Future==

I predict a very dark future if there are no significant changes in how MAPs are treated.

The state of affairs for MAPs and minors is horrific, and I find it absolutely remarkable that there are so few cases of attempted MAP-led violence like the one reported in the news last month. In its treatment of MAPs, society breaks every rule in the book when it comes to not pushing people toward extremism, most notably in how it does its level best to leave so many of us with nowhere to go, nobody to rely on, and nothing to lose. ''The Push'' does so much damage to MAPs, to their friends and families who deal with their incarceration, despair, and suicide, and to the minors who are victimized when they otherwise would not have been harmed. Many publicly registered sex offenders, in particular, have few reasons to live; their lives are made intentionally difficult, torturous in fact, and I can't fathom how we are not seeing more cases of them violently exploding.

Eventually, I believe that as ''The Push'' continues and becomes more extreme, we will see many cases of violence from MAPs; shootings, stabbings, and even bombs. I suspect we are also likely to see violence from minor (or former minor) victims who have been harmed by ''The Push''. As a returning MAP activist, I really hope things don't go that way, for the sake of boys and the many random members of the public who may be harmed as collateral damage. There are some excellent activists within our community who are making progress peacefully; we now have allies in the academic and mental health community, even if some people do call them 'cunts' and tell them to fuck off when they post on our boards. A new activist project will be starting soon, and we will mix academic engagement with tactful ragebait and media manipulation. Nonetheless, the activists like myself who engage in peaceful activism are but a tiny portion of the MAP community, and we have no control over what others do. I really hope that society will start to choose engagement instead of persecution, to prevent the worsening of what is already a terrible situation heading for absolute disaster. ''The Push'' is a very dangerous thing.

[[Category:Essays]][[Category:BLueRibbon's Essays]]

Essay:The Draft Argument For 12+

2024-09-05T04:18:42Z

BLueRibbon:

<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''The Draft Argument For 12+'''

18/07/24 ◆ '''BLueRibbon''' + Fragment DRAFT

Legend: '''AMSC''' = "[https://www.map-union.org/encyclopedia/glossary#AMSC Adult-Minor Sexual Contact]", '''PIM''' = "[https://www.map-union.org/encyclopedia/glossary#PIM Prohibited Images of Minors]", '''AASC''' = Adult-Adult Sexual Contact, '''MMSC''' = Minor-Minor Sexual Contact

<hr>

'''Author Foreword''': This is the final essay written to introduce my third-wave framework to the MAP community. It elaborates the 12+ position that is being developed by Fragment and I. It's published as a draft, and constructive feedback is welcome.

'''September 2024 update''': This essay was published as a draft, and multiple concerns were raised by the community. This draft remains as an archive and point of discussion. For Pro-Reform's updated position statement on AMSC, please visit [https://www.map-union.org/blog/perspectives/16-12-pro-reforms-position-on-amsc Mu].

==Abolition: The Failed Principle==

Due to its long history of putting MAPs behind bars, and the belief among a number of MAPs that minors are not the asexual creatures many imagine, abolishing the Age of Consent has historically been a key objective for 'pro-pedophile' activists since the 1970s. The logic is sound: instead of setting arbitrary boundaries that fail to account for all manner of variables, relationships are judged based on their individual circumstances. It is an excellent principle. Unfortunately, it won't ever work in practice.

Hand on heart, I personally think it would be wise to abolish the age of consent, and replace it with laws offering additional protections to minors. I acknowledge the vulnerability of young people ''in general'' versus the vulnerability of adults ''in general'', hence the need for additional protections. I've also worked with children and adolescents of all ages, and I've seen a lot of differences in maturity and apparent sexualization (often a natural process), so a firm ''always wrong under a certain age'' and ''always OK over another'' doesn't really sit right with me. However, any attempts to set the age of consent at zero will fail; it will be portrayed as an attempt to legalize 'baby rape'. Furthermore, such arguments don't even have recent historical merit; sex with prepubescents has been illegal in many places for much of modern history. People simply abhor the idea of sex with prepubescent children.

Adolescents are not quite the same story. The criminalization of sex with adolescents is a modern misinterpretation of a Victorian problem, and even then it is not so universally condemned. Ages of consent vary wildly around the world, and 'exceptions' and 'extra protections' abound. An unrestricted age of consent of 14 is not uncommon, and if we take the absolute age of consent (the age at which sex is permitted with some restrictions), even some English speaking jurisdictions consider 12 year olds capable of some level of informed consent. Instead of trying to abolish the age of consent, out of the ''very understandable'' desires for case-by-case determination and youth liberation, we should instead focus on something understood by many non-MAPs: adolescent sexuality and the need to respond to it in a balanced manner.

That's why in my previous essay, [[Essay:Pro-Reform:_The_Rational_Middle_Ground|The Rational Middle Ground]], I proposed adjusting Age of Consent laws to '''12 with additional protections''', or "'''12+'''". Let's take a look at arguments for 12+ reform, before getting into the details of what that "+" might mean.

{{Template:MAE}}

==Harm Prevention==

'''The Argument'''

Many non-MAPs will see little reason to support lowering the age of consent, or modifying it to reflect the concept of "12+". However, as I explained in [[Essay:The_Push|The Push]], extreme anti-MAP laws and values often push MAPs to engage in potentially harmful behavior instead of preventing it. Regular people, if they genuinely care about children, should take this as a reason to consider changes to the approach they support.

MAPs are under massive pressure from society to live according to unrealistic standards, with every possible avenue of sexual release criminalized regardless of whether or not it causes harm to children. The pressures placed upon us do not reduce the risk of harm; they increase it by making harmless forms of sexual release (such as AI-generated PIM) illegal, by forcing people who wish to view PIM to use 'underground' websites, by making the discussion of MAP issues with friends, family and therapists feel almost impossible, and by pushing MAPs to prioritize 'safety' in sexual relationships instead of prioritizing youth welfare.

Many MAPs, especially male homosexual MAPs, are attracted to boys ranging from late prepubescence to early adolescence. An AoC of 16-18 is beyond the reach of most of these men, but 12 and 13 is not. Why does this matter?

If the Age of Consent were set at 12+, MAPs with an AoC that straddles prepubescence and early adolescence would face extreme pressure to ''avoid'' sex with prepubescents. With an AoC of 12+, they would be encouraged to engage only with adolescents who possess greater competence for a sexual relationship and remain supported by special protections, reducing the risk of harm. This is preferable to the current situation of MAPs being forced to avoid AMSC entirely, or encouraged to prioritize 'safety' in partners rather than 'older' or 'most interested in and ready for sex'.

'''Limitations'''

It is quite plausible that ''harm prevention'' is not the primary reason for AoC laws, and this raises serious questions about whether a harm prevention argument would be the best way forward in advocating AoC reform. The many laws criminalizing non-harmful actions by MAPs, such as those against AI-generated PIM and the simple possession of PIM, hint that laws targeting MAPs are written and enforced more out of disgust at our sexual orientation than anything else. However, MAP hate has been in decline over the past few years thanks to the actions of NOMAP-style activists and organizations such as B4U-Act. With MAP hate decreasing, is it now the time to push for very moderate AoC reform?

==Youth Rights==

'''The Argument'''

The main purpose of the youth liberation model is to focus on how the sexual autonomy of young people is violated by an Age of Consent that outright prohibits sexual activity or limits the choice of sexual partner. Laws around the world vary in how they treat sexual activity between teens, or sexual activity between teens and very young adults. However, it is widely understood that adolescents are attracted to adults, and it is hard to argue that adolescents are not being limited by laws claimed to protect them. In addition, many young people below the ages applicable to 'Romeo and Juliet' laws have a degree of sexual interest, and any laws that criminalize their behavior or that of similarly-aged partners may be accepted by many non-MAPs to be unreasonable. Can we persuade the public that there's no reason to judge a consensual adult-teen relationship differently?

'''Limitations'''

The rights of youth are not a focus of legislation; laws related to children are based on the premise that children need to be protected from themselves and others. Any argument to change this, when coming from an MAP, is likely to be met with ridicule on the grounds that it's intended solely for the interest of MAPs. Even without the challenge of the 'MAP connection', arguing against age limits in general is no easier than arguing for the reform of Age of Consent laws. High age restrictions exist in a wide variety of legal contexts across the entire world, from voting and contract rights to the right to consume alcohol and tobacco; these high age limits are even more universal than a high AoC. The concept of 'adult rights' is simply too ingrained and would require an even greater cultural shift than the reform of attitudes toward AMSC. It is unrealistic to think that we can push through AoC adjustments piggybacked onto lowering age limits for other rights and vices.

'''Consideration'''

The arguments outlined here do not undermine ''the morality of youth rights'', nor any inclination to support ''youth rights in general'' in a manner that is consistent with the claim that adult-teen sex should be liberalized. I do not endorse the abandonment of youth rights advocacy. However, because AoC laws don't even track the age of majority like many other legal rights, it may be better from a practical perspective to simply re-frame sexual rights as adolescent rights.

==Youth Sexuality==

'''The Argument'''

It is accepted by most people that teens are not asexual. Evidence shows that a first sexual experience of the age of 10 or even younger is not uncommon, with a shift to adult-like sexuality occurring in early adolescence. Sexual activity between teens of a similar age is rightly not considered particularly harmful outside of religious and highly conservative circles. It is also widely known that teens are attracted to some adults; many teens describe infatuation with adult entertainers and place their posters and pictures on their walls, and it is understood that most teenage boys and many girls masturbate to adult pornography. MAP activists should make more effort to remind the public of these realities. Age of Consent laws were only raised to prohibit adult sex with teens in response to commercial sexual exploitation in Dickensian London, at a time when STIs were a serious concern, effective contraception and safe abortion practices did not exist, and welfare measures were unavailable.

'''Limitations'''

In recent history, the concept of a 'child' has risen from that of an under-12 to an under-18 in developed countries, with some groups even arguing to raise it further to include under-25s. The mantra "a child cannot consent" is repeated as if it is an objective fact, even when discussing AMSC with teens under the local age of consent (at whatever arbitrary age it has been set). This 'truth' cannot even be debated, even though it is nothing more than a modern cultural phenomenon supported by extreme laws. Merely questioning whether this mantra is true can be enough to draw hysterical and aggressive rebuke from normal members of the public.

'''Consideration'''

If the claim that a child cannot consent due to their immaturity is held to be true, it invalidates MMSC relationships and the many legal exemptions that support these relationships. MAP activists should be asking why teens can supposedly only consent to sexual relationships with other teens. Our opponents will talk about 'power imbalances' with adult-teen relationships, but these are often present in MMSC and AASC, too.

==Child vs Teen Behavioral Traits==

'''The Argument'''

One of the arguments used ''against'' AMSC is that there is a power imbalance. It is said that children are eager to please, powerless against adult authority, and easily manipulated. While this may be partly true when talking about ''children'', these are not words that we typically use to describe ''teens''. Except when we talk about AMSC, adolescents are typically described as disobedient, rebellious, antagonistic, unwilling to yield to authority figures, and highly skilled at manipulation.

On the question of vulnerability to power imbalances, children and teens are simply not in the same league. Given the highly anti-social traits of teens, the likelihood of the exploitation of a power imbalance is no more of a risk than it would be in many adult relationships. Indeed, there are many countries that still have horribly poor attitudes to women, where men are firmly in charge, and these countries do not outright prohibit sex between men and women.

'''Limitations'''

One trait of teens that may be used against us is the fact that teens are seen as inherently reckless. It could be argued that due to their habit of making impulsive decisions, they are liable to engage in behavior that is harmful or dangerous to them, and need to be protected from themselves. A rebuttal, and one that I firmly believe in, is that being allowed to make these decisions is an important part of growing up with a healthy attitude to risk/danger management. Furthermore, it would be better to have a sexual relationship with an adult who has a proper understanding of safe sex and access to contraception, as opposed to a fellow teen who may not know any better. Given the risks of STIs and unwanted pregnancy from unsafe sexual practices, adult-teen sex may actually be safer than teen-teen sex.

===Elementary-Middle Divide===

12 is also an age at which many students graduate from elementary school, and to many parents this represents the end of their son or daughter's childhood and their ascent to adolescence. I can't speak for every culture, but parents where I live tend to let their middle school sons roam semi-feral. It is not uncommon for 12 year old boys to be allowed to come home at 1am, which would be unthinkable for an elementary school child. It would follow, naturally, that this would also be the time to provide young people with a greater right to sexual freedom, subject to additional protections.

==Widespread MAPness==

'''The Argument'''

Evidence suggests that attraction to minors is not uncommon. Indications vary, with phallometric reports showing higher rates than self-reporting, but an analysis of the data would suggest that at least 15-20% of the adult male population are ''somewhat'' aroused by prepubescent children. Adult male attraction to teenage girls barely falls short of attraction to adult women in heterosexual men (with significant denial proven by studies that ask men to rate photos based on sexual attractiveness, in which labeling of photographic subjects as underage/overage is deliberately incorrect). For homosexual men, attraction to adolescents is the ''most common'', followed by attraction to prepubescent boys and then attraction to adult men being the ''least common''. '''A BL sexual orientation is more common than a gay orientation'''.

If attraction to minors (with ''some'' 'risk' of acting on it) were so damaging to the human race, and especially pronounced in the homosexual population where sex with more fertile teens conveys zero evolutionary benefit on the individual level, it would not have endured. There has to be some benefit, from a group selection perspective, to attraction to minors and possible AMSC; otherwise, widespread minor-attraction would not have survived the long period of human history prior to postpubescent AoC laws. It could be posited that paternalistic instincts, for which BLs and GLs display an extremely positive affinity, make minor-attraction such a net positive for the group that it persists despite not being ideal on an individual 'reproductive potential' level.

Perhaps another reason that minor-attraction persisted for so long is that, for such a long time, those with a pedohebephilic orientation were at least able to engage in sex with adolescents, even if not with prepubescent children. For heterosexuals, this would convey an individual evolutionary benefit. Additionally, people attracted to children and teens in a world with an AoC of 10-12 (much of the past thousand years) would have been encouraged to engage in sex with adolescents instead of children, thus offering a protective benefit to younger children, without causing harm to teens.

'''Limitations'''

Attraction to teenagers is extremely common, and prior to the commercial exploitation of teenage girls in disease-ridden Victorian London, it was never considered to be a big deal. Unfortunately, the simple fact that most men are attracted to teenagers cannot, in itself, be considered a just reason for lowering the Age of Consent if all of the claims made by the public are somehow held to be true. We will need to explain why it is beneficial for adult-teen sexual contact to be decriminalized if we are to appeal to a public that believes strongly in denying and repressing their sexual interest in teens, especially given that most heterosexual males are equally or more interested in young adults. The argument that legal adult-teen sex would decrease the risk allegedly posed by pedophebephilic men to young children is logically sound, but it is perhaps too radical and confusing to be accepted by such a hostile audience.

Minor-attraction having no proven genetic component would be an argument against our points, and the fact that homosexual pedohebephilia is so common, yet does not directly result in offspring, could be used against us. However, the evolutionary concept of group selection works in our favor here, justifying the argument that widespread MAPness, when not exclusive, was so beneficial to society that it persisted despite presenting a distraction to procreation. Perhaps the benefit of having a BL in the community also explains why homosexual minor-attraction is more common than homosexual adult-attraction, the latter being less inherently suited to a child mentoring role.

==Sex Education, Healthcare & Abortion Rights==

'''The Argument'''

There is an argument that, if AMSC is claimed to be harmful due to its exploitation of a minor's lack of sexual knowledge, there is a problem with how young people are being educated. Studies on sexual behavior among children and adolescents show that masturbation and sexual experimentation is common among children even prior to adolescence, before the onset of the hormonal changes that shift behavior from sexual curiosity to adult-like sexual attraction. If children are not prepared for this in advance, the low quality of sex education that is driven by conservatism and adult awkwardness about sex is surely to blame.

One issue with adult-teen sexual contact is the poor access to healthcare and abortions in some countries, particularly in the USA, which despite its horrific behavior tends to lead world policies on matters including minor-attraction and AMSC. This is actually a greater issue in teen-teen sexual contact, due to the lack of an adult with greater knowledge about contraception and safe sex. However, it would barely be an issue at all with proper education, universal access to healthcare and abortions, and the destigmatization and decriminalization of sex involving teens, allowing couples to go to healthcare providers without facing social or legal censure.

These issues, which were among the first to cause concern about adult-teen sex in the late 19th century, could easily be fixed today if not for the pernicious evil of social conservatism.

'''Limitations'''

The main limitation of this argument is that there are a great number of people opposed to sex education, universal healthcare and abortion, due to their political or religious beliefs. This is very unlikely to change in the near future.

==Summary==

Attraction to minors is a very common trait, especially hebephilia. It has likely persisted throughout history, and may be especially common in homosexual populations due to the paternalistic role for which it shows extreme affinity. According to the evolutionary concept of group selection, this would encourage minor-attraction genes to be passed down via non-exclusive populations, and this would only work if a BL orientation and its potential expression were of net benefit to society.

Sexual contact between adults and adolescents has been tolerated and even celebrated for thousands of years, and was only criminalized to solve problems which no longer exist in many modern countries. It is understandable that people then were concerned about single teenage mothers, but this is no longer a likely outcome in all but one developed country. It is unfortunate that poor access to healthcare, abortions, and sex education remain common in one developed country, the one that shamefully drives world policy, the USA.

With proper sex education and access to healthcare, there's no reason why teens should not be able to consent with sex to adults. They are notoriously rebellious, a far cry from 'eager to please' children. Biologically, teens have undergone the shift from child sexuality to adult sexuality, and therefore demonstrate sexual interest in adults, watching adult pornography and covering their walls with posters of sexually appealing adult entertainers.

Unfortunately, the stigma surrounding teen sex is massive, especially if an adult is involved. Hebephilic traits are strongly denied by most men; perhaps outreach into groups where hebephiles are common but in denial would be useful for community-building and later activism? We need to get more of these men on board.

A significant hurdle to overcome is that age limits are deeply entrenched in legal systems across the entire world. Although teenagers are afforded greater freedom to roam, age limits continue to restrict their legal freedoms. It seems unlikely that the right to vote, sign contracts and drink alcohol would be lowered as far as 12, so there will be no piggybacking on these issues.

Our arguments, as they stand, could be of interest to the more open-minded liberal population, but will be fundamentally rejected by conservatives and even those in the middle. To make the changes we demand, there would need to be an overhaul of the way we understand teens, the way we educate them, and the way we offer them protection. Unfortunately, these changes would be opposed by conservatives, who seek to restrict their development to fit the traditional family values line they apparently plan to trot out for the next thousand years.

To persuade the public to listen, we need to give them a reason to care. That reason is '''[[Essay:The_Push|The Push]]'''. MAPs are under extreme pressure from stigma, lack of access to mental health and social support, and the criminalization of all avenues of sexual release. This makes MAPs much more dangerous than they would otherwise be. With its current approach, society risks making monsters out of very decent men. Bully people with any sexual orientation the same way that MAPs are bullied, and you sometimes get very bad outcomes. That doesn't make MAPness inherently dangerous as a sexual orientation. Do the same to regular heterosexual men, and they will rape, beat, murder, and bomb. I do not propose making threats, nor engaging in violent actions. However, society needs to understand that, beyond the control of community leaders and activists, there is a serious risk of harm to young people and the public in general if ''The Push'' continues and intensifies. A collective effort by governments and the public to alleviate stigma, improve access to mental healthcare, and decriminalize reasonable avenues of sexual release, is needed. An AoC of 12+, while icky, would help significantly.

==Brainstorming==

Our proposal must meet the following criteria.

* '''The age has to be 12.'''

The age of 12 is important for all of the reasons explained above, most notably accessibility for pedophebephiles, allowing us to make a strong argument for 12+ as a means to avoid ''The Push''. It is also an age at which a young person is very open-minded about sexual contact with a variety of people. For homosexual MAPs, an AoC of 14 would be less useful because they would need to find a homosexual partner; however, there are many 12 year olds who would be interested in experimenting with a male (and older) partner.

* '''We must provide some additional protection to young people.'''

To alleviate concerns that MAPs seek to viciously exploit young people, we need to ensure that our proposals do offer protections.

* '''We must not reverse the burden of proof (e.g. Uruguay).'''

Uruguay offers a version of 12+ that reverses the burden of proof. Sexual contact with 12-14 year olds is illegal by default, and the accused is required to prove that the relationship was consensual. This puts the older person (and their partner) in a position of extreme uncertainty.

* '''We must not open the door for pressing of charges by potentially hostile third parties (Netherlands, 90s).'''

The Netherlands trialed a version of 12+ in the 1990s. It is commonly believed that complaints could only be made by the minor, but in practice, third parties including the police would investigate and prosecution could be pursued by parents or social services.

* '''Interpretation must be as clear and objective as possible.'''

Hostility of judges and juries is a concern wherever they have broad power to decide that a 12+ relationship is illegal. The language proposed should seek to minimize this risk while remaining potentially acceptable to the public.

* '''No 'corruption of minors' liability.'''

Many countries have legislation ''in addition'' to their statutory rape laws. This allows for prosecution of adults who engage in sexual activity with 'minors', even if the Age of Consent is set at 14, 15, or 16. The penalties are less severe, but still come with all the problems associated with a conviction for crimes against a minor.

The 12+ legislation should override 'corruption of minors' laws.

==The Proposal==

* '''Age of Consent of 12.'''

For all the reasons we already discussed.

* '''Sex with 12-15 year olds can be prosecuted upon complaint, if the accused deceptively exploited the accuser's lack of sexual knowledge or interest.'''

If a relationship is genuinely consensual, and sex education has been thorough, it will be difficult to demonstrate a lack of knowledge or interest on the part of the younger person.

* '''A complaint can be made by the alleged victim up to the age of 18.'''

This demonstrates that we respect the right of the younger person to reflect on the relationship and later make a complaint if they were exploited. This would not shorten the statute of limitations for rape victims.

* '''Laws against rape continue to protect people of all ages.'''

This should go without saying. Unfortunately, it doesn't, and we need to make it clear.

* '''Current regulations remain applied to parents and guardians (no AoC of 12).
'''
This is necessary to help young people who are too afraid to make a complaint against parents and guardians.

* '''12+ overrides 'corruption of minors' laws.'''

No prosecution under 'corruption of minors' laws if a person did not deceptively exploit the accuser's lack of sexual knowledge or interest.

[[Category:Essays]][[Category:BLueRibbon's Essays]]

Intrinsic harm

2024-09-02T14:58:57Z

BLueRibbon: Fixed link

__NOTOC__{{template:Ac}}The dilemma of '''intrinsic harm''' concerns whether or not (or to what extent) harm is an unavoidable consequence of voluntary sexual contact between legally adult, and much younger people, usually classified as [[Child Sexual Abuse]]. Said question is frequently broached online when the topic of controversial research such as [[Rind et al]] is invoked.

Intrinsic harm is also one of the major debating points among [[Minor Attracted People|MAPs]] and Academics concerned with [[minor-adult sex]]. Views on intrinsic harm are a primary factor in determining whether such a person is [[anti-contact]], [[contact-neutral]], or alternatively, [[pro-c]].

===Experts on intrinsic harm===

'''[[James Cantor]]''':

<blockquote>''The research is much more consistent with the conclusion that harm is caused instead by coercion, manipulation, secrecy, and by courting kids who already have problems, not the sexual interactions per se.''<ref>[https://www.boychat.org/messages/1336087.htm James Cantor on BoyChat], see also [https://eivindberge.blogspot.com/2024/03/behold-james-cantor-leading-witch.html further comments]</ref></blockquote>

'''[[Michael Bailey]]''':

<blockquote>''Indeed, the best scientific evidence suggests that the most typical experiences considered childhood sexual abuse may not be as harmful as most people think. Specifically, sexual activity that children engage in voluntarily (albeit illegally) with adults is nearly uncorrelated with undesirable outcomes.''<ref>[https://faculty.wcas.northwestern.edu/JMichael-Bailey/articles/MJOCarrollReview.pdf Bailey, J. M. Bailey (2011). Michael Jackson’s Dangerous Liaisons. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 40(6), 1329–1332. doi:10.1007/s10508-011-9842-1 ]</ref></blockquote>

'''[[Alfred Kinsey]]''':

<blockquote>''It is difficult to understand why a child, except for its cultural conditioning, should be disturbed at having its genitalia touched, or disturbed at seeing the genitalia of other persons, or disturbed at even more specific sexual contacts.''<ref>[https://annas-archive.org/md5/b26821e259bda85169823a9e6a3e2f5b '''Sexual Behavior in the Human Female''', p.121]</ref></blockquote>

==See also==

We touch on this subject frequently throughout our detailed [[research]] sections. Some anthologies of particular relevance:

*[[Research: Secondary Harm]]
*[[Research: Family Environment]]
*[[Research: Association or Causation]]
*[[Research: Prevalence of Harm and Negative Outcomes]]
*[[Research: Double-Taboo CSA]]
*[[Research: The effects of pornography]] - With respect to so-called "online harms".
*[[Scarred for life]]

===Encyclopedia and debate articles===

*[[Sexceptionalism]]
*[[Debate Guide: Social constructionism]]
*[[Debate Guide: Profound and lifelong scarring]]

===Essays===

*[[Text of Human Rights and the denial of sexual freedom]]

==References==

[[Category:Official Encyclopedia]][[Category:Facts of life]][[Category:Cyber Activism]][[Category:Youth]][[Category:Terminology]][[Category:Terminology: Academic]][[Category:Terminology: MAP]][[Category:Debate]][[Category:Debating Points: Sociological]][[Category:Debating Points: Child/Minor]][[Category:Debating Points: Adult-Minor sex]][[Category:Research]][[Category:Research into effects on Children]]

Talk:Indecent images of children

2024-08-04T14:58:29Z

BLueRibbon:

==Old version==

A substantial old version exists. Was redacted due to being outdated, but may contain useful information for rebuilding the article.

[https://www.newgon.net/wiki/index.php?title=Indecent_images_of_children&oldid=13408] --[[User:The Admins|The Admins]] ([[User talk:The Admins|talk]]) 16:43, 26 July 2022 (UTC)

: I recovered the information that is still accurate. I'll update while working on the Huw Edwards article. [[User:BLueRibbon|BLueRibbon]] ([[User talk:BLueRibbon|talk]]) 14:58, 4 August 2024 (UTC)

Indecent images of children

2024-08-04T14:30:30Z

BLueRibbon: Partially undid reversion. Replaced Geocities links. All material is up-to-date. Needs work, but does not contain outdated material.

<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>An '''indecent image''' of a child is a photograph or pseudo-photograph (including one comprised in a film) which shows a child and is indecent. [http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?parentActiveTextDocId=1502057&ActiveTextDocId=1502059]

==Definition of a photograph==

In <i>R v Fellows & Arnold</i> (1994), the appellant contended that an image stored electronically could not constitute an indecent photograph of a child under section 7 of the Protection of Children Act.

It was ruled that an electronically stored image was a "copy of an indecent photograph of a child". The court stated that "there is no restriction on the nature of a copy, [and a copy of a photograph is data which] represents the original photograph, in another form". It was also stated that "there is nothing in the Act which makes it necessary that [a] copy should itself be a photograph within the dictionary or the statutory definition, and if there was, it would make the inclusion of the reference to a copy unnecessary. So we conclude that there is no restriction on the nature of a copy [..]" [http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Crim/1996/825.html]

According to section 7 of the Protection of Children Act, references to a photograph are "the negative as well as the positive version; and data stored on a computer disc or by other electronic means which is capable of conversion into a photograph." [http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?parentActiveTextDocId=1502057&activetextdocid=1502066]

So, an image stored electronically is a copy of a photograph and is illegal if it is indecent and shows a child.

==Definition of a pseudo-photograph==

A pseudo-photograph is an image which has the appearance of a photograph, but which is not a photograph. A pseudo-photograph of a child does not necessarily show a <i>real</i> child.

==Defintion of a child==

A child was originally defined as a person under the age of 16, however the [[Sexual Offences Act (2003)]] raised the defintion of "child" to a person under the age of 18.

==Indecency==

The decency of an image is an objective test; that is, it is decided by the jury. Indecency is considered to be a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Question_of_fact question of fact].

===Interpretation===

In order to judge whether an image is indecent, the jury must "apply[..] the recognised standards of propriety." (''R v Graham-Kerr'', 1988) [https://vlex.co.uk/vid/r-v-graham-kerr-793639121].

In 2003, the Sentencing Advisory Panel provided guidance for Judges considering sentences for people convicted of an offence under the Protection of Children Act. The lowest level of indecency was described as "images depicting erotic posing with no sexual activity", which would suggest that naturist images without posing are not indecent. Despite this, a number of people have been convicted of an offence for making and possessing naturist images. In 2003, Tom O'Carroll was convicted of "evading the prohibition on the importation of indecent material", for importing photographs of "young naked child[ren] engaging in normal outdoor activity such as playing on a beach". One should never assume that an image must be pornographic for it to be indecent. ''The sentencing guidelines have since been updated, but their relevance to the question of the scope of indecency remains.''

Put simply, a photograph or pseudo-photograph is judged to be indecent if the jury believes that it would offend the majority of the population of the United Kingdom.

===Context===

In R v Graham-Kerr, the defendant had taken (naked) photographs of a male child during a naturists-only event at a swimming pool. The Police interviewed the defendant about his intentions in taking the photographs, and he admitted that he received "'sexual gratification by taking or looking at such photographs". The Judge stated that the jury were entitled to take into account the circumstances, motives, and sexual intentions of the take.

At the appeal against conviction, the Judge ruled that "''the circumstances and the motivation of the taker may be relevant to the mens rea of the take as to whether his taking was intentional or accidental and so on, but it is not relevant to whether or not the photograph is in itself indecent''". The conviction was quashed. [https://vlex.co.uk/vid/r-v-graham-kerr-793639121]

In ''R v Mould'' (2000), the Appeal Court ruled that "Mr Burton [representing Mr Mould] was rightly concerned that the jury, in deciding whether or not the photograph was indecent, would wrongly take into account [data showing access to paedophile discussion forums]." Although it was agreed that the jury should not use such information to make a judgment regarding the decency of the image for which Mr Mould was convicted, it was understood that "the prosecution [successfully] sought to rely on it in order to prove that the appellant had deliberately created the .bmp file." [https://www.lccsa.org.uk/r-v-david-frederick-mould-2000/]

While a defendant's proven sexual attraction to children should not affect indecency, it may affect the perceived ''mens rea'' of an act.

==Criminal offences==

Under the (amended) Protection of Children Act, it is an offence for a person:

:* to take, or permit to be taken, or to make any indecent photograph of a child . . .; or
:* to distribute or show such indecent photographs; or
:* to have in his possession such indecent photographs [outdated text removed]; or
:* to publish or cause to be published any advertisement likely to be understood as conveying that the advertiser distributes or shows such indecent photographs, or intends to do so. [http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?parentActiveTextDocId=1502057&ActiveTextDocId=1502059]

Under the Sexual Offences Act (2003), it is an offence to cause, control, arrange or facilitate a child's involvement in pornography. [http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?parentActiveTextDocId=820904&activetextdocid=820967][http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?parentActiveTextDocId=820904&activetextdocid=820968][http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?parentActiveTextDocId=820904&activetextdocid=820969]

It is an offence to "attempt to incite" any criminal offence in the United Kingdom.

===The "making" offence===

Causing an indecent photograph of a child to exist on a computer screen is considered to be "making an indecent photograph of a child".

"A person who either downloads images on to disc or who prints them off is making them. The Act is not only concerned with the original creation of images, but also their proliferation. Photographs or pseudo-photographs found on the Internet may have originated from outside the United Kingdom; to download or print within the jurisdiction is to create new material which hitherto may not have existed therein." (R v Bowden) [https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Crim/1999/2270.html]

===Offences committed abroad===

==Defences==

There are a small number of defences against charges under the Protection of Children Act. Below is a list of defences set by the statutes, precedents and case law.

The defences require a reverse burden of proof, a potentially challenging threshold to reach.

===Marriage and other relationships===

In cases where a defendant has taken or made a photographic image of a child over the age of 16, the defendant is not guilty if, at the time when he obtained the photograph, he and the child:

:: (a) were married; or

:: (b) lived together as partners in an enduring family relationship; and

:: (c) the defendant reasonably believed that the child consented to the image being obtained. [http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?parentActiveTextDocId=820904&activetextdocid=820963]

This exemption was introduced in 2003 under the Sexual Offences Act, which had changed the statutory definition of "child" (in the Protection of Children Act) from 16 to 18.

===Mens Rea===

The Criminal Justice Act provides that:

"Where a person is charged with an offence of possession, it shall be a defence for him to prove –

:: (a) that he had a legitimate reason for having the photograph or pseudo-photograph in his possession; or

:: (b) that he had not himself seen the photograph or pseudo- photograph and did not know nor had any cause to suspect, it to be indecent; or

:: (c) that the photograph or pseudo-photograph was sent to him without any prior request made by him or on his behalf and that he did not keep it for any unreasonable time." [http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?parentActiveTextDocId=2116646&ActiveTextDocId=2116851]

The same defences may be applied to the other offences under Section 1 of the Protection of Children Act.

It is also a defence for the defendant to prove that he did not take, make, distribute, show or possess an image which the knowledge that the image was, or was likely to be:

::* an indecent image; and
::* an image of a child.

This was upheld in R v Smith & Jayson, when the judge ruled that, "the mens rea necessary to constitute the offence [of making an indecent pseudo-photograph of a child] is that the act of making should be a deliberate and intentional act with knowledge that the image made is, or is likely to be, an indecent image of a child" ''(R v Smith & Jayson, 2003)''. [https://vlex.co.uk/vid/r-v-smith-graham-793762225]

A defendant must be proven (beyond reasonable doubt) to be aware that a cache of images exists, in order to be convicted for the possession offence. It should be noted that, in such cases, the defendant will still be convicted of the making offence, unless another defence applies.

===Collages===

Lord Justice Simon Brown ruled that "an image made by an exhibit which obviously consists, as this one does, of parts of two different photographs sellotaped together cannot be said to appear to be "a photograph" [http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2000/302.html]. This means that, if a collage does not appear to be parts of a single photograph, it does not fall within the scope of the Protection of Children Act. A photocopy or scan of a collage may fall under the Act and could therefore be illegal if it shows a child and is judged to be indecent.

===Law enforcement===

It is a defence for the defendant to prove that images were made "for the purposes of the prevention, detection or investigation of crime, or for the purposes of criminal proceedings"

==Sentencing==

==Important Notes==

*Any image may <i>technically</i> be indecent under UK law.
*Even if an image has been declared as decent by one jury, it may be still be declared indecent by another jury.
*Despite precedents stating that the context of an image does not affect indecency, a jury may be more likely to rule that an image is indecent if they believe that the defendant is attracted to children.
*Previous interpretations of the indecency suggest that "indecency" has a lower threshhold than "pornography", so what is "indecent" (and therefore illegal) is not necessarily "pornographic".

==See also==

* [[Child Pornography]]
* [[Child Pornography Laws]]
* [[Criminal Justice and Immigration Act]]
* [[Legal Information]]
* [[Prohibited images of children]]
* [[Sexual Offences Act (2003)]]

[[Category:Official Encyclopedia]][[Category:Censorship]][[Category:Law/Crime]][[Category:Law/Crime: British]][[Category:Law/Crime: Crime Types]][[Category:Child Pornography]]

==External links==

[https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/indecent-and-prohibited-images-children Legal Guidance: The Crown Prosecution Service]

Essay:The Draft Argument For 12+

2024-07-19T16:21:53Z

BLueRibbon: /* Youth Rights */

<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''The Draft Argument For 12+'''

18/07/24 ◆ '''BLueRibbon''' + Fragment DRAFT

Legend: '''AMSC''' = "[https://www.map-union.org/encyclopedia/glossary#AMSC Adult-Minor Sexual Contact]", '''PIM''' = "[https://www.map-union.org/encyclopedia/glossary#PIM Prohibited Images of Minors]", '''AASC''' = Adult-Adult Sexual Contact, '''MMSC''' = Minor-Minor Sexual Contact

<hr>

'''Author Foreword''': This is the final essay written to introduce my third-wave framework to the MAP community. It elaborates the 12+ position that is being developed by Fragment and I. It's published as a draft, and constructive feedback is welcome.

==Abolition: The Failed Principle==

Due to its long history of putting MAPs behind bars, and the belief among a number of MAPs that minors are not the asexual creatures many imagine, abolishing the Age of Consent has historically been a key objective for 'pro-pedophile' activists since the 1970s. The logic is sound: instead of setting arbitrary boundaries that fail to account for all manner of variables, relationships are judged based on their individual circumstances. It is an excellent principle. Unfortunately, it won't ever work in practice.

Hand on heart, I personally think it would be wise to abolish the age of consent, and replace it with laws offering additional protections to minors. I acknowledge the vulnerability of young people ''in general'' versus the vulnerability of adults ''in general'', hence the need for additional protections. I've also worked with children and adolescents of all ages, and I've seen a lot of differences in maturity and apparent sexualization (often a natural process), so a firm ''always wrong under a certain age'' and ''always OK over another'' doesn't really sit right with me. However, any attempts to set the age of consent at zero will fail; it will be portrayed as an attempt to legalize 'baby rape'. Furthermore, such arguments don't even have recent historical merit; sex with prepubescents has been illegal in many places for much of modern history. People simply abhor the idea of sex with prepubescent children.

Adolescents are not quite the same story. The criminalization of sex with adolescents is a modern misinterpretation of a Victorian problem, and even then it is not so universally condemned. Ages of consent vary wildly around the world, and 'exceptions' and 'extra protections' abound. An unrestricted age of consent of 14 is not uncommon, and if we take the absolute age of consent (the age at which sex is permitted with some restrictions), even some English speaking jurisdictions consider 12 year olds capable of some level of informed consent. Instead of trying to abolish the age of consent, out of the ''very understandable'' desires for case-by-case determination and youth liberation, we should instead focus on something understood by many non-MAPs: adolescent sexuality and the need to respond to it in a balanced manner.

That's why in my previous essay, [[Essay:Pro-Reform:_The_Rational_Middle_Ground|The Rational Middle Ground]], I proposed adjusting Age of Consent laws to '''12 with additional protections''', or "'''12+'''". Let's take a look at arguments for 12+ reform, before getting into the details of what that "+" might mean.

{{Template:MAE}}

==Harm Prevention==

'''The Argument'''

Many non-MAPs will see little reason to support lowering the age of consent, or modifying it to reflect the concept of "12+". However, as I explained in [[Essay:The_Push|The Push]], extreme anti-MAP laws and values often push MAPs to engage in potentially harmful behavior instead of preventing it. Regular people, if they genuinely care about children, should take this as a reason to consider changes to the approach they support.

MAPs are under massive pressure from society to live according to unrealistic standards, with every possible avenue of sexual release criminalized regardless of whether or not it causes harm to children. The pressures placed upon us do not reduce the risk of harm; they increase it by making harmless forms of sexual release (such as AI-generated PIM) illegal, by forcing people who wish to view PIM to use 'underground' websites, by making the discussion of MAP issues with friends, family and therapists feel almost impossible, and by pushing MAPs to prioritize 'safety' in sexual relationships instead of prioritizing youth welfare.

Many MAPs, especially male homosexual MAPs, are attracted to boys ranging from late prepubescence to early adolescence. An AoC of 16-18 is beyond the reach of most of these men, but 12 and 13 is not. Why does this matter?

If the Age of Consent were set at 12+, MAPs with an AoC that straddles prepubescence and early adolescence would face extreme pressure to ''avoid'' sex with prepubescents. With an AoC of 12+, they would be encouraged to engage only with adolescents who possess greater competence for a sexual relationship and remain supported by special protections, reducing the risk of harm. This is preferable to the current situation of MAPs being forced to avoid AMSC entirely, or encouraged to prioritize 'safety' in partners rather than 'older' or 'most interested in and ready for sex'.

'''Limitations'''

It is quite plausible that ''harm prevention'' is not the primary reason for AoC laws, and this raises serious questions about whether a harm prevention argument would be the best way forward in advocating AoC reform. The many laws criminalizing non-harmful actions by MAPs, such as those against AI-generated PIM and the simple possession of PIM, hint that laws targeting MAPs are written and enforced more out of disgust at our sexual orientation than anything else. However, MAP hate has been in decline over the past few years thanks to the actions of NOMAP-style activists and organizations such as B4U-Act. With MAP hate decreasing, is it now the time to push for very moderate AoC reform?

==Youth Rights==

'''The Argument'''

The main purpose of the youth liberation model is to focus on how the sexual autonomy of young people is violated by an Age of Consent that outright prohibits sexual activity or limits the choice of sexual partner. Laws around the world vary in how they treat sexual activity between teens, or sexual activity between teens and very young adults. However, it is widely understood that adolescents are attracted to adults, and it is hard to argue that adolescents are not being limited by laws claimed to protect them. In addition, many young people below the ages applicable to 'Romeo and Juliet' laws have a degree of sexual interest, and any laws that criminalize their behavior or that of similarly-aged partners may be accepted by many non-MAPs to be unreasonable. Can we persuade the public that there's no reason to judge a consensual adult-teen relationship differently?

'''Limitations'''

The rights of youth are not a focus of legislation; laws related to children are based on the premise that children need to be protected from themselves and others. Any argument to change this, when coming from an MAP, is likely to be met with ridicule on the grounds that it's intended solely for the interest of MAPs. Even without the challenge of the 'MAP connection', arguing against age limits in general is no easier than arguing for the reform of Age of Consent laws. High age restrictions exist in a wide variety of legal contexts across the entire world, from voting and contract rights to the right to consume alcohol and tobacco; these high age limits are even more universal than a high AoC. The concept of 'adult rights' is simply too ingrained and would require an even greater cultural shift than the reform of attitudes toward AMSC. It is unrealistic to think that we can push through AoC adjustments piggybacked onto lowering age limits for other rights and vices.

'''Consideration'''

The arguments outlined here do not undermine ''the morality of youth rights'', nor any inclination to support ''youth rights in general'' in a manner that is consistent with the claim that adult-teen sex should be liberalized. I do not endorse the abandonment of youth rights advocacy. However, because AoC laws don't even track the age of majority like many other legal rights, it may be better from a practical perspective to simply re-frame sexual rights as adolescent rights.

==Youth Sexuality==

'''The Argument'''

It is accepted by most people that teens are not asexual. Evidence shows that a first sexual experience of the age of 10 or even younger is not uncommon, with a shift to adult-like sexuality occurring in early adolescence. Sexual activity between teens of a similar age is rightly not considered particularly harmful outside of religious and highly conservative circles. It is also widely known that teens are attracted to some adults; many teens describe infatuation with adult entertainers and place their posters and pictures on their walls, and it is understood that most teenage boys and many girls masturbate to adult pornography. MAP activists should make more effort to remind the public of these realities. Age of Consent laws were only raised to prohibit adult sex with teens in response to commercial sexual exploitation in Dickensian London, at a time when STIs were a serious concern, effective contraception and safe abortion practices did not exist, and welfare measures were unavailable.

'''Limitations'''

In recent history, the concept of a 'child' has risen from that of an under-12 to an under-18 in developed countries, with some groups even arguing to raise it further to include under-25s. The mantra "a child cannot consent" is repeated as if it is an objective fact, even when discussing AMSC with teens under the local age of consent (at whatever arbitrary age it has been set). This 'truth' cannot even be debated, even though it is nothing more than a modern cultural phenomenon supported by extreme laws. Merely questioning whether this mantra is true can be enough to draw hysterical and aggressive rebuke from normal members of the public.

'''Consideration'''

If the claim that a child cannot consent due to their immaturity is held to be true, it invalidates MMSC relationships and the many legal exemptions that support these relationships. MAP activists should be asking why teens can supposedly only consent to sexual relationships with other teens. Our opponents will talk about 'power imbalances' with adult-teen relationships, but these are often present in MMSC and AASC, too.

==Child vs Teen Behavioral Traits==

'''The Argument'''

One of the arguments used ''against'' AMSC is that there is a power imbalance. It is said that children are eager to please, powerless against adult authority, and easily manipulated. While this may be partly true when talking about ''children'', these are not words that we typically use to describe ''teens''. Except when we talk about AMSC, adolescents are typically described as disobedient, rebellious, antagonistic, unwilling to yield to authority figures, and highly skilled at manipulation.

On the question of vulnerability to power imbalances, children and teens are simply not in the same league. Given the highly anti-social traits of teens, the likelihood of the exploitation of a power imbalance is no more of a risk than it would be in many adult relationships. Indeed, there are many countries that still have horribly poor attitudes to women, where men are firmly in charge, and these countries do not outright prohibit sex between men and women.

'''Limitations'''

One trait of teens that may be used against us is the fact that teens are seen as inherently reckless. It could be argued that due to their habit of making impulsive decisions, they are liable to engage in behavior that is harmful or dangerous to them, and need to be protected from themselves. A rebuttal, and one that I firmly believe in, is that being allowed to make these decisions is an important part of growing up with a healthy attitude to risk/danger management. Furthermore, it would be better to have a sexual relationship with an adult who has a proper understanding of safe sex and access to contraception, as opposed to a fellow teen who may not know any better. Given the risks of STIs and unwanted pregnancy from unsafe sexual practices, adult-teen sex may actually be safer than teen-teen sex.

===Elementary-Middle Divide===

12 is also an age at which many students graduate from elementary school, and to many parents this represents the end of their son or daughter's childhood and their ascent to adolescence. I can't speak for every culture, but parents where I live tend to let their middle school sons roam semi-feral. It is not uncommon for 12 year old boys to be allowed to come home at 1am, which would be unthinkable for an elementary school child. It would follow, naturally, that this would also be the time to provide young people with a greater right to sexual freedom, subject to additional protections.

==Widespread MAPness==

'''The Argument'''

Evidence suggests that attraction to minors is not uncommon. Indications vary, with phallometric reports showing higher rates than self-reporting, but an analysis of the data would suggest that at least 15-20% of the adult male population are ''somewhat'' aroused by prepubescent children. Adult male attraction to teenage girls barely falls short of attraction to adult women in heterosexual men (with significant denial proven by studies that ask men to rate photos based on sexual attractiveness, in which labeling of photographic subjects as underage/overage is deliberately incorrect). For homosexual men, attraction to adolescents is the ''most common'', followed by attraction to prepubescent boys and then attraction to adult men being the ''least common''. '''A BL sexual orientation is more common than a gay orientation'''.

If attraction to minors (with ''some'' 'risk' of acting on it) were so damaging to the human race, and especially pronounced in the homosexual population where sex with more fertile teens conveys zero evolutionary benefit on the individual level, it would not have endured. There has to be some benefit, from a group selection perspective, to attraction to minors and possible AMSC; otherwise, widespread minor-attraction would not have survived the long period of human history prior to postpubescent AoC laws. It could be posited that paternalistic instincts, for which BLs and GLs display an extremely positive affinity, make minor-attraction such a net positive for the group that it persists despite not being ideal on an individual 'reproductive potential' level.

Perhaps another reason that minor-attraction persisted for so long is that, for such a long time, those with a pedohebephilic orientation were at least able to engage in sex with adolescents, even if not with prepubescent children. For heterosexuals, this would convey an individual evolutionary benefit. Additionally, people attracted to children and teens in a world with an AoC of 10-12 (much of the past thousand years) would have been encouraged to engage in sex with adolescents instead of children, thus offering a protective benefit to younger children, without causing harm to teens.

'''Limitations'''

Attraction to teenagers is extremely common, and prior to the commercial exploitation of teenage girls in disease-ridden Victorian London, it was never considered to be a big deal. Unfortunately, the simple fact that most men are attracted to teenagers cannot, in itself, be considered a just reason for lowering the Age of Consent if all of the claims made by the public are somehow held to be true. We will need to explain why it is beneficial for adult-teen sexual contact to be decriminalized if we are to appeal to a public that believes strongly in denying and repressing their sexual interest in teens, especially given that most heterosexual males are equally or more interested in young adults. The argument that legal adult-teen sex would decrease the risk allegedly posed by pedophebephilic men to young children is logically sound, but it is perhaps too radical and confusing to be accepted by such a hostile audience.

Minor-attraction having no proven genetic component would be an argument against our points, and the fact that homosexual pedohebephilia is so common, yet does not directly result in offspring, could be used against us. However, the evolutionary concept of group selection works in our favor here, justifying the argument that widespread MAPness, when not exclusive, was so beneficial to society that it persisted despite presenting a distraction to procreation. Perhaps the benefit of having a BL in the community also explains why homosexual minor-attraction is more common than homosexual adult-attraction, the latter being less inherently suited to a child mentoring role.

==Sex Education, Healthcare & Abortion Rights==

'''The Argument'''

There is an argument that, if AMSC is claimed to be harmful due to its exploitation of a minor's lack of sexual knowledge, there is a problem with how young people are being educated. Studies on sexual behavior among children and adolescents show that masturbation and sexual experimentation is common among children even prior to adolescence, before the onset of the hormonal changes that shift behavior from sexual curiosity to adult-like sexual attraction. If children are not prepared for this in advance, the low quality of sex education that is driven by conservatism and adult awkwardness about sex is surely to blame.

One issue with adult-teen sexual contact is the poor access to healthcare and abortions in some countries, particularly in the USA, which despite its horrific behavior tends to lead world policies on matters including minor-attraction and AMSC. This is actually a greater issue in teen-teen sexual contact, due to the lack of an adult with greater knowledge about contraception and safe sex. However, it would barely be an issue at all with proper education, universal access to healthcare and abortions, and the destigmatization and decriminalization of sex involving teens, allowing couples to go to healthcare providers without facing social or legal censure.

These issues, which were among the first to cause concern about adult-teen sex in the late 19th century, could easily be fixed today if not for the pernicious evil of social conservatism.

'''Limitations'''

The main limitation of this argument is that there are a great number of people opposed to sex education, universal healthcare and abortion, due to their political or religious beliefs. This is very unlikely to change in the near future.

==Summary==

Attraction to minors is a very common trait, especially hebephilia. It has likely persisted throughout history, and may be especially common in homosexual populations due to the paternalistic role for which it shows extreme affinity. According to the evolutionary concept of group selection, this would encourage minor-attraction genes to be passed down via non-exclusive populations, and this would only work if a BL orientation and its potential expression were of net benefit to society.

Sexual contact between adults and adolescents has been tolerated and even celebrated for thousands of years, and was only criminalized to solve problems which no longer exist in many modern countries. It is understandable that people then were concerned about single teenage mothers, but this is no longer a likely outcome in all but one developed country. It is unfortunate that poor access to healthcare, abortions, and sex education remain common in one developed country, the one that shamefully drives world policy, the USA.

With proper sex education and access to healthcare, there's no reason why teens should not be able to consent with sex to adults. They are notoriously rebellious, a far cry from 'eager to please' children. Biologically, teens have undergone the shift from child sexuality to adult sexuality, and therefore demonstrate sexual interest in adults, watching adult pornography and covering their walls with posters of sexually appealing adult entertainers.

Unfortunately, the stigma surrounding teen sex is massive, especially if an adult is involved. Hebephilic traits are strongly denied by most men; perhaps outreach into groups where hebephiles are common but in denial would be useful for community-building and later activism? We need to get more of these men on board.

A significant hurdle to overcome is that age limits are deeply entrenched in legal systems across the entire world. Although teenagers are afforded greater freedom to roam, age limits continue to restrict their legal freedoms. It seems unlikely that the right to vote, sign contracts and drink alcohol would be lowered as far as 12, so there will be no piggybacking on these issues.

Our arguments, as they stand, could be of interest to the more open-minded liberal population, but will be fundamentally rejected by conservatives and even those in the middle. To make the changes we demand, there would need to be an overhaul of the way we understand teens, the way we educate them, and the way we offer them protection. Unfortunately, these changes would be opposed by conservatives, who seek to restrict their development to fit the traditional family values line they apparently plan to trot out for the next thousand years.

To persuade the public to listen, we need to give them a reason to care. That reason is '''[[Essay:The_Push|The Push]]'''. MAPs are under extreme pressure from stigma, lack of access to mental health and social support, and the criminalization of all avenues of sexual release. This makes MAPs much more dangerous than they would otherwise be. With its current approach, society risks making monsters out of very decent men. Bully people with any sexual orientation the same way that MAPs are bullied, and you sometimes get very bad outcomes. That doesn't make MAPness inherently dangerous as a sexual orientation. Do the same to regular heterosexual men, and they will rape, beat, murder, and bomb. I do not propose making threats, nor engaging in violent actions. However, society needs to understand that, beyond the control of community leaders and activists, there is a serious risk of harm to young people and the public in general if ''The Push'' continues and intensifies. A collective effort by governments and the public to alleviate stigma, improve access to mental healthcare, and decriminalize reasonable avenues of sexual release, is needed. An AoC of 12+, while icky, would help significantly.

==Brainstorming==

Our proposal must meet the following criteria.

* '''The age has to be 12.'''

The age of 12 is important for all of the reasons explained above, most notably accessibility for pedophebephiles, allowing us to make a strong argument for 12+ as a means to avoid ''The Push''. It is also an age at which a young person is very open-minded about sexual contact with a variety of people. For homosexual MAPs, an AoC of 14 would be less useful because they would need to find a homosexual partner; however, there are many 12 year olds who would be interested in experimenting with a male (and older) partner.

* '''We must provide some additional protection to young people.'''

To alleviate concerns that MAPs seek to viciously exploit young people, we need to ensure that our proposals do offer protections.

* '''We must not reverse the burden of proof (e.g. Uruguay).'''

Uruguay offers a version of 12+ that reverses the burden of proof. Sexual contact with 12-14 year olds is illegal by default, and the accused is required to prove that the relationship was consensual. This puts the older person (and their partner) in a position of extreme uncertainty.

* '''We must not open the door for pressing of charges by potentially hostile third parties (Netherlands, 90s).'''

The Netherlands trialed a version of 12+ in the 1990s. It is commonly believed that complaints could only be made by the minor, but in practice, third parties including the police would investigate and prosecution could be pursued by parents or social services.

* '''Interpretation must be as clear and objective as possible.'''

Hostility of judges and juries is a concern wherever they have broad power to decide that a 12+ relationship is illegal. The language proposed should seek to minimize this risk while remaining potentially acceptable to the public.

* '''No 'corruption of minors' liability.'''

Many countries have legislation ''in addition'' to their statutory rape laws. This allows for prosecution of adults who engage in sexual activity with 'minors', even if the Age of Consent is set at 14, 15, or 16. The penalties are less severe, but still come with all the problems associated with a conviction for crimes against a minor.

The 12+ legislation should override 'corruption of minors' laws.

==The Proposal==

* '''Age of Consent of 12.'''

For all the reasons we already discussed.

* '''Sex with 12-15 year olds can be prosecuted upon complaint, if the accused deceptively exploited the accuser's lack of sexual knowledge or interest.'''

If a relationship is genuinely consensual, and sex education has been thorough, it will be difficult to demonstrate a lack of knowledge or interest on the part of the younger person.

* '''A complaint can be made by the alleged victim up to the age of 18.'''

This demonstrates that we respect the right of the younger person to reflect on the relationship and later make a complaint if they were exploited. This would not shorten the statute of limitations for rape victims.

* '''Laws against rape continue to protect people of all ages.'''

This should go without saying. Unfortunately, it doesn't, and we need to make it clear.

* '''Current regulations remain applied to parents and guardians (no AoC of 12).
'''
This is necessary to help young people who are too afraid to make a complaint against parents and guardians.

* '''12+ overrides 'corruption of minors' laws.'''

No prosecution under 'corruption of minors' laws if a person did not deceptively exploit the accuser's lack of sexual knowledge or interest.

[[Category:Essays]][[Category:BLueRibbon's Essays]] [[Category:Pro-Reform]]

Essay:The Draft Argument For 12+

2024-07-19T15:25:25Z

BLueRibbon:

<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''The Draft Argument For 12+'''

18/07/24 ◆ '''BLueRibbon''' + Fragment DRAFT

Legend: '''AMSC''' = "[https://www.map-union.org/encyclopedia/glossary#AMSC Adult-Minor Sexual Contact]", '''PIM''' = "[https://www.map-union.org/encyclopedia/glossary#PIM Prohibited Images of Minors]", '''AASC''' = Adult-Adult Sexual Contact, '''MMSC''' = Minor-Minor Sexual Contact

<hr>

'''Author Foreword''': This is the final essay written to introduce my third-wave framework to the MAP community. It elaborates the 12+ position that is being developed by Fragment and I. It's published as a draft, and constructive feedback is welcome.

==Abolition: The Failed Principle==

Due to its long history of putting MAPs behind bars, and the belief among a number of MAPs that minors are not the asexual creatures many imagine, abolishing the Age of Consent has historically been a key objective for 'pro-pedophile' activists since the 1970s. The logic is sound: instead of setting arbitrary boundaries that fail to account for all manner of variables, relationships are judged based on their individual circumstances. It is an excellent principle. Unfortunately, it won't ever work in practice.

Hand on heart, I personally think it would be wise to abolish the age of consent, and replace it with laws offering additional protections to minors. I acknowledge the vulnerability of young people ''in general'' versus the vulnerability of adults ''in general'', hence the need for additional protections. I've also worked with children and adolescents of all ages, and I've seen a lot of differences in maturity and apparent sexualization (often a natural process), so a firm ''always wrong under a certain age'' and ''always OK over another'' doesn't really sit right with me. However, any attempts to set the age of consent at zero will fail; it will be portrayed as an attempt to legalize 'baby rape'. Furthermore, such arguments don't even have recent historical merit; sex with prepubescents has been illegal in many places for much of modern history. People simply abhor the idea of sex with prepubescent children.

Adolescents are not quite the same story. The criminalization of sex with adolescents is a modern misinterpretation of a Victorian problem, and even then it is not so universally condemned. Ages of consent vary wildly around the world, and 'exceptions' and 'extra protections' abound. An unrestricted age of consent of 14 is not uncommon, and if we take the absolute age of consent (the age at which sex is permitted with some restrictions), even some English speaking jurisdictions consider 12 year olds capable of some level of informed consent. Instead of trying to abolish the age of consent, out of the ''very understandable'' desires for case-by-case determination and youth liberation, we should instead focus on something understood by many non-MAPs: adolescent sexuality and the need to respond to it in a balanced manner.

That's why in my previous essay, [[Essay:Pro-Reform:_The_Rational_Middle_Ground|The Rational Middle Ground]], I proposed adjusting Age of Consent laws to '''12 with additional protections''', or "'''12+'''". Let's take a look at arguments for 12+ reform, before getting into the details of what that "+" might mean.

{{Template:MAE}}

==Harm Prevention==

'''The Argument'''

Many non-MAPs will see little reason to support lowering the age of consent, or modifying it to reflect the concept of "12+". However, as I explained in [[Essay:The_Push|The Push]], extreme anti-MAP laws and values often push MAPs to engage in potentially harmful behavior instead of preventing it. Regular people, if they genuinely care about children, should take this as a reason to consider changes to the approach they support.

MAPs are under massive pressure from society to live according to unrealistic standards, with every possible avenue of sexual release criminalized regardless of whether or not it causes harm to children. The pressures placed upon us do not reduce the risk of harm; they increase it by making harmless forms of sexual release (such as AI-generated PIM) illegal, by forcing people who wish to view PIM to use 'underground' websites, by making the discussion of MAP issues with friends, family and therapists feel almost impossible, and by pushing MAPs to prioritize 'safety' in sexual relationships instead of prioritizing youth welfare.

Many MAPs, especially male homosexual MAPs, are attracted to boys ranging from late prepubescence to early adolescence. An AoC of 16-18 is beyond the reach of most of these men, but 12 and 13 is not. Why does this matter?

If the Age of Consent were set at 12+, MAPs with an AoC that straddles prepubescence and early adolescence would face extreme pressure to ''avoid'' sex with prepubescents. With an AoC of 12+, they would be encouraged to engage only with adolescents who possess greater competence for a sexual relationship and remain supported by special protections, reducing the risk of harm. This is preferable to the current situation of MAPs being forced to avoid AMSC entirely, or encouraged to prioritize 'safety' in partners rather than 'older' or 'most interested in and ready for sex'.

'''Limitations'''

It is quite plausible that ''harm prevention'' is not the primary reason for AoC laws, and this raises serious questions about whether a harm prevention argument would be the best way forward in advocating AoC reform. The many laws criminalizing non-harmful actions by MAPs, such as those against AI-generated PIM and the simple possession of PIM, hint that laws targeting MAPs are written and enforced more out of disgust at our sexual orientation than anything else. However, MAP hate has been in decline over the past few years thanks to the actions of NOMAP-style activists and organizations such as B4U-Act. With MAP hate decreasing, is it now the time to push for very moderate AoC reform?

==Youth Rights==

'''The Argument'''

The main purpose of the youth liberation model is to focus on how the sexual autonomy of young people is violated by an Age of Consent that outright prohibits sexual activity or limits the choice of sexual partner. Laws around the world vary in how they treat sexual activity between teens, or sexual activity between teens and very young adults. However, it is widely understood that adolescents are attracted to adults, and it is hard to argue that adolescents are not being limited by laws claimed to protect them. In addition, many young people below the ages applicable to 'Romeo and Juliet' laws have a degree of sexual interest, and any laws that criminalize their behavior or that of similarly-aged partners may be accepted by many non-MAPs to be unreasonable. Can we persuade the public that there's no reason to judge a consensual adult-teen relationship differently?

'''Limitations'''

The rights of youth are not a focus of legislation; laws related to children are based on the premise that children need to be protected from themselves and others. Any argument to change this, when coming from an MAP, is likely to be met with ridicule on the grounds that it's intended solely for the interest of MAPs. Even without the challenge of the 'MAP connection', arguing against age limits in general is no easier than arguing for the reform of Age of Consent laws. High age restrictions exist in a wide variety of legal contexts across the entire world, from voting and contract rights to the right to consume alcohol and tobacco; these high age limits are even more universal than a high AoC. The concept of 'adult rights' is simply too ingrained and would require an even greater cultural shift than the reform of attitudes toward AMSC. It is unrealistic to think that we can push through AoC adjustments piggybacked onto lowering age limits for other rights and vices.

==Youth Sexuality==

'''The Argument'''

It is accepted by most people that teens are not asexual. Evidence shows that a first sexual experience of the age of 10 or even younger is not uncommon, with a shift to adult-like sexuality occurring in early adolescence. Sexual activity between teens of a similar age is rightly not considered particularly harmful outside of religious and highly conservative circles. It is also widely known that teens are attracted to some adults; many teens describe infatuation with adult entertainers and place their posters and pictures on their walls, and it is understood that most teenage boys and many girls masturbate to adult pornography. MAP activists should make more effort to remind the public of these realities. Age of Consent laws were only raised to prohibit adult sex with teens in response to commercial sexual exploitation in Dickensian London, at a time when STIs were a serious concern, effective contraception and safe abortion practices did not exist, and welfare measures were unavailable.

'''Limitations'''

In recent history, the concept of a 'child' has risen from that of an under-12 to an under-18 in developed countries, with some groups even arguing to raise it further to include under-25s. The mantra "a child cannot consent" is repeated as if it is an objective fact, even when discussing AMSC with teens under the local age of consent (at whatever arbitrary age it has been set). This 'truth' cannot even be debated, even though it is nothing more than a modern cultural phenomenon supported by extreme laws. Merely questioning whether this mantra is true can be enough to draw hysterical and aggressive rebuke from normal members of the public.

'''Consideration'''

If the claim that a child cannot consent due to their immaturity is held to be true, it invalidates MMSC relationships and the many legal exemptions that support these relationships. MAP activists should be asking why teens can supposedly only consent to sexual relationships with other teens. Our opponents will talk about 'power imbalances' with adult-teen relationships, but these are often present in MMSC and AASC, too.

==Child vs Teen Behavioral Traits==

'''The Argument'''

One of the arguments used ''against'' AMSC is that there is a power imbalance. It is said that children are eager to please, powerless against adult authority, and easily manipulated. While this may be partly true when talking about ''children'', these are not words that we typically use to describe ''teens''. Except when we talk about AMSC, adolescents are typically described as disobedient, rebellious, antagonistic, unwilling to yield to authority figures, and highly skilled at manipulation.

On the question of vulnerability to power imbalances, children and teens are simply not in the same league. Given the highly anti-social traits of teens, the likelihood of the exploitation of a power imbalance is no more of a risk than it would be in many adult relationships. Indeed, there are many countries that still have horribly poor attitudes to women, where men are firmly in charge, and these countries do not outright prohibit sex between men and women.

'''Limitations'''

One trait of teens that may be used against us is the fact that teens are seen as inherently reckless. It could be argued that due to their habit of making impulsive decisions, they are liable to engage in behavior that is harmful or dangerous to them, and need to be protected from themselves. A rebuttal, and one that I firmly believe in, is that being allowed to make these decisions is an important part of growing up with a healthy attitude to risk/danger management. Furthermore, it would be better to have a sexual relationship with an adult who has a proper understanding of safe sex and access to contraception, as opposed to a fellow teen who may not know any better. Given the risks of STIs and unwanted pregnancy from unsafe sexual practices, adult-teen sex may actually be safer than teen-teen sex.

===Elementary-Middle Divide===

12 is also an age at which many students graduate from elementary school, and to many parents this represents the end of their son or daughter's childhood and their ascent to adolescence. I can't speak for every culture, but parents where I live tend to let their middle school sons roam semi-feral. It is not uncommon for 12 year old boys to be allowed to come home at 1am, which would be unthinkable for an elementary school child. It would follow, naturally, that this would also be the time to provide young people with a greater right to sexual freedom, subject to additional protections.

==Widespread MAPness==

'''The Argument'''

Evidence suggests that attraction to minors is not uncommon. Indications vary, with phallometric reports showing higher rates than self-reporting, but an analysis of the data would suggest that at least 15-20% of the adult male population are ''somewhat'' aroused by prepubescent children. Adult male attraction to teenage girls barely falls short of attraction to adult women in heterosexual men (with significant denial proven by studies that ask men to rate photos based on sexual attractiveness, in which labeling of photographic subjects as underage/overage is deliberately incorrect). For homosexual men, attraction to adolescents is the ''most common'', followed by attraction to prepubescent boys and then attraction to adult men being the ''least common''. '''A BL sexual orientation is more common than a gay orientation'''.

If attraction to minors (with ''some'' 'risk' of acting on it) were so damaging to the human race, and especially pronounced in the homosexual population where sex with more fertile teens conveys zero evolutionary benefit on the individual level, it would not have endured. There has to be some benefit, from a group selection perspective, to attraction to minors and possible AMSC; otherwise, widespread minor-attraction would not have survived the long period of human history prior to postpubescent AoC laws. It could be posited that paternalistic instincts, for which BLs and GLs display an extremely positive affinity, make minor-attraction such a net positive for the group that it persists despite not being ideal on an individual 'reproductive potential' level.

Perhaps another reason that minor-attraction persisted for so long is that, for such a long time, those with a pedohebephilic orientation were at least able to engage in sex with adolescents, even if not with prepubescent children. For heterosexuals, this would convey an individual evolutionary benefit. Additionally, people attracted to children and teens in a world with an AoC of 10-12 (much of the past thousand years) would have been encouraged to engage in sex with adolescents instead of children, thus offering a protective benefit to younger children, without causing harm to teens.

'''Limitations'''

Attraction to teenagers is extremely common, and prior to the commercial exploitation of teenage girls in disease-ridden Victorian London, it was never considered to be a big deal. Unfortunately, the simple fact that most men are attracted to teenagers cannot, in itself, be considered a just reason for lowering the Age of Consent if all of the claims made by the public are somehow held to be true. We will need to explain why it is beneficial for adult-teen sexual contact to be decriminalized if we are to appeal to a public that believes strongly in denying and repressing their sexual interest in teens, especially given that most heterosexual males are equally or more interested in young adults. The argument that legal adult-teen sex would decrease the risk allegedly posed by pedophebephilic men to young children is logically sound, but it is perhaps too radical and confusing to be accepted by such a hostile audience.

Minor-attraction having no proven genetic component would be an argument against our points, and the fact that homosexual pedohebephilia is so common, yet does not directly result in offspring, could be used against us. However, the evolutionary concept of group selection works in our favor here, justifying the argument that widespread MAPness, when not exclusive, was so beneficial to society that it persisted despite presenting a distraction to procreation. Perhaps the benefit of having a BL in the community also explains why homosexual minor-attraction is more common than homosexual adult-attraction, the latter being less inherently suited to a child mentoring role.

==Sex Education, Healthcare & Abortion Rights==

'''The Argument'''

There is an argument that, if AMSC is claimed to be harmful due to its exploitation of a minor's lack of sexual knowledge, there is a problem with how young people are being educated. Studies on sexual behavior among children and adolescents show that masturbation and sexual experimentation is common among children even prior to adolescence, before the onset of the hormonal changes that shift behavior from sexual curiosity to adult-like sexual attraction. If children are not prepared for this in advance, the low quality of sex education that is driven by conservatism and adult awkwardness about sex is surely to blame.

One issue with adult-teen sexual contact is the poor access to healthcare and abortions in some countries, particularly in the USA, which despite its horrific behavior tends to lead world policies on matters including minor-attraction and AMSC. This is actually a greater issue in teen-teen sexual contact, due to the lack of an adult with greater knowledge about contraception and safe sex. However, it would barely be an issue at all with proper education, universal access to healthcare and abortions, and the destigmatization and decriminalization of sex involving teens, allowing couples to go to healthcare providers without facing social or legal censure.

These issues, which were among the first to cause concern about adult-teen sex in the late 19th century, could easily be fixed today if not for the pernicious evil of social conservatism.

'''Limitations'''

The main limitation of this argument is that there are a great number of people opposed to sex education, universal healthcare and abortion, due to their political or religious beliefs. This is very unlikely to change in the near future.

==Summary==

Attraction to minors is a very common trait, especially hebephilia. It has likely persisted throughout history, and may be especially common in homosexual populations due to the paternalistic role for which it shows extreme affinity. According to the evolutionary concept of group selection, this would encourage minor-attraction genes to be passed down via non-exclusive populations, and this would only work if a BL orientation and its potential expression were of net benefit to society.

Sexual contact between adults and adolescents has been tolerated and even celebrated for thousands of years, and was only criminalized to solve problems which no longer exist in many modern countries. It is understandable that people then were concerned about single teenage mothers, but this is no longer a likely outcome in all but one developed country. It is unfortunate that poor access to healthcare, abortions, and sex education remain common in one developed country, the one that shamefully drives world policy, the USA.

With proper sex education and access to healthcare, there's no reason why teens should not be able to consent with sex to adults. They are notoriously rebellious, a far cry from 'eager to please' children. Biologically, teens have undergone the shift from child sexuality to adult sexuality, and therefore demonstrate sexual interest in adults, watching adult pornography and covering their walls with posters of sexually appealing adult entertainers.

Unfortunately, the stigma surrounding teen sex is massive, especially if an adult is involved. Hebephilic traits are strongly denied by most men; perhaps outreach into groups where hebephiles are common but in denial would be useful for community-building and later activism? We need to get more of these men on board.

A significant hurdle to overcome is that age limits are deeply entrenched in legal systems across the entire world. Although teenagers are afforded greater freedom to roam, age limits continue to restrict their legal freedoms. It seems unlikely that the right to vote, sign contracts and drink alcohol would be lowered as far as 12, so there will be no piggybacking on these issues.

Our arguments, as they stand, could be of interest to the more open-minded liberal population, but will be fundamentally rejected by conservatives and even those in the middle. To make the changes we demand, there would need to be an overhaul of the way we understand teens, the way we educate them, and the way we offer them protection. Unfortunately, these changes would be opposed by conservatives, who seek to restrict their development to fit the traditional family values line they apparently plan to trot out for the next thousand years.

To persuade the public to listen, we need to give them a reason to care. That reason is '''[[Essay:The_Push|The Push]]'''. MAPs are under extreme pressure from stigma, lack of access to mental health and social support, and the criminalization of all avenues of sexual release. This makes MAPs much more dangerous than they would otherwise be. With its current approach, society risks making monsters out of very decent men. Bully people with any sexual orientation the same way that MAPs are bullied, and you sometimes get very bad outcomes. That doesn't make MAPness inherently dangerous as a sexual orientation. Do the same to regular heterosexual men, and they will rape, beat, murder, and bomb. I do not propose making threats, nor engaging in violent actions. However, society needs to understand that, beyond the control of community leaders and activists, there is a serious risk of harm to young people and the public in general if ''The Push'' continues and intensifies. A collective effort by governments and the public to alleviate stigma, improve access to mental healthcare, and decriminalize reasonable avenues of sexual release, is needed. An AoC of 12+, while icky, would help significantly.

==Brainstorming==

Our proposal must meet the following criteria.

* '''The age has to be 12.'''

The age of 12 is important for all of the reasons explained above, most notably accessibility for pedophebephiles, allowing us to make a strong argument for 12+ as a means to avoid ''The Push''. It is also an age at which a young person is very open-minded about sexual contact with a variety of people. For homosexual MAPs, an AoC of 14 would be less useful because they would need to find a homosexual partner; however, there are many 12 year olds who would be interested in experimenting with a male (and older) partner.

* '''We must provide some additional protection to young people.'''

To alleviate concerns that MAPs seek to viciously exploit young people, we need to ensure that our proposals do offer protections.

* '''We must not reverse the burden of proof (e.g. Uruguay).'''

Uruguay offers a version of 12+ that reverses the burden of proof. Sexual contact with 12-14 year olds is illegal by default, and the accused is required to prove that the relationship was consensual. This puts the older person (and their partner) in a position of extreme uncertainty.

* '''We must not open the door for pressing of charges by potentially hostile third parties (Netherlands, 90s).'''

The Netherlands trialed a version of 12+ in the 1990s. It is commonly believed that complaints could only be made by the minor, but in practice, third parties including the police would investigate and prosecution could be pursued by parents or social services.

* '''Interpretation must be as clear and objective as possible.'''

Hostility of judges and juries is a concern wherever they have broad power to decide that a 12+ relationship is illegal. The language proposed should seek to minimize this risk while remaining potentially acceptable to the public.

* '''No 'corruption of minors' liability.'''

Many countries have legislation ''in addition'' to their statutory rape laws. This allows for prosecution of adults who engage in sexual activity with 'minors', even if the Age of Consent is set at 14, 15, or 16. The penalties are less severe, but still come with all the problems associated with a conviction for crimes against a minor.

The 12+ legislation should override 'corruption of minors' laws.

==The Proposal==

* '''Age of Consent of 12.'''

For all the reasons we already discussed.

* '''Sex with 12-15 year olds can be prosecuted upon complaint, if the accused deceptively exploited the accuser's lack of sexual knowledge or interest.'''

If a relationship is genuinely consensual, and sex education has been thorough, it will be difficult to demonstrate a lack of knowledge or interest on the part of the younger person.

* '''A complaint can be made by the alleged victim up to the age of 18.'''

This demonstrates that we respect the right of the younger person to reflect on the relationship and later make a complaint if they were exploited. This would not shorten the statute of limitations for rape victims.

* '''Laws against rape continue to protect people of all ages.'''

This should go without saying. Unfortunately, it doesn't, and we need to make it clear.

* '''Current regulations remain applied to parents and guardians (no AoC of 12).
'''
This is necessary to help young people who are too afraid to make a complaint against parents and guardians.

* '''12+ overrides 'corruption of minors' laws.'''

No prosecution under 'corruption of minors' laws if a person did not deceptively exploit the accuser's lack of sexual knowledge or interest.

[[Category:Essays]][[Category:BLueRibbon's Essays]] [[Category:Pro-Reform]]

Essay:The Draft Argument For 12+

2024-07-19T15:10:34Z

BLueRibbon:

<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''The Draft Argument For 12+'''

18/07/24 ◆ '''BLueRibbon''' + Fragment DRAFT

<hr>

'''Author Foreword''': This is the final essay written to introduce my third-wave framework to the MAP community. It elaborates the 12+ position that is being developed by Fragment and I. It's published as a draft, and constructive feedback is welcome.

==Abolition: The Failed Principle==

Due to its long history of putting MAPs behind bars, and the belief among a number of MAPs that minors are not the asexual creatures many imagine, abolishing the Age of Consent has historically been a key objective for 'pro-pedophile' activists since the 1970s. The logic is sound: instead of setting arbitrary boundaries that fail to account for all manner of variables, relationships are judged based on their individual circumstances. It is an excellent principle. Unfortunately, it won't ever work in practice.

Hand on heart, I personally think it would be wise to abolish the age of consent, and replace it with laws offering additional protections to minors. I acknowledge the vulnerability of young people ''in general'' versus the vulnerability of adults ''in general'', hence the need for additional protections. I've also worked with children and adolescents of all ages, and I've seen a lot of differences in maturity and apparent sexualization (often a natural process), so a firm ''always wrong under a certain age'' and ''always OK over another'' doesn't really sit right with me. However, any attempts to set the age of consent at zero will fail; it will be portrayed as an attempt to legalize 'baby rape'. Furthermore, such arguments don't even have recent historical merit; sex with prepubescents has been illegal in many places for much of modern history. People simply abhor the idea of sex with prepubescent children.

Adolescents are not quite the same story. The criminalization of sex with adolescents is a modern misinterpretation of a Victorian problem, and even then it is not so universally condemned. Ages of consent vary wildly around the world, and 'exceptions' and 'extra protections' abound. An unrestricted age of consent of 14 is not uncommon, and if we take the absolute age of consent (the age at which sex is permitted with some restrictions), even some English speaking jurisdictions consider 12 year olds capable of some level of informed consent. Instead of trying to abolish the age of consent, out of the ''very understandable'' desires for case-by-case determination and youth liberation, we should instead focus on something understood by many non-MAPs: adolescent sexuality and the need to respond to it in a balanced manner.

That's why in my previous essay, [[Essay:Pro-Reform:_The_Rational_Middle_Ground|The Rational Middle Ground]], I proposed adjusting Age of Consent laws to '''12 with additional protections''', or "'''12+'''". Let's take a look at arguments for 12+ reform, before getting into the details of what that "+" might mean.

{{Template:MAE}}

==Harm Prevention==

'''The Argument'''

Many non-MAPs will see little reason to support lowering the age of consent, or modifying it to reflect the concept of "12+". However, as I explained in [[Essay:The_Push|The Push]], extreme anti-MAP laws and values often push MAPs to engage in potentially harmful behavior instead of preventing it. Regular people, if they genuinely care about children, should take this as a reason to consider changes to the approach they support.

MAPs are under massive pressure from society to live according to unrealistic standards, with every possible avenue of sexual release criminalized regardless of whether or not it causes harm to children. The pressures placed upon us do not reduce the risk of harm; they increase it by making harmless forms of sexual release (such as AI-generated PIM) illegal, by forcing people who wish to view PIM to use 'underground' websites, by making the discussion of MAP issues with friends, family and therapists feel almost impossible, and by pushing MAPs to prioritize 'safety' in sexual relationships instead of prioritizing youth welfare.

Many MAPs, especially male homosexual MAPs, are attracted to boys ranging from late prepubescence to early adolescence. An AoC of 16-18 is beyond the reach of most of these men, but 12 and 13 is not. Why does this matter?

If the Age of Consent were set at 12+, MAPs with an AoC that straddles prepubescence and early adolescence would face extreme pressure to ''avoid'' sex with prepubescents. With an AoC of 12+, they would be encouraged to engage only with adolescents who possess greater competence for a sexual relationship and remain supported by special protections, reducing the risk of harm. This is preferable to the current situation of MAPs being forced to avoid AMSC entirely, or encouraged to prioritize 'safety' in partners rather than 'older' or 'most interested in and ready for sex'.

'''Limitations'''

It is quite plausible that ''harm prevention'' is not the primary reason for AoC laws, and this raises serious questions about whether a harm prevention argument would be the best way forward in advocating AoC reform. The many laws criminalizing non-harmful actions by MAPs, such as those against AI-generated PIM and the simple possession of PIM, hint that laws targeting MAPs are written and enforced more out of disgust at our sexual orientation than anything else. However, MAP hate has been in decline over the past few years thanks to the actions of NOMAP-style activists and organizations such as B4U-Act. With MAP hate decreasing, is it now the time to push for very moderate AoC reform?

==Youth Rights==

'''The Argument'''

The main purpose of the youth liberation model is to focus on how the sexual autonomy of young people is violated by an Age of Consent that outright prohibits sexual activity or limits the choice of sexual partner. Laws around the world vary in how they treat sexual activity between teens, or sexual activity between teens and very young adults. However, it is widely understood that adolescents are attracted to adults, and it is hard to argue that adolescents are not being limited by laws claimed to protect them. In addition, many young people below the ages applicable to 'Romeo and Juliet' laws have a degree of sexual interest, and any laws that criminalize their behavior or that of similarly-aged partners may be accepted by many non-MAPs to be unreasonable. Can we persuade the public that there's no reason to judge a consensual adult-teen relationship differently?

'''Limitations'''

The rights of youth are not a focus of legislation; laws related to children are based on the premise that children need to be protected from themselves and others. Any argument to change this, when coming from an MAP, is likely to be met with ridicule on the grounds that it's intended solely for the interest of MAPs. Even without the challenge of the 'MAP connection', arguing against age limits in general is no easier than arguing for the reform of Age of Consent laws. High age restrictions exist in a wide variety of legal contexts across the entire world, from voting and contract rights to the right to consume alcohol and tobacco; these high age limits are even more universal than a high AoC. The concept of 'adult rights' is simply too ingrained and would require an even greater cultural shift than the reform of attitudes toward AMSC. It is unrealistic to think that we can push through AoC adjustments piggybacked onto lowering age limits for other rights and vices.

==Youth Sexuality==

'''The Argument'''

It is accepted by most people that teens are not asexual. Evidence shows that a first sexual experience of the age of 10 or even younger is not uncommon, with a shift to adult-like sexuality occurring in early adolescence. Sexual activity between teens of a similar age is rightly not considered particularly harmful outside of religious and highly conservative circles. It is also widely known that teens are attracted to some adults; many teens describe infatuation with adult entertainers and place their posters and pictures on their walls, and it is understood that most teenage boys and many girls masturbate to adult pornography. MAP activists should make more effort to remind the public of these realities. Age of Consent laws were only raised to prohibit adult sex with teens in response to commercial sexual exploitation in Dickensian London, at a time when STIs were a serious concern, effective contraception and safe abortion practices did not exist, and welfare measures were unavailable.

'''Limitations'''

In recent history, the concept of a 'child' has risen from that of an under-12 to an under-18 in developed countries, with some groups even arguing to raise it further to include under-25s. The mantra "a child cannot consent" is repeated as if it is an objective fact, even when discussing AMSC with teens under the local age of consent (at whatever arbitrary age it has been set). This 'truth' cannot even be debated, even though it is nothing more than a modern cultural phenomenon supported by extreme laws. Merely questioning whether this mantra is true can be enough to draw hysterical and aggressive rebuke from normal members of the public.

'''Consideration'''

If the claim that a child cannot consent due to their immaturity is held to be true, it invalidates MMSC relationships and the many legal exemptions that support these relationships. MAP activists should be asking why teens can supposedly only consent to sexual relationships with other teens. Our opponents will talk about 'power imbalances' with adult-teen relationships, but these are often present in MMSC and AASC, too.

==Child vs Teen Behavioral Traits==

'''The Argument'''

One of the arguments used ''against'' AMSC is that there is a power imbalance. It is said that children are eager to please, powerless against adult authority, and easily manipulated. While this may be partly true when talking about ''children'', these are not words that we typically use to describe ''teens''. Except when we talk about AMSC, adolescents are typically described as disobedient, rebellious, antagonistic, unwilling to yield to authority figures, and highly skilled at manipulation.

On the question of vulnerability to power imbalances, children and teens are simply not in the same league. Given the highly anti-social traits of teens, the likelihood of the exploitation of a power imbalance is no more of a risk than it would be in many adult relationships. Indeed, there are many countries that still have horribly poor attitudes to women, where men are firmly in charge, and these countries do not outright prohibit sex between men and women.

'''Limitations'''

One trait of teens that may be used against us is the fact that teens are seen as inherently reckless. It could be argued that due to their habit of making impulsive decisions, they are liable to engage in behavior that is harmful or dangerous to them, and need to be protected from themselves. A rebuttal, and one that I firmly believe in, is that being allowed to make these decisions is an important part of growing up with a healthy attitude to risk/danger management. Furthermore, it would be better to have a sexual relationship with an adult who has a proper understanding of safe sex and access to contraception, as opposed to a fellow teen who may not know any better. Given the risks of STIs and unwanted pregnancy from unsafe sexual practices, adult-teen sex may actually be safer than teen-teen sex.

===Elementary-Middle Divide===

12 is also an age at which many students graduate from elementary school, and to many parents this represents the end of their son or daughter's childhood and their ascent to adolescence. I can't speak for every culture, but parents where I live tend to let their middle school sons roam semi-feral. It is not uncommon for 12 year old boys to be allowed to come home at 1am, which would be unthinkable for an elementary school child. It would follow, naturally, that this would also be the time to provide young people with a greater right to sexual freedom, subject to additional protections.

==Widespread MAPness==

'''The Argument'''

Evidence suggests that attraction to minors is not uncommon. Indications vary, with phallometric reports showing higher rates than self-reporting, but an analysis of the data would suggest that at least 15-20% of the adult male population are ''somewhat'' aroused by prepubescent children. Adult male attraction to teenage girls barely falls short of attraction to adult women in heterosexual men (with significant denial proven by studies that ask men to rate photos based on sexual attractiveness, in which labeling of photographic subjects as underage/overage is deliberately incorrect). For homosexual men, attraction to adolescents is the ''most common'', followed by attraction to prepubescent boys and then attraction to adult men being the ''least common''. '''A BL sexual orientation is more common than a gay orientation'''.

If attraction to minors (with ''some'' 'risk' of acting on it) were so damaging to the human race, and especially pronounced in the homosexual population where sex with more fertile teens conveys zero evolutionary benefit on the individual level, it would not have endured. There has to be some benefit, from a group selection perspective, to attraction to minors and possible AMSC; otherwise, widespread minor-attraction would not have survived the long period of human history prior to postpubescent AoC laws. It could be posited that paternalistic instincts, for which BLs and GLs display an extremely positive affinity, make minor-attraction such a net positive for the group that it persists despite not being ideal on an individual 'reproductive potential' level.

Perhaps another reason that minor-attraction persisted for so long is that, for such a long time, those with a pedohebephilic orientation were at least able to engage in sex with adolescents, even if not with prepubescent children. For heterosexuals, this would convey an individual evolutionary benefit. Additionally, people attracted to children and teens in a world with an AoC of 10-12 (much of the past thousand years) would have been encouraged to engage in sex with adolescents instead of children, thus offering a protective benefit to younger children, without causing harm to teens.

'''Limitations'''

Attraction to teenagers is extremely common, and prior to the commercial exploitation of teenage girls in disease-ridden Victorian London, it was never considered to be a big deal. Unfortunately, the simple fact that most men are attracted to teenagers cannot, in itself, be considered a just reason for lowering the Age of Consent if all of the claims made by the public are somehow held to be true. We will need to explain why it is beneficial for adult-teen sexual contact to be decriminalized if we are to appeal to a public that believes strongly in denying and repressing their sexual interest in teens, especially given that most heterosexual males are equally or more interested in young adults. The argument that legal adult-teen sex would decrease the risk allegedly posed by pedophebephilic men to young children is logically sound, but it is perhaps too radical and confusing to be accepted by such a hostile audience.

Minor-attraction having no proven genetic component would be an argument against our points, and the fact that homosexual pedohebephilia is so common, yet does not directly result in offspring, could be used against us. However, the evolutionary concept of group selection works in our favor here, justifying the argument that widespread MAPness, when not exclusive, was so beneficial to society that it persisted despite presenting a distraction to procreation. Perhaps the benefit of having a BL in the community also explains why homosexual minor-attraction is more common than homosexual adult-attraction, the latter being less inherently suited to a child mentoring role.

==Sex Education, Healthcare & Abortion Rights==

'''The Argument'''

There is an argument that, if AMSC is claimed to be harmful due to its exploitation of a minor's lack of sexual knowledge, there is a problem with how young people are being educated. Studies on sexual behavior among children and adolescents show that masturbation and sexual experimentation is common among children even prior to adolescence, before the onset of the hormonal changes that shift behavior from sexual curiosity to adult-like sexual attraction. If children are not prepared for this in advance, the low quality of sex education that is driven by conservatism and adult awkwardness about sex is surely to blame.

One issue with adult-teen sexual contact is the poor access to healthcare and abortions in some countries, particularly in the USA, which despite its horrific behavior tends to lead world policies on matters including minor-attraction and AMSC. This is actually a greater issue in teen-teen sexual contact, due to the lack of an adult with greater knowledge about contraception and safe sex. However, it would barely be an issue at all with proper education, universal access to healthcare and abortions, and the destigmatization and decriminalization of sex involving teens, allowing couples to go to healthcare providers without facing social or legal censure.

These issues, which were among the first to cause concern about adult-teen sex in the late 19th century, could easily be fixed today if not for the pernicious evil of social conservatism.

'''Limitations'''

The main limitation of this argument is that there are a great number of people opposed to sex education, universal healthcare and abortion, due to their political or religious beliefs. This is very unlikely to change in the near future.

==Summary==

Attraction to minors is a very common trait, especially hebephilia. It has likely persisted throughout history, and may be especially common in homosexual populations due to the paternalistic role for which it shows extreme affinity. According to the evolutionary concept of group selection, this would encourage minor-attraction genes to be passed down via non-exclusive populations, and this would only work if a BL orientation and its potential expression were of net benefit to society.

Sexual contact between adults and adolescents has been tolerated and even celebrated for thousands of years, and was only criminalized to solve problems which no longer exist in many modern countries. It is understandable that people then were concerned about single teenage mothers, but this is no longer a likely outcome in all but one developed country. It is unfortunate that poor access to healthcare, abortions, and sex education remain common in one developed country, the one that shamefully drives world policy, the USA.

With proper sex education and access to healthcare, there's no reason why teens should not be able to consent with sex to adults. They are notoriously rebellious, a far cry from 'eager to please' children. Biologically, teens have undergone the shift from child sexuality to adult sexuality, and therefore demonstrate sexual interest in adults, watching adult pornography and covering their walls with posters of sexually appealing adult entertainers.

Unfortunately, the stigma surrounding teen sex is massive, especially if an adult is involved. Hebephilic traits are strongly denied by most men; perhaps outreach into groups where hebephiles are common but in denial would be useful for community-building and later activism? We need to get more of these men on board.

A significant hurdle to overcome is that age limits are deeply entrenched in legal systems across the entire world. Although teenagers are afforded greater freedom to roam, age limits continue to restrict their legal freedoms. It seems unlikely that the right to vote, sign contracts and drink alcohol would be lowered as far as 12, so there will be no piggybacking on these issues.

Our arguments, as they stand, could be of interest to the more open-minded liberal population, but will be fundamentally rejected by conservatives and even those in the middle. To make the changes we demand, there would need to be an overhaul of the way we understand teens, the way we educate them, and the way we offer them protection. Unfortunately, these changes would be opposed by conservatives, who seek to restrict their development to fit the traditional family values line they apparently plan to trot out for the next thousand years.

To persuade the public to listen, we need to give them a reason to care. That reason is '''[[Essay:The_Push|The Push]]'''. MAPs are under extreme pressure from stigma, lack of access to mental health and social support, and the criminalization of all avenues of sexual release. This makes MAPs much more dangerous than they would otherwise be. With its current approach, society risks making monsters out of very decent men. Bully people with any sexual orientation the same way that MAPs are bullied, and you sometimes get very bad outcomes. That doesn't make MAPness inherently dangerous as a sexual orientation. Do the same to regular heterosexual men, and they will rape, beat, murder, and bomb. I do not propose making threats, nor engaging in violent actions. However, society needs to understand that, beyond the control of community leaders and activists, there is a serious risk of harm to young people and the public in general if ''The Push'' continues and intensifies. A collective effort by governments and the public to alleviate stigma, improve access to mental healthcare, and decriminalize reasonable avenues of sexual release, is needed. An AoC of 12+, while icky, would help significantly.

==Brainstorming==

Our proposal must meet the following criteria.

* '''The age has to be 12.'''

The age of 12 is important for all of the reasons explained above, most notably accessibility for pedophebephiles, allowing us to make a strong argument for 12+ as a means to avoid ''The Push''. It is also an age at which a young person is very open-minded about sexual contact with a variety of people. For homosexual MAPs, an AoC of 14 would be less useful because they would need to find a homosexual partner; however, there are many 12 year olds who would be interested in experimenting with a male (and older) partner.

* '''We must provide some additional protection to young people.'''

To alleviate concerns that MAPs seek to viciously exploit young people, we need to ensure that our proposals do offer protections.

* '''We must not reverse the burden of proof (e.g. Uruguay).'''

Uruguay offers a version of 12+ that reverses the burden of proof. Sexual contact with 12-14 year olds is illegal by default, and the accused is required to prove that the relationship was consensual. This puts the older person (and their partner) in a position of extreme uncertainty.

* '''We must not open the door for pressing of charges by potentially hostile third parties (Netherlands, 90s).'''

The Netherlands trialed a version of 12+ in the 1990s. It is commonly believed that complaints could only be made by the minor, but in practice, third parties including the police would investigate and prosecution could be pursued by parents or social services.

* '''Interpretation must be as clear and objective as possible.'''

Hostility of judges and juries is a concern wherever they have broad power to decide that a 12+ relationship is illegal. The language proposed should seek to minimize this risk while remaining potentially acceptable to the public.

* '''No 'corruption of minors' liability.'''

Many countries have legislation ''in addition'' to their statutory rape laws. This allows for prosecution of adults who engage in sexual activity with 'minors', even if the Age of Consent is set at 14, 15, or 16. The penalties are less severe, but still come with all the problems associated with a conviction for crimes against a minor.

The 12+ legislation should override 'corruption of minors' laws.

==The Proposal==

* '''Age of Consent of 12.'''

For all the reasons we already discussed.

* '''Sex with 12-15 year olds can be prosecuted upon complaint, if the accused deceptively exploited the accuser's lack of sexual knowledge or interest.'''

If a relationship is genuinely consensual, and sex education has been thorough, it will be difficult to demonstrate a lack of knowledge or interest on the part of the younger person.

* '''A complaint can be made by the alleged victim up to the age of 18.'''

This demonstrates that we respect the right of the younger person to reflect on the relationship and later make a complaint if they were exploited. This would not shorten the statute of limitations for rape victims.

* '''Laws against rape continue to protect people of all ages.'''

This should go without saying. Unfortunately, it doesn't, and we need to make it clear.

* '''Current regulations remain applied to parents and guardians (no AoC of 12).
'''
This is necessary to help young people who are too afraid to make a complaint against parents and guardians.

* '''12+ overrides 'corruption of minors' laws.'''

No prosecution under 'corruption of minors' laws if a person did not deceptively exploit the accuser's lack of sexual knowledge or interest.

[[Category:Essays]][[Category:BLueRibbon's Essays]]

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2024-07-18T15:54:44Z

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! style="padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 1em; padding-right: 1em;" | Part of [[Main Page|NewgonWiki]]'s essay series<br /> on MAPs in the 2020s
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| style="padding: 1em; background: none; line-height:1.5em;" |<u>'''♦ Jim Burton ♦'''</u><br>[[Essay:MAPs, Paraphiles and Fascists|MAPs, Paraphiles and Fascists]]<br>[[Essay:MAPs, Zoophiles and Transids|MAPs, Zoophiles and Transids]]<br>[[Essay:The Virped Paradox|The Virped Paradox]]<br>[[Essay:Hamstrung|Hamstrung (a case for Anti-c)]]<br>[[Essay:Pedophile trolling for beginners|Pedophile trolling for beginners]] ['''D''']<br><br><u>'''♦ BLueRibbon ♦'''</u><br>[[Essay:The Push|The Push]]<br>[[Essay:Pro-Reform: The Rational Middle Ground|Pro-Reform]]<br>[[Essay:The_Draft_Argument_For_12%2B|12+]]<br><u><br>'''♦ Talix ♦'''</u><br>[[Essay:Some thoughts on "The Trauma Myth" by Susan Clancy|On "The Trauma Myth"]]<br><br><u>'''♦ A.H.J. Dautzenberg ♦'''</u><br>[[Essay:The Gruesome Consequences of a Hysterical Witch Hunt|Marthijn, Lesley Uittenbogaard]]
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! style="padding-top: 1em;" | <small>Category: [[:Category:People: Adult or Minor sexually attracted to or involved with the other|Minor-attracted people]]</small>
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Essay:The Draft Argument For 12+

2024-07-18T15:51:35Z

BLueRibbon:

<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''The Draft Argument For 12+'''

18/07/24 ◆ '''BLueRibbon''' + Fragment DRAFT

<hr>

'''Author Foreword''': This is the final essay written to introduce my third-wave framework to the MAP community. It elaborates the 12+ position that is being developed by Fragment and I. It's published as a draft, and constructive feedback is welcome.

==Abolition: The Failed Principle==

Due to its long history of putting MAPs behind bars, and the belief among a number of MAPs that minors are not the asexual creatures many imagine, Age of Consent abolition has historically been a key focus point for 'pro-pedophile' activists since the 1970s. The logic is sound: instead of setting arbitrary boundaries that fail to account for all manner of variables, relationships are judged based on their individual circumstances. It is an excellent principle. Unfortunately, it won't ever work in practice.

Hand on heart, I personally think it would be wise to abolish the age of consent, and replace it with laws offering additional protections to minors. I acknowledge the vulnerability of young people ''in general'' versus the vulnerability of adults ''in general'', hence the need for additional protections. I've also worked with children and adolescents of all ages, and I've seen a lot of differences in maturity and apparent sexualization (often a natural process), so a firm ''always wrong under a certain age'' and ''always OK over another'' doesn't really sit right with me. However, any attempts to set the age of consent at zero will fail; it will be portrayed as an attempt to legalize 'baby rape'. Furthermore, such arguments don't even have recent historical merit; sex with prepubescents has been illegal in many places for much of modern history. People simply abhor the idea of sex with prepubescent children.

Adolescents are not quite the same story. The criminalization of sex with adolescents is a modern misinterpretation of a Victorian problem, and even then it is not so universally condemned. Ages of consent vary wildly around the world, and 'exceptions' and 'extra protections' abound. An unrestricted age of consent of 14 is not uncommon, and if we take the absolute age of consent (the age at which sex is permitted with some restrictions), even some English speaking jurisdictions consider 12 year olds capable of some level of informed consent. Instead of trying to abolish the age of consent, out of the ''very understandable'' desires for case-by-case determination and youth liberation, we should instead focus on something understood by many non-MAPs: adolescent sexuality and the need to respond to it in a balanced manner.

That's why in my previous essay, [[Essay:Pro-Reform:_The_Rational_Middle_Ground|The Rational Middle Ground]], I proposed adjusting Age of Consent laws to '''12 with additional protections''', or "'''12+'''". Let's take a look at arguments for 12+ reform, before getting into the details of what that "+" might mean.

{{Template:MAE}}

==Harm Prevention==

'''The Argument'''

Many non-MAPs will see little reason to support lowering the age of consent, or modifying it to reflect the concept of "12+". However, as I explained in [[Essay:The_Push|The Push]], extreme anti-MAP laws and values often push MAPs to engage in potentially harmful behavior instead of preventing it. Regular people, if they genuinely care about children, should take this as a reason to consider changes to the approach they support.

MAPs are under massive pressure from society to live according to unrealistic standards, with every possible avenue of sexual release criminalized regardless of whether or not it causes harm to children. The pressures placed upon us do not reduce the risk of harm; they increase it by making harmless forms of sexual release (such as AI-generated PIM) illegal, by forcing people who wish to view PIM to use 'underground' websites, by making the discussion of MAP issues with friends, family and therapists feel almost impossible, and by pushing MAPs to prioritize 'safety' in sexual relationships instead of prioritizing youth welfare.

Many MAPs, especially male homosexual MAPs, are attracted to boys ranging from late prepubescence to early adolescence. An AoC of 16-18 is beyond the reach of most of these men, but 12 and 13 is not. Why does this matter?

If the Age of Consent were set at 12+, MAPs with an AoC that straddles prepubescence and early adolescence would face extreme pressure to ''avoid'' sex with prepubescents. With an AoC of 12+, they would be encouraged to engage only with adolescents who possess greater competence for a sexual relationship and remain supported by special protections, reducing the risk of harm. This is preferable to the current situation of MAPs being forced to avoid AMSC entirely, or encouraged to prioritize 'safety' in partners rather than 'older' or 'most interested in and ready for sex'.

'''Limitations'''

It is quite plausible that ''harm prevention'' is not the primary reason for AoC laws, and this raises serious questions about whether a harm prevention argument would be the best way forward in advocating AoC reform. The many laws criminalizing non-harmful actions by MAPs, such as those against AI-generated PIM and the simple possession of PIM, hint that laws targeting MAPs are written and enforced more out of disgust at our sexual orientation than anything else. However, MAP hate has been in decline over the past few years thanks to the actions of NOMAP-style activists and organizations such as B4U-Act. With MAP hate decreasing, is it now the time to push for very moderate AoC reform?

==Youth Rights==

'''The Argument'''

The main purpose of the youth liberation model is to focus on how the sexual autonomy of young people is violated by an Age of Consent that outright prohibits sexual activity or limits the choice of sexual partner. Laws around the world vary in how they treat sexual activity between teens, or sexual activity between teens and very young adults. However, it is widely understood that adolescents are attracted to adults, and it is hard to argue that adolescents are not being limited by laws claimed to protect them. In addition, many young people below the ages applicable to 'Romeo and Juliet' laws have a degree of sexual interest, and any laws that criminalize their behavior or that of similarly-aged partners may be accepted by many non-MAPs to be unreasonable. Can we persuade the public that there's no reason to judge a consensual adult-teen relationship differently?

'''Limitations'''

The rights of youth are not a focus of legislation; laws related to children are based on the premise that children need to be protected from themselves and others. Any argument to change this, when coming from an MAP, is likely to be met with ridicule on the grounds that it's intended solely for the interest of MAPs. Even without the challenge of the 'MAP connection', arguing against age limits in general is no easier than arguing for the reform of Age of Consent laws. High age restrictions exist in a wide variety of legal contexts across the entire world, from voting and contract rights to the right to consume alcohol and tobacco; these high age limits are even more universal than a high AoC. The concept of 'adult rights' is simply too ingrained and would require an even greater cultural shift than the reform of attitudes toward AMSC. It is unrealistic to think that we can push through AoC adjustments piggybacked onto lowering age limits for other rights and vices.

==Youth Sexuality==

'''The Argument'''

It is accepted by most people that teens are not asexual. Evidence shows that a first sexual experience of the age of 10 or even younger is not uncommon, with a shift to adult-like sexuality occurring in early adolescence. Sexual activity between teens of a similar age is rightly not considered particularly harmful outside of religious and highly conservative circles. It is also widely known that teens are attracted to some adults; many teens describe infatuation with adult entertainers and place their posters and pictures on their walls, and it is understood that most teenage boys and many girls masturbate to adult pornography. MAP activists should make more effort to remind the public of these realities. Age of Consent laws were only raised to prohibit adult sex with teens in response to commercial sexual exploitation in Dickensian London, at a time when STIs were a serious concern, effective contraception and safe abortion practices did not exist, and welfare measures were unavailable.

'''Limitations'''

In recent history, the concept of a 'child' has risen from that of an under-12 to an under-18 in developed countries, with some groups even arguing to raise it further to include under-25s. The mantra "a child cannot consent" is repeated as if it is an objective fact, even when discussing AMSC with teens under the local age of consent (at whatever arbitrary age it has been set). This 'truth' cannot even be debated, even though it is nothing more than a modern cultural phenomenon supported by extreme laws. Merely questioning whether this mantra is true can be enough to draw hysterical and aggressive rebuke from normal members of the public.

'''Consideration'''

If the claim that a child cannot consent due to their immaturity is held to be true, it invalidates MMSC relationships and the many legal exemptions that support these relationships. MAP activists should be asking why teens can supposedly only consent to sexual relationships with other teens. Our opponents will talk about 'power imbalances' with adult-teen relationships, but these are often present in MMSC and AASC, too.

==Child vs Teen Behavioral Traits==

'''The Argument'''

One of the arguments used ''against'' AMSC is that there is a power imbalance. It is said that children are eager to please, powerless against adult authority, and easily manipulated. While this may be partly true when talking about ''children'', these are not words that we typically use to describe ''teens''. Except when we talk about AMSC, adolescents are typically described as disobedient, rebellious, antagonistic, unwilling to yield to authority figures, and highly skilled at manipulation.

On the question of vulnerability to power imbalances, children and teens are simply not in the same league. Given the highly anti-social traits of teens, the likelihood of the exploitation of a power imbalance is no more of a risk than it would be in many adult relationships. Indeed, there are many countries that still have horribly poor attitudes to women, where men are firmly in charge, and these countries do not outright prohibit sex between men and women.

'''Limitations'''

One trait of teens that may be used against us is the fact that teens are inherently reckless. It could be argued that due to their habit of making impulsive decisions, they are liable to engage in behavior that is harmful or dangerous to them, and need to be protected from themselves. A rebuttal, and one that I firmly believe in, is that being allowed to make these decisions is an important part of growing up with a healthy attitude to risk/danger management. Furthermore, it would be better to have a sexual relationship with an adult who has a proper understanding of safe sex and access to contraception, as opposed to a fellow teen who may not know any better. Given the risks of STIs and unwanted pregnancy from unsafe sexual practices, adult-teen sex may actually be safer than teen-teen sex.

===Elementary-Middle Divide===

12 is also an age at which many students graduate from elementary school, and to many parents this represents the end of their son or daughter's childhood and their ascent to adolescence. I can't speak for every culture, but parents where I live tend to let their middle school sons roam semi-feral. It is not uncommon for 12 year old boys to be allowed to come home at 1am, which would be unthinkable for an elementary school child. It would follow, naturally, that this would also be the time to provide young people with a greater right to sexual freedom, subject to additional protections.

==Widespread MAPness==

'''The Argument'''

Evidence suggests that attraction to minors is not uncommon. Indications vary, with phallometric reports showing higher rates than self-reporting, but an analysis of the data would suggest that at least 15-20% of the adult male population are ''somewhat'' aroused by prepubescent children. Adult male attraction to teenage girls barely falls short of attraction to adult women in heterosexual men (with significant denial proven by studies that ask men to rate photos based on sexual attractiveness, in which labeling of photographic subjects as underage/overage is deliberately incorrect). For homosexual men, attraction to adolescents is the ''most common'', followed by attraction to prepubescent boys and then attraction to adult men being the ''least common''. '''A BL sexual orientation is more common than a gay orientation'''.

If attraction to minors (with ''some'' 'risk' of acting on it) were so damaging to the human race, and especially pronounced in the homosexual population where sex with more fertile teens conveys zero evolutionary benefit on the individual level, it would not have endured. There has to be some benefit, from a group selection perspective, to attraction to minors and possible AMSC; otherwise, widespread minor-attraction would not have survived the long period of human history prior to postpubescent AoC laws. It could be posited that paternalistic instincts, for which BLs and GLs display an extremely positive affinity, make minor-attraction such a net positive for the group that it persists despite not being ideal on an individual 'reproductive potential' level.

Perhaps another reason that minor-attraction persisted for so long is that, for such a long time, those with a pedohebephilic orientation were at least able to engage in sex with adolescents, even if not with prepubescent children. For heterosexuals, this would convey an individual evolutionary benefit. Additionally, people attracted to children and teens in a world with an AoC of 10-12 (much of the past thousand years) would have been encouraged to engage in sex with adolescents instead of children, thus offering a protective benefit to younger children.

'''Limitations'''

Attraction to teenagers is extremely common, and prior to the commercial exploitation of teenage girls in disease-ridden Victorian London, it was never considered to be a big deal. Unfortunately, the simple fact that most men are attracted to teenagers cannot, in itself, be considered a just reason for lowering the Age of Consent if all of the claims made by the public are somehow held to be true. We will need to explain why it is beneficial for adult-teen sexual contact to be decriminalized if we are to appeal to a public that believes strongly in denying and repressing their sexual interest in teens, especially given that most heterosexual males are equally or more interested in young adults. The argument that legal adult-teen sex would decrease the risk allegedly posed by pedophebephilic men to young children is logically sound, but it is perhaps too radical and confusing to be accepted by such a hostile audience.

Minor-attraction having no proven genetic component would be an argument against our points, and the fact that homosexual pedohebephilia is so common, yet does not directly result in offspring, could be used against us. However, the evolutionary concept of group selection works in our favor here, justifying the argument that widespread MAPness, when not exclusive, was so beneficial to society that it persisted despite presenting a distraction to procreation. Perhaps the benefit of having a BL in the community also explains why homosexual minor-attraction is more common than homosexual adult-attraction, the latter being less inherently suited to a child mentoring role.

==Sex Education, Healthcare & Abortion Rights==

'''The Argument'''

There is an argument that, if AMSC is claimed to be harmful due to its exploitation of a minor's lack of sexual knowledge, there is a problem with how young people are being educated. Studies on sexual behavior among children and adolescents show that masturbation and sexual experimentation is common among children even prior to adolescence, before the onset of the hormonal changes that shift behavior from sexual curiosity to adult-like sexual attraction. If children are not prepared for this in advance, the low quality of sex education that is driven by conservatism and adult awkwardness about sex is surely to blame.

One issue with adult-teen sexual contact is the poor access to healthcare and abortions in some countries, particularly in the USA, which despite its horrific behavior tends to lead world policies on matters including minor-attraction and AMSC. This is actually a greater issue in teen-teen sexual contact, due to the lack of an adult with greater knowledge about contraception and safe sex. However, it would barely be an issue at all with proper education, universal access to healthcare and abortions, and the destigmatization and decriminalization of sex involving teens, allowing couples to go to healthcare providers without facing social or legal censure.

These issues, which were among the first to cause concern about adult-teen sex in the late 19th century, could easily be fixed today if not for the pernicious evil of social conservatism.

'''Limitations'''

The main limitation of this argument is that there are a great number of people opposed to sex education, universal healthcare and abortion, due to their political or religious beliefs. This is very unlikely to change in the near future.

==Summary==

Attraction to minors is a very common trait, especially when hebephilic. It has likely persisted throughout history, and may be especially common in homosexual populations due to the paternalistic role for which it shows extreme affinity. According to the evolutionary concept of group selection, this would encourage minor-attraction genes to be passed down via non-exclusive populations, and this would only work if a BL orientation and its potential expression were of net benefit to society.

Sexual contact between adults and adolescents has been tolerated and even celebrated for thousands of years, and was only criminalized to solve problems which no longer exist in many modern countries. It is understandable that people then were concerned about single teenage mothers, but this is no longer a likely outcome in all but one developed country. It is unfortunate that poor access to healthcare, abortions, and sex education remain common in one developed country, the one that shamefully drives world policy, the USA.

With proper sex education and access to healthcare, there's no reason why teens should not be able to consent with sex to adults. They are notoriously rebellious, a far cry from 'eager to please' children. Biologically, teens have undergone the shift from child sexuality to adult sexuality, and therefore demonstrate sexual interest in adults, watching adult pornography and covering their walls with posters of sexually appealing adult entertainers.

Unfortunately, the stigma surrounding teen sex is massive, especially if an adult is involved. Hebephilic traits are strongly denied by most men; perhaps outreach into groups where hebephiles are common but in denial would be useful for community-building and later activism? We need to get more of these men on board.

A significant hurdle to overcome is that age limits are deeply entrenched in legal systems across the entire world. Although teenagers are afforded greater freedom to roam, age limits continue to restrict their legal freedoms. It seems unlikely that the right to vote, sign contracts and drink alcohol would be lowered as far as 12, so there will be no piggybacking on these issues.

Our arguments, as they stand, could be of interest to the more open-minded liberal population, but will be fundamentally rejected by conservatives and even those in the middle. To make the changes we demand, there would need to be an overhaul of the way we understand teens, the way we educate them, and the way we offer them protection. Unfortunately, these changes would be opposed by conservatives, who seek to restrict their development to fit the traditional family values line they apparently plan to trot out for the next thousand years.

To persuade the public to listen, we need to give them a reason to care. That reason is '''[[Essay:The_Push|The Push]]'''. MAPs are under extreme pressure from stigma, lack of access to mental health and social support, and the criminalization of all avenues of sexual release. This makes MAPs much more dangerous than they would otherwise be. With its current approach, society risks making monsters out of very decent men. Bully people with any sexual orientation the same way that MAPs are bullied, and you sometimes get very bad outcomes. That doesn't make MAPness inherently dangerous as a sexual orientation. Do the same to regular heterosexual men, and they will rape, beat, murder, and bomb. I do not propose making threats, nor engaging in violent actions. However, society needs to understand that, beyond the control of community leaders and activists, there is a serious risk of harm to young people and the public in general if ''The Push'' continues and intensifies. A collective effort by governments and the public to alleviate stigma, improve access to mental healthcare, and decriminalize reasonable avenues of sexual release, is needed. An AoC of 12+, while icky, would help significantly.

==Brainstorming==

Our proposal must meet the following criteria.

* '''The age has to be 12.'''

The age of 12 is important for all of the reasons explained above, most notably accessibility for pedophebephiles, allowing us to make a strong argument for 12+ as a means to avoid ''The Push''. It is also an age at which a young person is very open-minded about sexual contact with a variety of people. For homosexual MAPs, an AoC of 14 would be less useful because they would need to find a homosexual partner; however, there are many 12 year olds who would be interested in experimenting with a male (and older) partner.

* '''We must provide some additional protection to young people.'''

To alleviate concerns that MAPs seek to viciously exploit young people, we need to ensure that our proposals do offer protections.

* '''We must not reverse the burden of proof (e.g. Uruguay).'''

Uruguay offers a version of 12+ that reverses the burden of proof. Sexual contact with 12-14 year olds is illegal by default, and the accused is required to prove that the relationship was consensual. This puts the older person (and their partner) in a position of extreme uncertainty.

* '''We must not open the door for pressing of charges by potentially hostile third parties (Netherlands, 90s).'''

The Netherlands trialed a version of 12+ in the 1990s. It is commonly believed that complaints could only be made by the minor, but in practice, third parties including the police would investigate and prosecution could be pursued by parents or social services.

* '''Interpretation must be as clear and objective as possible.'''

Hostility of judges and juries is a concern wherever they have broad power to decide that a 12+ relationship is illegal. The language proposed should seek to minimize this risk while remaining potentially acceptable to the public.

* '''No 'corruption of minors' liability.'''

Many countries have legislation ''in addition'' to their statutory rape laws. This allows for prosecution of adults who engage in sexual activity with 'minors', even if the Age of Consent is set at 14, 15, or 16. The penalties are less severe, but still come with all the problems associated with a conviction for crimes against a minor.

The 12+ legislation should override 'corruption of minors' laws.

==The Proposal==

* '''Age of Consent of 12.'''

For all the reasons we already discussed.

* '''Sex with 12-15 year olds can be prosecuted upon complaint, if the accused deceptively exploited the accuser's lack of sexual knowledge or interest.'''

If a relationship is genuinely consensual, and sex education has been thorough, it will be difficult to demonstrate a lack of knowledge or interest on the part of the younger person.

* '''A complaint can be made by the alleged victim up to the age of 18.'''

This demonstrates that we respect the right of the younger person to reflect on the relationship and later make a complaint if they were exploited. This would not shorten the statute of limitations for rape victims.

* '''Laws against rape continue to protect people of all ages.'''

This should go without saying. Unfortunately, it doesn't, and we need to make it clear.

* '''Current regulations remain applied to parents and guardians (no AoC of 12).
'''
This is necessary to help young people who are too afraid to make a complaint against parents and guardians.

* '''12+ overrides 'corruption of minors' laws.'''

No prosecution under 'corruption of minors' laws if a person did not deceptively exploit the accuser's lack of sexual knowledge or interest.

[[Category:Essays]][[Category:BLueRibbon's Essays]]

Essay:The Draft Argument For 12+

2024-07-18T15:36:24Z

BLueRibbon: Created page with "<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''The Draft Argument For 12+''' 18/07/24 ◆ '''BLueRibbon''' + Fragment DRAFT <hr> '''Author Foreword''': This is the final essay written to introduce my third-wave framework to the MAP community. It elaborates the 12+ position that is being developed by Fragment and I. It's published as a draft, and constructive feedback is welcome. ==Abolition: The Failed Principle== Due to its long history of putting MA..."

<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''The Draft Argument For 12+'''

18/07/24 ◆ '''BLueRibbon''' + Fragment DRAFT

<hr>

'''Author Foreword''': This is the final essay written to introduce my third-wave framework to the MAP community. It elaborates the 12+ position that is being developed by Fragment and I. It's published as a draft, and constructive feedback is welcome.

==Abolition: The Failed Principle==

Due to its long history of putting MAPs behind bars, and the belief among a number of MAPs that minors are not the asexual creatures many imagine, Age of Consent abolition has historically been a key focus point for 'pro-pedophile' activists since the 1970s. The logic is sound: instead of setting arbitrary boundaries that fail to account for all manner of variables, relationships are judged based on their individual circumstances. It is an excellent principle. Unfortunately, it won't ever work in practice.

Hand on heart, I personally think it would be wise to abolish the age of consent, and replace it with laws offering additional protections to minors. I acknowledge the vulnerability of young people ''in general'' versus the vulnerability of adults ''in general'', hence the need for additional protections. I've also worked with children and adolescents of all ages, and I've seen a lot of differences in maturity and apparent sexualization (often a natural process), so a firm ''always wrong under a certain age'' and ''always OK over another'' doesn't really sit right with me. However, any attempts to set the age of consent at zero will fail; it will be portrayed as an attempt to legalize 'baby rape'. Furthermore, such arguments don't even have recent historical merit; sex with prepubescents has been illegal in many places for much of modern history. People simply abhor the idea of sex with prepubescent children.

Adolescents are not quite the same story. The criminalization of sex with adolescents is a modern misinterpretation of a Victorian problem, and even then it is not so universally condemned. Ages of consent vary wildly around the world, and 'exceptions' and 'extra protections' abound. An unrestricted age of consent of 14 is not uncommon, and if we take the absolute age of consent (the age at which sex is permitted with some restrictions), even some English speaking jurisdictions consider 12 year olds capable of some level of informed consent. Instead of trying to abolish the age of consent, out of the ''very understandable'' desires for case-by-case determination and youth liberation, we should instead focus on something understood by many non-MAPs: adolescent sexuality and the need to respond to it in a balanced manner.

That's why in my previous essay, [[Essay:Pro-Reform:_The_Rational_Middle_Ground|The Rational Middle Ground]], I proposed adjusting Age of Consent laws to '''12 with additional protections''', or "'''12+'''". Let's take a look at arguments for 12+ reform, before getting into the details of what that "+" might mean.

==Harm Prevention==

'''The Argument'''

Many non-MAPs will see little reason to support lowering the age of consent, or modifying it to reflect the concept of "12+". However, as I explained in [[Essay:The_Push|The Push]], extreme anti-MAP laws and values often push MAPs to engage in potentially harmful behavior instead of preventing it. Regular people, if they genuinely care about children, should take this as a reason to consider changes to the approach they support.

MAPs are under massive pressure from society to live according to unrealistic standards, with every possible avenue of sexual release criminalized regardless of whether or not it causes harm to children. The pressures placed upon us do not reduce the risk of harm; they increase it by making harmless forms of sexual release (such as AI-generated PIM) illegal, by forcing people who wish to view PIM to use 'underground' websites, by making the discussion of MAP issues with friends, family and therapists feel almost impossible, and by pushing MAPs to prioritize 'safety' in sexual relationships instead of prioritizing youth welfare.

Many MAPs, especially male homosexual MAPs, are attracted to boys ranging from late prepubescence to early adolescence. An AoC of 16-18 is beyond the reach of most of these men, but 12 and 13 is not. Why does this matter?

If the Age of Consent were set at 12+, MAPs with an AoC that straddles prepubescence and early adolescence would face extreme pressure to ''avoid'' sex with prepubescents. With an AoC of 12+, they would be encouraged to engage only with adolescents who possess greater competence for a sexual relationship and remain supported by special protections, reducing the risk of harm. This is preferable to the current situation of MAPs being forced to avoid AMSC entirely, or encouraged to prioritize 'safety' in partners rather than 'older' or 'most interested in and ready for sex'.

'''Limitations'''

It is quite plausible that ''harm prevention'' is not the primary reason for AoC laws, and this raises serious questions about whether a harm prevention argument would be the best way forward in advocating AoC reform. The many laws criminalizing non-harmful actions by MAPs, such as those against AI-generated PIM and the simple possession of PIM, hint that laws targeting MAPs are written and enforced more out of disgust at our sexual orientation than anything else. However, MAP hate has been in decline over the past few years thanks to the actions of NOMAP-style activists and organizations such as B4U-Act. With MAP hate decreasing, is it now the time to push for very moderate AoC reform?

==Youth Rights==

'''The Argument'''

The main purpose of the youth liberation model is to focus on how the sexual autonomy of young people is violated by an Age of Consent that outright prohibits sexual activity or limits the choice of sexual partner. Laws around the world vary in how they treat sexual activity between teens, or sexual activity between teens and very young adults. However, it is widely understood that adolescents are attracted to adults, and it is hard to argue that adolescents are not being limited by laws claimed to protect them. In addition, many young people below the ages applicable to 'Romeo and Juliet' laws have a degree of sexual interest, and any laws that criminalize their behavior or that of similarly-aged partners may be accepted by many non-MAPs to be unreasonable. Can we persuade the public that there's no reason to judge a consensual adult-teen relationship differently?

'''Limitations'''

The rights of youth are not a focus of legislation; laws related to children are based on the premise that children need to be protected from themselves and others. Any argument to change this, when coming from an MAP, is likely to be met with ridicule on the grounds that it's intended solely for the interest of MAPs. Even without the challenge of the 'MAP connection', arguing against age limits in general is no easier than arguing for the reform of Age of Consent laws. High age restrictions exist in a wide variety of legal contexts across the entire world, from voting and contract rights to the right to consume alcohol and tobacco; these high age limits are even more universal than a high AoC. The concept of 'adult rights' is simply too ingrained and would require an even greater cultural shift than the reform of attitudes toward AMSC. It is unrealistic to think that we can push through AoC adjustments piggybacked onto lowering age limits for other rights and vices.

==Youth Sexuality==

'''The Argument'''

It is accepted by most people that teens are not asexual. Evidence shows that a first sexual experience of the age of 10 or even younger is not uncommon, with a shift to adult-like sexuality occurring in early adolescence. Sexual activity between teens of a similar age is rightly not considered particularly harmful outside of religious and highly conservative circles. It is also widely known that teens are attracted to some adults; many teens describe infatuation with adult entertainers and place their posters and pictures on their walls, and it is understood that most teenage boys and many girls masturbate to adult pornography. MAP activists should make more effort to remind the public of these realities. Age of Consent laws were only raised to prohibit adult sex with teens in response to commercial sexual exploitation in Dickensian London, at a time when STIs were a serious concern, effective contraception and safe abortion practices did not exist, and welfare measures were unavailable.

'''Limitations'''

In recent history, the concept of a 'child' has risen from that of an under-12 to an under-18 in developed countries, with some groups even arguing to raise it further to include under-25s. The mantra "a child cannot consent" is repeated as if it is an objective fact, even when discussing AMSC with teens under the local age of consent (at whatever arbitrary age it has been set). This 'truth' cannot even be debated, even though it is nothing more than a modern cultural phenomenon supported by extreme laws. Merely questioning whether this mantra is true can be enough to draw hysterical and aggressive rebuke from normal members of the public.

'''Consideration'''

If the claim that a child cannot consent due to their immaturity is held to be true, it invalidates MMSC relationships and the many legal exemptions that support these relationships. MAP activists should be asking why teens can supposedly only consent to sexual relationships with other teens. Our opponents will talk about 'power imbalances' with adult-teen relationships, but these are often present in MMSC and AASC, too.

==Child vs Teen Behavioral Traits==

'''The Argument'''

One of the arguments used ''against'' AMSC is that there is a power imbalance. It is said that children are eager to please, powerless against adult authority, and easily manipulated. While this may be partly true when talking about ''children'', these are not words that we typically use to describe ''teens''. Except when we talk about AMSC, adolescents are typically described as disobedient, rebellious, antagonistic, unwilling to yield to authority figures, and highly skilled at manipulation.

On the question of vulnerability to power imbalances, children and teens are simply not in the same league. Given the highly anti-social traits of teens, the likelihood of the exploitation of a power imbalance is no more of a risk than it would be in many adult relationships. Indeed, there are many countries that still have horribly poor attitudes to women, where men are firmly in charge, and these countries do not outright prohibit sex between men and women.

'''Limitations'''

One trait of teens that may be used against us is the fact that teens are inherently reckless. It could be argued that due to their habit of making impulsive decisions, they are liable to engage in behavior that is harmful or dangerous to them, and need to be protected from themselves. A rebuttal, and one that I firmly believe in, is that being allowed to make these decisions is an important part of growing up with a healthy attitude to risk/danger management. Furthermore, it would be better to have a sexual relationship with an adult who has a proper understanding of safe sex and access to contraception, as opposed to a fellow teen who may not know any better. Given the risks of STIs and unwanted pregnancy from unsafe sexual practices, adult-teen sex may actually be safer than teen-teen sex.

===Elementary-Middle Divide===

12 is also an age at which many students graduate from elementary school, and to many parents this represents the end of their son or daughter's childhood and their ascent to adolescence. I can't speak for every culture, but parents where I live tend to let their middle school sons roam semi-feral. It is not uncommon for 12 year old boys to be allowed to come home at 1am, which would be unthinkable for an elementary school child. It would follow, naturally, that this would also be the time to provide young people with a greater right to sexual freedom, subject to additional protections.

==Widespread MAPness==

'''The Argument'''

Evidence suggests that attraction to minors is not uncommon. Indications vary, with phallometric reports showing higher rates than self-reporting, but an analysis of the data would suggest that at least 15-20% of the adult male population are ''somewhat'' aroused by prepubescent children. Adult male attraction to teenage girls barely falls short of attraction to adult women in heterosexual men (with significant denial proven by studies that ask men to rate photos based on sexual attractiveness, in which labeling of photographic subjects as underage/overage is deliberately incorrect). For homosexual men, attraction to adolescents is the ''most common'', followed by attraction to prepubescent boys and then attraction to adult men being the ''least common''. '''A BL sexual orientation is more common than a gay orientation'''.

If attraction to minors (with ''some'' 'risk' of acting on it) were so damaging to the human race, and especially pronounced in the homosexual population where sex with more fertile teens conveys zero evolutionary benefit on the individual level, it would not have endured. There has to be some benefit, from a group selection perspective, to attraction to minors and possible AMSC; otherwise, widespread minor-attraction would not have survived the long period of human history prior to postpubescent AoC laws. It could be posited that paternalistic instincts, for which BLs and GLs display an extremely positive affinity, make minor-attraction such a net positive for the group that it persists despite not being ideal on an individual 'reproductive potential' level.

Perhaps another reason that minor-attraction persisted for so long is that, for such a long time, those with a pedohebephilic orientation were at least able to engage in sex with adolescents, even if not with prepubescent children. For heterosexuals, this would convey an individual evolutionary benefit. Additionally, people attracted to children and teens in a world with an AoC of 10-12 (much of the past thousand years) would have been encouraged to engage in sex with adolescents instead of children, thus offering a protective benefit to younger children.

'''Limitations'''

Attraction to teenagers is extremely common, and prior to the commercial exploitation of teenage girls in disease-ridden Victorian London, it was never considered to be a big deal. Unfortunately, the simple fact that most men are attracted to teenagers cannot, in itself, be considered a just reason for lowering the Age of Consent if all of the claims made by the public are somehow held to be true. We will need to explain why it is beneficial for adult-teen sexual contact to be decriminalized if we are to appeal to a public that believes strongly in denying and repressing their sexual interest in teens, especially given that most heterosexual males are equally or more interested in young adults. The argument that legal adult-teen sex would decrease the risk allegedly posed by pedophebephilic men to young children is logically sound, but it is perhaps too radical and confusing to be accepted by such a hostile audience.

Minor-attraction having no proven genetic component would be an argument against our points, and the fact that homosexual pedohebephilia is so common, yet does not directly result in offspring, could be used against us. However, the evolutionary concept of group selection works in our favor here, justifying the argument that widespread MAPness, when not exclusive, was so beneficial to society that it persisted despite presenting a distraction to procreation. Perhaps the benefit of having a BL in the community also explains why homosexual minor-attraction is more common than homosexual adult-attraction, the latter being less inherently suited to a child mentoring role.

==Sex Education, Healthcare & Abortion Rights==

'''The Argument'''

There is an argument that, if AMSC is claimed to be harmful due to its exploitation of a minor's lack of sexual knowledge, there is a problem with how young people are being educated. Studies on sexual behavior among children and adolescents show that masturbation and sexual experimentation is common among children even prior to adolescence, before the onset of the hormonal changes that shift behavior from sexual curiosity to adult-like sexual attraction. If children are not prepared for this in advance, the low quality of sex education that is driven by conservatism and adult awkwardness about sex is surely to blame.

One issue with adult-teen sexual contact is the poor access to healthcare and abortions in some countries, particularly in the USA, which despite its horrific behavior tends to lead world policies on matters including minor-attraction and AMSC. This is actually a greater issue in teen-teen sexual contact, due to the lack of an adult with greater knowledge about contraception and safe sex. However, it would barely be an issue at all with proper education, universal access to healthcare and abortions, and the destigmatization and decriminalization of sex involving teens, allowing couples to go to healthcare providers without facing social or legal censure.

These issues, which were among the first to cause concern about adult-teen sex in the late 19th century, could easily be fixed today if not for the pernicious evil of social conservatism.

'''Limitations'''

The main limitation of this argument is that there are a great number of people opposed to sex education, universal healthcare and abortion, due to their political or religious beliefs. This is very unlikely to change in the near future.

==Summary==

Attraction to minors is a very common trait, especially when hebephilic. It has likely persisted throughout history, and may be especially common in homosexual populations due to the paternalistic role for which it shows extreme affinity. According to the evolutionary concept of group selection, this would encourage minor-attraction genes to be passed down via non-exclusive populations, and this would only work if a BL orientation and its potential expression were of net benefit to society.

Sexual contact between adults and adolescents has been tolerated and even celebrated for thousands of years, and was only criminalized to solve problems which no longer exist in many modern countries. It is understandable that people then were concerned about single teenage mothers, but this is no longer a likely outcome in all but one developed country. It is unfortunate that poor access to healthcare, abortions, and sex education remain common in one developed country, the one that shamefully drives world policy, the USA.

With proper sex education and access to healthcare, there's no reason why teens should not be able to consent with sex to adults. They are notoriously rebellious, a far cry from 'eager to please' children. Biologically, teens have undergone the shift from child sexuality to adult sexuality, and therefore demonstrate sexual interest in adults, watching adult pornography and covering their walls with posters of sexually appealing adult entertainers.

Unfortunately, the stigma surrounding teen sex is massive, especially if an adult is involved. Hebephilic traits are strongly denied by most men; perhaps outreach into groups where hebephiles are common but in denial would be useful for community-building and later activism? We need to get more of these men on board.

A significant hurdle to overcome is that age limits are deeply entrenched in legal systems across the entire world. Although teenagers are afforded greater freedom to roam, age limits continue to restrict their legal freedoms. It seems unlikely that the right to vote, sign contracts and drink alcohol would be lowered as far as 12, so there will be no piggybacking on these issues.

Our arguments, as they stand, could be of interest to the more open-minded liberal population, but will be fundamentally rejected by conservatives and even those in the middle. To make the changes we demand, there would need to be an overhaul of the way we understand teens, the way we educate them, and the way we offer them protection. Unfortunately, these changes would be opposed by conservatives, who seek to restrict their development to fit the traditional family values line they apparently plan to trot out for the next thousand years.

To persuade the public to listen, we need to give them a reason to care. That reason is '''[[Essay:The_Push|The Push]]'''. MAPs are under extreme pressure from stigma, lack of access to mental health and social support, and the criminalization of all avenues of sexual release. This makes MAPs much more dangerous than they would otherwise be. With its current approach, society risks making monsters out of very decent men. Bully people with any sexual orientation the same way that MAPs are bullied, and you sometimes get very bad outcomes. That doesn't make MAPness inherently dangerous as a sexual orientation. Do the same to regular heterosexual men, and they will rape, beat, murder, and bomb. I do not propose making threats, nor engaging in violent actions. However, society needs to understand that, beyond the control of community leaders and activists, there is a serious risk of harm to young people and the public in general if ''The Push'' continues and intensifies. A collective effort by governments and the public to alleviate stigma, improve access to mental healthcare, and decriminalize reasonable avenues of sexual release, is needed. An AoC of 12+, while icky, would help significantly.

==Brainstorming==

Our proposal must meet the following criteria.

* '''The age has to be 12.'''

The age of 12 is important for all of the reasons explained above, most notably accessibility for pedophebephiles, allowing us to make a strong argument for 12+ as a means to avoid ''The Push''. It is also an age at which a young person is very open-minded about sexual contact with a variety of people. For homosexual MAPs, an AoC of 14 would be less useful because they would need to find a homosexual partner; however, there are many 12 year olds who would be interested in experimenting with a male (and older) partner.

* '''We must provide some additional protection to young people.'''

To alleviate concerns that MAPs seek to viciously exploit young people, we need to ensure that our proposals do offer protections.

* '''We must not reverse the burden of proof (e.g. Uruguay).'''

Uruguay offers a version of 12+ that reverses the burden of proof. Sexual contact with 12-14 year olds is illegal by default, and the accused is required to prove that the relationship was consensual. This puts the older person (and their partner) in a position of extreme uncertainty.

* '''We must not open the door for pressing of charges by potentially hostile third parties (Netherlands, 90s).'''

The Netherlands trialed a version of 12+ in the 1990s. It is commonly believed that complaints could only be made by the minor, but in practice, third parties including the police would investigate and prosecution could be pursued by parents or social services.

* '''Interpretation must be as clear and objective as possible.'''

Hostility of judges and juries is a concern wherever they have broad power to decide that a 12+ relationship is illegal. The language proposed should seek to minimize this risk while remaining potentially acceptable to the public.

* '''No 'corruption of minors' liability.'''

Many countries have legislation ''in addition'' to their statutory rape laws. This allows for prosecution of adults who engage in sexual activity with 'minors', even if the Age of Consent is set at 14, 15, or 16. The penalties are less severe, but still come with all the problems associated with a conviction for crimes against a minor.

The 12+ legislation should override 'corruption of minors' laws.

==The Proposal==

* '''Age of Consent of 12.'''

For all the reasons we already discussed.

* '''Sex with 12-15 year olds can be prosecuted upon complaint, if the accused deceptively exploited the accuser's lack of sexual knowledge or interest.'''

If a relationship is genuinely consensual, and sex education has been thorough, it will be difficult to demonstrate a lack of knowledge or interest on the part of the younger person.

* '''A complaint can be made by the alleged victim up to the age of 18.'''

This demonstrates that we respect the right of the younger person to reflect on the relationship and later make a complaint if they were exploited. This would not shorten the statute of limitations for rape victims.

* '''Laws against rape continue to protect people of all ages.'''

This should go without saying. Unfortunately, it doesn't, and we need to make it clear.

* '''Current regulations remain applied to parents and guardians (no AoC of 12).
'''
This is necessary to help young people who are too afraid to make a complaint against parents and guardians.

* '''12+ overrides 'corruption of minors' laws.'''

No prosecution under 'corruption of minors' laws if a person did not deceptively exploit the accuser's lack of sexual knowledge or interest.

Essay:Pro-Reform: The Rational Middle Ground

2024-06-17T13:23:15Z

BLueRibbon:

<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''Pro-Reform: The Rational Middle Ground'''

16/06/24 ◆ '''BLueRibbon'''

''Includes thoughts and minor additions from '''Fragment'''.''

Legend: '''AMSC''' = "Adult-Minor Sexual Contact", '''PIM''' = "Prohibited Images of Minors".

'''Author Foreword''': As a teenager attracted to pre-pubescent boys, ''BLueRibbon'' was one of the original advocates of the ''non-offending pedophile'' position, now reinterpreted as 'NOMAP' activism. During his childhood, he possessed very strict interpersonal boundaries and disliked any kind of physical contact. Through this lens, the anti-contact position seemed logical. Now an adult approaching middle age, who has worked with thousands of boys and observed the reality of boyhood, he realizes that although his experience of childhood correlated with the claims made by those opposed to AMSC, his experience did not align with that of most children. In this essay, the author acknowledges the importance of the work done by NOMAP activists, highlights the limitations of the NOMAP position in the third wave of MAP activism, and proposes the '''Pro-Reform position''' as a rational and agreeable framework for both 'pro-contact' and 'anti-contact' activists.

<hr>

===The Birth of NOMAP Advocacy===

''Non-offending pedophile''. ''NOMAP''. ''Anti-C''. ''Virtuous Pedophile''. ''Gold Star Pedophile''. Prior to 2006, these were concepts that did not exist. In the second wave of what is now known as MAP activism, a number of people associated with the [[AttractedToChildren.org|ANU/ATC blog]], led by myself, pushed the concept of the ''non-offending pedophile'' and ''non-contact pedophile'' incredibly hard. In addition to posting articles on our own websites, we submitted comments to various forums, blogs, online newspapers, and traditional social media platforms like ''Slashdot''. We participated in protracted editing wars on Wikipedia and Wikia. We engaged to a small degree with the mainstream media, limited by the need for anonymity. Back then, the idea of a ''non-offending pedophile'' was a very radical concept, and we received a barrage of hate and abuse.

''Virtuous Pedophiles'' did a much better job of publicizing the main idea that we were trying to convey: ''being attracted to children'' and ''having sex with children'' are not the same thing. Meanwhile, B4U-Act worked quietly to persuade mental health professionals of this distinction while working to improve academic understanding, research, and access to mental health support. I understand that various other groups sprang up and faded away while I was busy with other pursuits.

These days, there is still a lot of resistance to the concept of MAPs as non-offenders or victims, but there is also a lot of support. There are many articles condemning MAPs, yet even generic pro-establishment news organizations like the BBC have published articles about non-offending MAPs. Some of the most upvoted comments in discussions about 'MAPs' or 'pedophiles' on major social media platform ''Reddit'' are supportive of MAPs who do not act on their feelings. This is progress, but the victories come with caveats, and we are close to reaching the limitations of what has been a very successful model so far.

===Limitations of the NOMAP Model===

One of the most common complaints from detractors in discussions about non-offending MAPs is that, to be considered a 'safe and proper' member of society, the MAP should at least do something about their feelings by 'getting help'. Some of these adversaries acknowledge that it is extremely hard for MAPs to 'get help', but many think it is an MAP's responsibility regardless of the risk. Unfortunately, there are still a significant number of people who label our sexual orientation a treatable mental illness, despite the absence of evidence to support that a sexual attraction to any demographic can ever be 'cured'.

Many of our detractors believe that, without treatment, we will all eventually act on our feelings, and that we will cause harm by doing so, either through the use of PIM or by engaging in AMSC. While it is not correct that PIM always depict AMSC, and the argument that every instance of ''viewing'' AMSC contributes to the abuse of a child is incredibly illogical in itself, all arguments against PIM (except for religious nonsense) have absolutely no basis if we can successfully argue that AMSC is not inherently harmful. Of more importance, if AMSC were accepted as a potentially positive experience, much like AASC and MMSC, the argument that non-offenders are nothing better than ticking time bombs would be of no use either. In fact, the 'ticking time bomb' argument could only be used to ''support'' [[Essay:The_Push|my argument that MAPs should not be pushed]] into dangerous behavior by unnecessarily harsh social and legal structures.

Every argument against non-contact MAPs is predicated on the belief that 'pro-contact' MAPs are fighting against: the idea that AMSC is harmful. And with their staunch position against AMSC, NOMAPs are now at a point where the inflexibility of their position is shooting themselves in the foot. The anti-contact lobby needs to adopt a more moderate position.

===Pro-Reform Advocacy===

'Pro-Reform' advocacy is moderate. It is not about going out and penetrating a 5 year old, nor do many of its supporters think that would be a decent thing to do. In fact, due to the ''possible risk'' of secondary harm, the position grudgingly does not even advocate AMSC with minors that would be inherently mature enough to give appreciable consent. However, Pro-Reform expresses the premise that the broad condemnation of AMSC in itself, without considering all of the circumstances, is absurd. A lot depends on the nature of the acts and the minor's age. Pro-Reformists believe that many instances of AMSC are not terrible acts of abuse. We would point out that there is some agreement from wider society, too; most regular men would laugh at the sheer luck of a 14 year old boy receiving a blow job from an attractive young woman. Pro-Reformists additionally argue that not all cases of AMSC do actually lead to secondary harm, but do not deny that there is ''some'' risk.

The Pro-Reform position is all about balance. The ''moderate'' arguments it puts forward act as a bridge between 'Anti-Contact' and 'Pro-Contact'. Some ideas are not dissimilar to views expressed by anti-contact golden boy ''Ethan Edwards'', but they are also not in contradiction with the sex-positive messaging of the pro-contact lobby. In addition, the Pro-Reform position is named in such a way that it makes the very important distinction between seeking significant legal reforms and encouraging supporters to engage in illegal activity. Much like the separation of 'MAP' and 'child molester' endorsed with a degree of success by NOMAP activists, the very clear delineation of our viewpoints and our actions is crucial, making condemnation of our demands for legal reform significantly more challenging.

Pro-reformists would ideally like to bring the questioning anti-contacters on board, and we believe they may be hiding in unlikely places. The famously anti-contact ''Virtous Pedophiles'' made a name for itself as the quintessential anti-contact organization, but the personally expressed views of one its founders are very much ''questioning'' in nature and somewhat in line with the arguments of moderately 'pro-contact' MAPs. One of its co-founders, Ethan Edwards, [https://celibatepedos.virped.org/archives/74-How-things-change-when-the-girl-is-13-instead-of-8.html argued in 2015] that perhaps the age of consent should be set at 13 with additional protections for older minors. He even questioned the likelihood of secondary harm, the most realistic argument against AMSC in present society. The general take-away from his essay was that although it ''could'' be harmful for adults to engage in AMSC with teenagers, ''and so they shouldn't do it'', the harm was often derived more from social structures and sociolegal consequences, rather than AMSC with teenagers being inherently wrong. Doesn't that sound like the argument of a grounded, realistic ''pro-contact'' activist?

===Proposed Legal Reforms===

The following positions are proposed as calm and rational, desirable while remaining somewhat palatable, and agreeably moderate to most members of the MAP activist community.

====Age of Consent====

* '''Age of Consent of 12 + Additional Protections'''

Internationally, the Age of Consent was historically set at 10, 12, or 'puberty', to prevent adults engaging in sexual contact with very young children. It was never supposed to apply to teenagers, who are undeniably sexual by nature. It was only set higher than ''puberty'' to prevent commercial exploitation in the appalling conditions of 19th century London, before being adopted and exported by the same puritanical movement that led to the American Prohibition.

In ''[[Essay:The Push|The Push]]'', I argued that instead of ''protecting children'', setting the AoC so high only increases the risk of harm from AMSC. With such a high AoC, MAPs who choose to be sexually active have no legal outlet and are encouraged to prioritize sexual relationships with minors who are most likely to 'keep quiet', instead of minors who are most interested in sex with an adult and least likely to suffer from harm. If the age of consent were set at 12, with additional protections for 12-15 year olds against coercion and exploitation (similar to laws in place in the Netherlands as recently as the 2000s), this push toward AMSC with a greater likelihood of harm would be eliminated. Instead, sexually active MAPs would be encouraged to engage in AMSC with older children who have some desire for a sexual experience with an older partner.

The balanced nature of the proposal is important. Advocating a lower age of consent would not allow us to use the argument that our suggestion applied to adult-pubescent sexual contact only. However advocating a higher age of consent would put adult-minor relationships outside the reach of many MAPs; many pedophiles have an upper attraction to 12 and 13 year olds, that fades quickly at 14 years and older. In addition to being of little use from the perspective of a reformist, it would also damage our arguments against MAPs being inherent 'ticking time bombs' and the need to avoid ''The Push''.

====Prohibited Images of Minors====

* '''Legalization of Simple Possession of PIM'''

Advocating the legalization of the simple possession of PIM should be an absolute minimum for any moderate position. It comes from a place of pure logic. It is a rejection of the emotionally charged and nonsensical argument that 'a child is harmed every time their image is viewed'; nobody has ever been able to explain a mechanism for this. Furthermore, it refuses to accept the strange belief that PIM is harmful due to supply and demand economics, noting that this cannot logically apply to PIM which has essentially been pirated. In a reflection of the potential harm caused by financial support of hardcore PIM production, we could support proportionate laws and penalties to be applied to those who purchase PIM in cases where a minor has clearly been harmed in the production. However, these penalties should be minor and non-custodial in recognition of the incredibly small part played by each individual purchaser.

We need to argue that, as regards PIM, the expectations placed on MAPs are extreme and unrealistic. It is unreasonable for society to expect MAPs to not view pirated PIM, and extreme expectations such as these push a small number of MAPs to a mental state in which they pursue more problematic outlets for their sexual needs, as outlined in my aforementioned essay. Coupled with the scarcity of safe access to professional mental health support, criminalization of the use of pirated PIM creates a dangerous situation in which a small number of MAPs feel they will be prosecuted or driven to suicide no matter which outlet they choose, significantly increasing the risk of potentially harmful behavior.

* '''No Laws Against Artificially-Generated PIM'''

Generative AI programs can generate images entirely from text prompts, without the need for sexual images of real children at any stage of the production process. During the entire production and distribution process, there is no point at which any child could ever have been harmed, because the process is entirely artificial. MAPs using these programs to generate artificial PIM have reported difficulties in reproducing children's genitalia precisely because images of real children in pornographic situations were not used in the images on which the AI was trained.

Despite the realities of the technology, photo-realistic and animated representations of minors are criminalized in many jurisdictions. Decriminalizing these images would offer a legal outlet for MAPs, thereby offering a safe alternative to real PIM and making the production of real images of children significantly less desirable. There is no valid child protection justification for the criminalization of entirely fictitious images.

===Discussion on Social Reforms===

In addition to the proposed legal reforms, pro-reformists should continue the work of anti-contact and pro-contact activists in combating social stigma, pushing for access to mental health support, supporting an improvement in sexual education for minors, and arguing for the humane treatment of ex-offenders.

* '''Minor-Attraction is Not Rape'''

The Pro-Reform framework has the benefit of arguing that many MAPs do not engage in AMSC, while ''also'' arguing that if this were to happen, it would not necessarily be harmful. Advocating an appropriate age of consent of ''12 with protections'', and stating that such acts are not necessarily harmful, allows us to fight back against claims that MAPs are dangerous because we ''may'' act on our feelings. It is a good response to common retorts like, "I constantly fantasize about murdering people but I'd never do it. Please understand me!" However, the moderacy of pro-reform arguments separates us from extreme age of consent abolitionists who would simply be laughed at and ignored entirely.

* '''Mental Health Access'''

Difficulty in accessing mental health support is a major issue in our community. Pro-Reformists should support the efforts of contact-neutral organization ''B4U-Act'' in working to improve professional understanding of MAPs and access to therapy that does not seek to 'convert' our sexual orientation. We should engage with legitimate researchers who identify themselves appropriately and do not have obviously sinister motivations.

* '''Humane Treatment of Convicted Sex Offenders'''

One of the major consequences of being convicted of sexual offenses is not the sentence itself, but the difficulty of rebuilding one's life with such a conviction on record. Among the issues faced by ex-offenders after release are access to housing, employment, and mental health support. Along with a greater social support framework for all vulnerable people, ex-offenders should be provided with social support in these areas by redirecting funds spent on 'negatives' like military pursuits and long-term imprisonment, by taxing organized religion, and by decriminalizing and taxing softer recreational drugs.

* '''Improving Sexual Education'''

While setting an age of consent at ''12 with protections'', it would also be sensible to advocate for age appropriate sex and relationship education to occur during the upper years of elementary school so minors are suitably informed about sex before reaching the age of consent. Having a stronger knowledge base would make arguments about informed consent less persuasive and allow youth to better exercise their agency and autonomy.

===The Benefit of Avoiding Dystonia===

In addition to the benefits of the Pro-Reform position from an activist perspective, the relatively sex-positive nature of Pro-Reform offers mental health benefits to the community when compared to the anti-contact position.

It was pointed out to me, by an individual who read my previous essay and the foundations of this one, that the anti-contact position adopted by many young MAPs is awfully dystonic. Young MAPs are told that what they desire is wrong, to avoid children in case they commit a terrible act, and that masturbating to certain images of children is more or less a disease. They regularly internalize these messages.

For some people, acceptance of the negative messaging could make the commission of illegal behavior a self-fulfilling prophecy, leading them to engage in such acts even when they otherwise would not have done. Even if this doesn't happen, the dystonia caused by the negative messaging could lead to mental health issues that increase the risk of the person engaging in harmful behavior, either directed at minors or expressed through acts of violence or self-harm.

Anti-contact activists frequently focus on mental health issues, but we cannot really improve the mental health of our community until we get as many people as possible to accept that what they desire is not always inherently wrong. The balanced sex-positivity of Pro-Reform is a useful antidote to this issue, without having an off-putting extremism that alienates younger individuals.

===Conclusion===

The divisions within our community are pronounced. The anti-contact position offers little more in the way of future progress, and actively spreads dystonic messaging to impressionable young MAPs. To solve these issues, it must adopt ''some'' of the sex positivity of the pro-contact position. However, the traditional pro-contact positions of ''total age of consent abolitionism'' and decriminalization of real PIM ''production'' go too far to ever be taken seriously. Pro-Reform offers a very reasonable middle ground between the two positions. It is a useful framework for MAP activism, with demands that would improve our lives and have some hope of acceptance in the future.

[[Category:Essays]][[Category:BLueRibbon's Essays]]

User:BLueRibbon

2024-06-16T12:17:57Z

BLueRibbon: Created page with "* 2nd wave NOMAP-style activist (2006-2010) * 3rd wave Pro-Reform activist (2023-) Take a look at https://wiki.yesmap.net/wiki/Category:BLueRibbon%27s_Essays my essays."

* 2nd wave NOMAP-style activist (2006-2010)
* 3rd wave Pro-Reform activist (2023-)

Take a look at [[https://wiki.yesmap.net/wiki/Category:BLueRibbon%27s_Essays my essays]].

Essay:The Push

2024-06-16T12:03:49Z

BLueRibbon:

<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''The Push.'''

23/05/24 ◆ '''BLueRibbon'''

Legend: '''MAP''' = "Minor-Attracted Person", '''AMSC''' = "Adult-Minor Sexual Contact", '''PIM''' = "Prohibited Images of Minors".

<hr>

'''Author Foreword''': My first essay on MAP issues since 2010 is about the extremely dangerous concept I call "''The Push''". Unpolished and meandering, the essay's main purpose is to describe how everyone is ultimately harmed or endangered by the relentless and unnecessary hunt of MAPs, the attempts to criminalize every possible outlet available to us, and the poor availability of mental health support for our community.

==The Case==

There was a case in the news perhaps a month ago. A former marine in the US showed up to have sex with two little girls, armed with a gun, and was executed by the mob in blue. Some MAPs interpreted the gun as a tool of self-defense. Others thought it was suicide by cop. My interpretation was that the man knew it was ''probably'' a sting, but was willing to go down shooting for some chance of ''either'' having sex with a child ''or'' gaining retribution for the horrific persecution to which MAPs are shamelessly subjected.

Should the man have been willing to have sex with two little girls being sold by their parents? Probably not. I am very much in favor of reforming the laws that outright prohibit AMSC (Adult-Minor Sexual Contact) with no regard for the circumstances, but paying a parent to have sex with their children sounds like a very real kind of ''bad touch''. There are healthy adult-minor relationships, including sexual ones, and there are acts of evil, and there are many shades of grey. But even that is an oversimplification of a man's actions, a misguided focus on the nature of the acts themselves and an ignorance of their origins.

==The Contradiction==

I believe that minors can give meaningful consent to sex with adults, with a caveat that may disappoint the extremists within our community: I also partially agree with wider society that minors are more vulnerable to exploitation than most adults. However, I firmly disagree with the absolute singling out of minors - ''up to ages as high as 21'' - as helpless subjects of abuse, and with the nonsensical juxtaposition of the ''lack of protection afforded to vulnerable adults'' and the ''insane paranoia surrounding any perceived threat to minors''.

I believe that minors are similarly vulnerable to women from poor countries, many of whom are horribly exploited in brothels in western countries, and at high risk of mistreatment in their home countries too. However, instead of prohibiting sex with poor women (which would be ridiculous!), we judge sex with adults on a case by case basis. Or at least we should. In reality, some adults don't even enjoy the most ''basic'' of protections, while ''all'' AMSC is deemed sexual violence. The abuse of adults is allowed to occur right out in the open in many cases, especially when the victims are of certain classes such as 'male', or 'immigrant', or whomever else the police decide they aren't willing to help.

Consider Amsterdam as an example. It is a beautiful city that used to be considered 'cool', but the red lights for which it's known haven't been cool for quite some time. The women sold like slabs of meat there are not perky Dutch girls making money to buy a designer handbag. They are victims of human trafficking, tricked away from their home countries by gangsters and put on display, subject to what is more or less rape in full view of the public, while the Netherlands' righteous government throws MAP activists in prison for advocating discussion over the age of consent.

Actual rape of immigrant women? "Fine."

Talking about whether a law is morally just? "Prison!"

==The Backstory==

Why is that discussion so controversial? We know that teenagers are not asexual; it's not even a matter of debate. The idea that sex with teenagers is inherently wrong is actually a construction of 19th century laws intended to combat the awful abuse of women and young girls in the sex trade. The very first law criminalizing sex wtih teenagers was enacted in response to the behavior of men likely ''not'' primarily attracted to minors, but by opportunists in the deepest depths of Dickensian London. Ethical AMSC with pubescents was never really supposed to be punished; the 'original' law to raise the age of consent above 12 years old was created to give the authorities a way to easily crack down on the rampant prostitution of teenage girls in what was an awful time to be anything but a rich, straight, white man.

That law, perhaps a necessary sledgehammer to eliminate some of the very real horrors of 19th century London, should have been nothing but a temporary measure. Instead, it was used as fuel for the campaigns of American puritans, who co-opted it for their campaign of righteousness. Much like religious leaders brainwash their congregations into believing the most absurd concoctions imaginable, the moral crusaders of depression-era America were somehow able to persuade enough people that sex with teenagers was morally wrong in itself, and so an imported law that was never meant to be interpreted very strictly was inexplicably adopted as a moral standard. While unpopular ideas such as the prohibition of alcohol failed to persist, thanks to the universal love of liquor, the ''equally unrealistic'' idea of abstinent teens was spread across the globe, bit by bit, for reasons that are not entirely clear to anyone.

==The Reality==

What is the reality of minor sexuality and how it relates to adults? As much as I would like to, it is impossible to provide personal anecdotes about female sexuality and man-girl interaction, so I will leave that to our GL friends. However, I can and will talk about my experience as a BL during my days of relative absence from our community.

During my hiatus, I worked jobs where I interacted with thousands of boys in a country that totally ignores non-contact BLs, but doesn't let you fuck around quite the way that, say, 1980s Thailand apparently did. As a fairly normal-looking man, of healthy weight and neither beautiful nor grotesque, I had situations where I unfortunately had to decline offers, that I had not encouraged, from wild-natured boys who were interested in sexual experimentation. It is very frustrating to have to do this, and I cast zero judgment on those who take whatever opportunity comes. There's nothing worse than having to pull your hand away when a sex-crazed 12 year old boy, straight nonetheless, tries to put your hand on his crotch because he's curious. Most boys do not behave like this with adults, but some do.

These boys are the natural ally and playmate of BLs, amused and unharmed by the games they seek to incite. They are also our greatest danger. The problem with wild boys is that their madness isn't restricted to gender-indifferent precociousness. It permeates every essence of their being, and this includes their willingness to broadcast their not-so-private lives to their parents, teachers, counselors, gaming buddies, local beggars, jealous priests, and anyone else they may know. In a sane world, nobody would care and this wouldn't matter, but that is not the kind of world we inhabit. We live in a world where simply saying "OK" can be a death sentence, where you are painted as an actual rapist, beaten up by murderers in prison because you are 'worse' than them. Actions like giving a 15 year old boy a blowjob are enough to trigger this reaction.

This is a world in which the only acceptable targets of outright abuse are MAPs, and any intimate expressions between us and minors are instantly problematized, treated as rape regardless of circumstance. Defenders of this approach will insist that they are just trying to protect children. They will say that children cannot consent because children cannot consent. I've never seen a convincing explanation that is not entirely circular in nature. An immense library of ''poor quality'' research will support claims that AMSC is inherently harmful, but better quality research suggests that AMSC is not inherently harmful, or at least no more so than AASC or MMSC.

==The Hunt==

The reality behind our detractors' motivations is not as they state. We are subject to laws that criminalize what we view, even when the images are generated entirely by AI. We have to use complex security tools to avoid harassment from the authorities, and even this may not be enough. It was recently revealed that the German, American, British and Brazilian governments spent millions on a Tor de-anonymization project with the sole intent of identifying people simply visiting websites offering PIM (Prohibited Images of Minors). Merely accessing the websites, even if you only view the legal material they reportedly offer, is enough to justify a raid in some jurisdictions. Meanwhile, European police, desperate to prevent their jobs being made harder and willing to invade the privacy of the European public, recently argued for a prohibition on end-to-end encryption for everyone in the EU; not to prevent children being raped, but so that they could identify "individuals with a sexual interest in children."

You really don't have to do anything illegal to be hunted by the police, despite the endless barrage of laws their governments rain down on us. Realistically, the worst countries would criminalize simply being attracted to children if they had any hope of covering the costs of imprisoning the entirety of our community. It's also convenient, of course, that they are able to use us as pathetic pawns for their own ends whenever convenient. Other than 'dirty Muslims', we're the easiest group for them to exploit. This should be no comfort, however; it works because the reality is that the world hates MAPs for who we are, no matter what we do, and gullible people will sacrifice their privacy for the sake of sadistically ending the free life of anybody attracted to children.

==The Push==

Despite the ways in which we are relentlessly hunted and hounded, access to mental health support, for MAPs, is very challenging. In most countries, telling a psychologist that you're attracted to children feels like an absolute no-go. This necessitates a complex performative dance around the issues for any MAP needing therapy, leaving most unwilling to go a psychologist and seek treatment for any issue, including dangerous feelings of anger toward society or the inability to control their sexual urges. The work of B4U-Act is extremely helpful in this regard, and they maintain a list of recommended therapists. However, their work is confined to North America, doing nothing to help MAPs in other parts of the world, much of which is also incredibly hostile toward MAPs.

I know of two men who experienced mental health crises recently, visitors to a peer support chat, who went on to engage in dangerous and somewhat unethical activities because they felt they would never be happy otherwise. It was inevitable that they would be caught, and I think they knew it. It was more or less a slow suicide of indifference. One of those men is now dead; society might as well have pushed him off the ledge. The other man is now in the system, his family in extreme distress. With proper mental health support, might their outcomes have been different?

Additionally, we need to think about the rock that many people have to fall on when faced with severe distress. ''Friends and family''. Many MAPs, due to the evil of ''The Hunt'', don't even feel able to be open with those who would otherwise be close to them. There really is nowhere to go for MAPs who are understandably afraid of confiding in friends and family. These people often have no real connection with ''anyone''. Being completely isolated from the world, with nobody to rely on and nothing to lose, society can quickly end up with very dangerous men made out of those who would be saints.

MAPs are at serious risk if we engage in sexual contact with sexually curious teenagers, despite the applicable laws being co-opted as something they were never supposed to be. We are at risk if we view any imagery of minors in a slightly sexual, naked, or posed situation, even if the imagery was created entirely by AI. We are not able to get access to mental health support safely, even if we are highly distressed and a danger to ourselves or others. Confiding in friends and family is also much harder than it would be for virtually any other group in the world. There is, for many of us, no alternative to living in a state of depression, committing suicide or self-harm, or resorting to potentially harmful behavior in which we would otherwise never engage.

This is what I call ''The Push''. It describes the way that society is ''pushing'' MAPs to engage in harmful behavior that they would not engage in given ethical treatment from legislators, law enforcement agencies, mental health professionals, prison officials, and society in general. It leads, or will ultimately lead, toward an inevitable conclusion of rape, incarceration, death, and destruction.

With nowhere to go, most BLs, despite the fleeting depravity of curious young boys, accept loneliness, despair, and sexual frustration. Some BLs are understandably unwilling to accept this, and some of these people go on to seek relationships with quieter boys, acknowledging that they are a 'safer option' more willing to keep secrets. This is not because these BLs are sociopaths who hate children; they genuinely love these boys, and ultimately engage in consensual AMSC when the boys reciprocate their love, which is a frequent occurrence. Unfortunately, these boys don't wear their heart on their sleeve quite like the crazy, 'dirty', 'perverted', outgoing boys that would seek AMSC with their adult friends. They have a richer inner life than most people give them credit for, and they have a tendency to ponder that can quickly lead to negative thinking and self-hate. Emotionally vulnerable and easily influenced by wider society, these boys may later feel harmed by their encounter due to society's archaic conservative messaging about AMSC, even if the sexual contact itself was not innately harmful. The end result is a highly distressed child and imprisonment for the BL. Beyond the obvious moral issues, which I do not deny, seeking out AMSC with the quieter boys is a tempting but poor alternative for both the adult and the minor. Are the BLs who seek these relationships evil people who don't care about boys? I say no. With a logical AoC of 12 or so, plus additional protections to prevent outright exploitation, most active BLs would not seek out sexual contact with those boys. So why do some do it? They are subjected to ''The Push''.

Another thing that I consider harmful is 'capping'. According to reports from darkweb enthusiasts, and media reports that I would be less inclined to trust, there has been a massive explosion in men pretending to be girls, tricking boys into sexual activity on camera, and then sharing these videos online. Even though I am in favor of the legalization of PIM possession, it has to be said that manipulating boys like this, sometimes even threatening them with exposure if they don't send more videos and images, is utterly deplorable behavior that could cause massive distress to the boys. Are BLs inherently evil for engaging in and supporting these evil actions? I say no. If PIM were legal to possess, and an authorized, moderated website like Pornhub were allowed to distribute old PIM, the vast majority of MAPs would never end up on the darkweb, the 'cappers' would not receive the adulation that drives them, and these boys would not be victimized. Why does it happen the way it does? BLs are ''pushed'' to the darkweb and its highly questionable interactions.

Finally, without the confidence to trust regular friends and family, many MAPs are pushed to rely on peers for support, instead of engaging with a wider group of people and developing a balanced range of views. Although the MAP community has a much wider range of views than people give us credit for, the push to rely on a single community for one's entire social life is a fairly serious incitement to the development of extreme views. Online communities of any kind, no matter their target audience, have a tendency to push members toward a more singular and extreme form of behavior.

==The Future==

I predict a very dark future if there are no significant changes in how MAPs are treated.

The state of affairs for MAPs and minors is horrific, and I find it absolutely remarkable that there are so few cases of attempted MAP-led violence like the one reported in the news last month. In its treatment of MAPs, society breaks every rule in the book when it comes to not pushing people toward extremism, most notably in how it does its level best to leave so many of us with nowhere to go, nobody to rely on, and nothing to lose. ''The Push'' does so much damage to MAPs, to their friends and families who deal with their incarceration, despair, and suicide, and to the minors who are victimized when they otherwise would not have been harmed. Many publicly registered sex offenders, in particular, have few reasons to live; their lives are made intentionally difficult, torturous in fact, and I can't fathom how we are not seeing more cases of them violently exploding.

Eventually, I believe that as ''The Push'' continues and becomes more extreme, we will see many cases of violence from MAPs; shootings, stabbings, and even bombs. I suspect we are also likely to see violence from minor (or former minor) victims who have been harmed by ''The Push''. As a returning MAP activist, I really hope things don't go that way, for the sake of boys and the many random members of the public who may be harmed as collateral damage. There are some excellent activists within our community who are making progress peacefully; we now have allies in the academic and mental health community, even if some people do call them 'cunts' and tell them to fuck off when they post on our boards. A new activist project will be starting soon, and we will mix academic engagement with tactful ragebait and media manipulation. Nonetheless, the activists like myself who engage in peaceful activism are but a tiny portion of the MAP community, and we have no control over what others do. I really hope that society will start to choose engagement instead of persecution, to prevent the worsening of what is already a terrible situation heading for absolute disaster. ''The Push'' is a very dangerous thing.

[[Category:Essays]][[Category:BLueRibbon's Essays]]

Essay:Pro-Reform: The Rational Middle Ground

2024-06-16T12:00:22Z

BLueRibbon: Created page with "<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''Pro-Reform: The Rational Middle Ground''' 16/06/24 ◆ '''BLueRibbon''' ''Includes thoughts and minor additions from '''Fragment'''.'' Legend: '''AMSC''' = "Adult-Minor Sexual Contact", '''PIM''' = "Prohibited Images of Minors". '''Author Foreword''': As a teenager attracted to pre-pubescent boys, ''BLueRibbon'' was one of the original advocates of the ''non-offending pedophile'' position, now reinterprete..."

<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''Pro-Reform: The Rational Middle Ground'''

16/06/24 ◆ '''BLueRibbon'''

''Includes thoughts and minor additions from '''Fragment'''.''

Legend: '''AMSC''' = "Adult-Minor Sexual Contact", '''PIM''' = "Prohibited Images of Minors".

'''Author Foreword''': As a teenager attracted to pre-pubescent boys, ''BLueRibbon'' was one of the original advocates of the ''non-offending pedophile'' position, now reinterpreted as 'NOMAP' activism. During his childhood, he possessed very strict interpersonal boundaries and disliked any kind of physical contact. Through this lens, the anti-contact position seemed logical. Now an adult approaching middle age, who has worked with thousands of boys and observed the reality of boyhood, he realizes that although his experience of childhood correlated with the claims made by those opposed to AMSC, his experience did not align with that of most children. In this essay, the author acknowledges the importance of the work done by NOMAP activists, highlights the limitations of the NOMAP position in the third wave of MAP activism, and proposes the '''Pro-Reform position''' as a rational and agreeable framework for both 'pro-contact' and 'anti-contact' activists.

<hr>

===The Birth of NOMAP Advocacy===

''Non-offending pedophile''. ''NOMAP''. ''Anti-C''. ''Virtuous Pedophile''. ''Gold Star Pedophile''. Prior to 2006, these were concepts that did not exist. In the second wave of what is now known as MAP activism, a number of people associated with the [[AttractedToChildren.org|ANU/ATC blog]], led by myself, pushed the concept of the ''non-offending pedophile'' and ''non-contact pedophile'' incredibly hard. In addition to posting articles on our own websites, we submitted comments to various forums, blogs, online newspapers, and traditional social media platforms like ''Slashdot''. We participated in protracted editing wars on Wikipedia and Wikia. We engaged to a small degree with the mainstream media, limited by the need for anonymity. Back then, the idea of a ''non-offending pedophile'' was a very radical concept, and we received a barrage of hate and abuse.

''Virtuous Pedophiles'' did a much better job of publicizing the main idea that we were trying to convey: ''being attracted to children'' and ''having sex with children'' are not the same thing. Meanwhile, B4U-Act worked quietly to persuade mental health professionals of this distinction while working to improve academic understanding, research, and access to mental health support. I understand that various other groups sprang up and faded away while I was busy with other pursuits.

These days, there is still a lot of resistance to the concept of MAPs as non-offenders or victims, but there is also a lot of support. There are many articles condemning MAPs, yet even generic pro-establishment news organizations like the BBC have published articles about non-offending MAPs. Some of the most upvoted comments in discussions about 'MAPs' or 'pedophiles' on major social media platform ''Reddit'' are supportive of MAPs who do not act on their feelings. This is progress, but the victories come with caveats, and we are close to reaching the limitations of what has been a very successful model so far.

===Limitations of the NOMAP Model===

One of the most common complaints from detractors in discussions about non-offending MAPs is that, to be considered a 'safe and proper' member of society, the MAP should at least do something about their feelings by 'getting help'. Some of these adversaries acknowledge that it is extremely hard for MAPs to 'get help', but many think it is an MAP's responsibility regardless of the risk. Unfortunately, there are still a significant number of people who label our sexual orientation a treatable mental illness, despite the absence of evidence to support that a sexual attraction to any demographic can ever be 'cured'.

Many of our detractors believe that, without treatment, we will all eventually act on our feelings, and that we will cause harm by doing so, either through the use of PIM or by engaging in AMSC. While it is not correct that PIM always depict AMSC, and the argument that every instance of ''viewing'' AMSC contributes to the abuse of a child is incredibly illogical in itself, all arguments against PIM (except for religious nonsense) have absolutely no basis if we can successfully argue that AMSC is not inherently harmful. Of more importance, if AMSC were accepted as a potentially positive experience, much like AASC and MMSC, the argument that non-offenders are nothing better than ticking time bombs would be of no use either. In fact, the 'ticking time bomb' argument could only be used to ''support'' [[Essay:The_Push|my argument that MAPs should not be pushed]] into dangerous behavior by unnecessarily harsh social and legal structures.

Every argument against non-contact MAPs is predicated on the belief that 'pro-contact' MAPs are fighting against: the idea that AMSC is harmful. And with their staunch position against AMSC, NOMAPs are now at a point where the inflexibility of their position is shooting themselves in the foot. The anti-contact lobby needs to adopt a more moderate position.

===Pro-Reform Advocacy===

'Pro-Reform' advocacy is moderate. It is not about going out and penetrating a 5 year old, nor do many of its supporters think that would be a decent thing to do. In fact, due to the ''possible risk'' of secondary harm, the position grudgingly does not even advocate AMSC with minors that would be inherently mature enough to give appreciable consent. However, Pro-Reform expresses the premise that the broad condemnation of AMSC in itself, without considering all of the circumstances, is absurd. A lot depends on the nature of the acts and the minor's age. Pro-Reformists believe that many instances of AMSC are not terrible acts of abuse. We would point out that there is some agreement from wider society, too; most regular men would laugh at the sheer luck of a 14 year old boy receiving a blow job from an attractive young woman. Pro-Reformists additionally argue that not all cases of AMSC do actually lead to secondary harm, but do not deny that there is ''some'' risk.

The Pro-Reform position is all about balance. The ''moderate'' arguments it puts forward act as a bridge between 'Anti-Contact' and 'Pro-Contact'. Some ideas are not dissimilar to views expressed by anti-contact golden boy ''Ethan Edwards'', but they are also not in contradiction with the sex-positive messaging of the pro-contact lobby. In addition, the Pro-Reform position is named in such a way that it makes the very important distinction between seeking significant legal reforms and encouraging supporters to engage in illegal activity. Much like the separation of 'MAP' and 'child molester' endorsed with a degree of success by NOMAP activists, the very clear delineation of our viewpoints and our actions is crucial, making condemnation of our demands for legal reform significantly more challenging.

Pro-reformists would ideally like to bring the questioning anti-contacters on board, and we believe they may be hiding in unlikely places. The famously anti-contact ''Virtous Pedophiles'' made a name for itself as the quintessential anti-contact organization, but the personally expressed views of one its founders are very much ''questioning'' in nature and somewhat in line with the arguments of moderately 'pro-contact' MAPs. One of its co-founders, Ethan Edwards, [https://celibatepedos.virped.org/archives/74-How-things-change-when-the-girl-is-13-instead-of-8.html argued in 2015] that perhaps the age of consent should be set at 13 with additional protections for older minors. He even questioned the likelihood of secondary harm, the most realistic argument against AMSC in present society. The general take-away from his essay was that although it ''could'' be harmful for adults to engage in AMSC with teenagers, ''and so they shouldn't do it'', the harm was often derived more from social structures and sociolegal consequences, rather than AMSC with teenagers being inherently wrong. Doesn't that sound like the argument of a grounded, realistic ''pro-contact'' activist?

===Proposed Legal Reforms===

The following positions are proposed as calm and rational, desirable while remaining somewhat palatable, and agreeably moderate to most members of the MAP activist community.

====Age of Consent====

* '''Age of Consent of 12 + Additional Protections'''

Internationally, the Age of Consent was historically set at 10, 12, or 'puberty', to prevent adults engaging in sexual contact with very young children. It was never supposed to apply to teenagers, who are undeniably sexual by nature. It was only set higher than ''puberty'' to prevent commercial exploitation in the appalling conditions of 19th century London, before being adopted and exported by the same puritanical movement that led to the American Prohibition.

In ''[[Essay:The Push|The Push]]'', I argued that instead of ''protecting children'', setting the AoC so high only increases the risk of harm from AMSC. With such a high AoC, MAPs who choose to be sexually active have no legal outlet and are encouraged to prioritize sexual relationships with minors who are most likely to 'keep quiet', instead of minors who are most interested in sex with an adult and least likely to suffer from harm. If the age of consent were set at 12, with additional protections for 12-15 year olds against coercion and exploitation (similar to laws in place in the Netherlands as recently as the 2000s), this push toward AMSC with a greater likelihood of harm would be eliminated. Instead, sexually active MAPs would be encouraged to engage in AMSC with older children who have some desire for a sexual experience with an older partner.

The balanced nature of the proposal is important. Advocating a lower age of consent would not allow us to use the argument that our suggestion applied to adult-pubescent sexual contact only. However advocating a higher age of consent would put adult-minor relationships outside the reach of many MAPs; many pedophiles have an upper attraction to 12 and 13 year olds, that fades quickly at 14 years and older. In addition to being of little use from the perspective of a reformist, it would also damage our arguments against MAPs being inherent 'ticking time bombs' and the need to avoid ''The Push''.

====Prohibited Images of Minors====

* '''Legalization of Simple Possession of PIM'''

Advocating the legalization of the simple possession of PIM should be an absolute minimum for any moderate position. It comes from a place of pure logic. It is a rejection of the emotionally charged and nonsensical argument that 'a child is harmed every time their image is viewed'; nobody has ever been able to explain a mechanism for this. Furthermore, it refuses to accept the strange belief that PIM is harmful due to supply and demand economics, noting that this cannot logically apply to PIM which has essentially been pirated. In a reflection of the potential harm caused by financial support of hardcore PIM production, we could support proportionate laws and penalties to be applied to those who purchase PIM in cases where a minor has clearly been harmed in the production. However, these penalties should be minor and non-custodial in recognition of the incredibly small part played by each individual purchaser.

We need to argue that, as regards PIM, the expectations placed on MAPs are extreme and unrealistic. It is unreasonable for society to expect MAPs to not view pirated PIM, and extreme expectations such as these push a small number of MAPs to a mental state in which they pursue more problematic outlets for their sexual needs, as outlined in my aforementioned essay. Coupled with the scarcity of safe access to professional mental health support, criminalization of the use of pirated PIM creates a dangerous situation in which a small number of MAPs feel they will be prosecuted or driven to suicide no matter which outlet they choose, significantly increasing the risk of potentially harmful behavior.

* '''No Laws Against Artificially-Generated PIM'''

Generative AI programs can generate images entirely from text prompts, without the need for sexual images of real children at any stage of the production process. During the entire production and distribution process, there is no point at which any child could ever have been harmed, because the process is entirely artificial. MAPs using these programs to generate artificial PIM have reported difficulties in reproducing children's genitalia precisely because images of real children in pornographic situations were not used in the images on which the AI was trained.

Despite the realities of the technology, photo-realistic and animated representations of minors are criminalized in many jurisdictions. Decriminalizing these images would offer a legal outlet for MAPs, thereby offering a safe alternative to real PIM and making the production of real images of children significantly less desirable. There is no valid child protection justification for the criminalization of entirely fictitious images.

===Discussion on Social Reforms===

In addition to the proposed legal reforms, pro-reformists should continue the work of anti-contact and pro-contact activists in combating social stigma, pushing for access to mental health support, supporting an improvement in sexual education for minors, and arguing for the humanistic treatment of ex-offenders.

* '''Minor-Attraction is Not Rape'''

The Pro-Reform framework has the benefit of arguing that many MAPs do not engage in AMSC, while ''also'' arguing that if this were to happen, it would not necessarily be harmful. Advocating an appropriate age of consent of ''12 with protections'', and stating that such acts are not necessarily harmful, allows us to fight back against claims that MAPs are dangerous because we ''may'' act on our feelings. It is a good response to common retorts like, "I constantly fantasize about murdering people but I'd never do it. Please understand me!" However, the moderacy of pro-reform arguments separates us from extreme age of consent abolitionists who would simply be laughed at and ignored entirely.

* '''Mental Health Access'''

Difficulty in accessing mental health support is a major issue in our community. Pro-Reformists should support the efforts of contact-neutral organization ''B4U-Act'' in working to improve professional understanding of MAPs and access to therapy that does not seek to 'convert' our sexual orientation. We should engage with legitimate researchers who identify themselves appropriately and do not have obviously sinister motivations.

* '''Humanist Treatment of Convicted Sex Offenders'''

One of the major consequences of being convicted of sexual offenses is not the sentence itself, but the difficulty of rebuilding one's life with such a conviction on record. Among the issues faced by ex-offenders after release are access to housing, employment, and mental health support. Along with a greater social support framework for all vulnerable people, ex-offenders should be provided with social support in these areas by redirecting funds spent on 'negatives' like military pursuits and long-term imprisonment, by taxing organized religion, and by decriminalizing and taxing softer recreational drugs.

* '''Improving Sexual Education'''

While setting an age of consent at ''12 with protections'', it would also be sensible to advocate for age appropriate sex and relationship education to occur during the upper years of elementary school so minors are suitably informed about sex before reaching the age of consent. Having a stronger knowledge base would make arguments about informed consent less persuasive and allow youth to better exercise their agency and autonomy.

===The Benefit of Avoiding Dystonia===

In addition to the benefits of the Pro-Reform position from an activist perspective, the relatively sex-positive nature of Pro-Reform offers mental health benefits to the community when compared to the anti-contact position.

It was pointed out to be, by an individual who read my previous essay and the foundations of this one, that the anti-contact position adopted by many young MAPs is awfully dystonic. Young MAPs are told that what they desire is wrong, to avoid children in case they commit a terrible act, and that masturbating to certain images of children is more or less a disease. They regularly internalize these messages.

For some people, acceptance of the negative messaging could make the commission of illegal behavior a self-fulfilling prophecy, leading them to engage in such acts even when they otherwise would not have done. Even if this doesn't happen, the dystonia caused by the negative messaging could lead to mental health issues that increase the risk of the person engaging in harmful behavior, either directed at minors or expressed through acts of violence or self-harm.

Anti-contact activists frequently focus on mental health issues, but we cannot really improve the mental health of our community until we get as many people as possible to accept that what they desire is not always inherently wrong. The balanced sex-positivity of Pro-Reform is a useful antidote to this issue, without having an off-putting extremism that alienates younger individuals.

===Conclusion===

The divisions within our community are pronounced. The anti-contact position offers little more in the way of future progress, and actively spreads dystonic messaging to impressionable young MAPs. To solve these issues, it must adopt ''some'' of the sex positivity of the pro-contact position. However, the traditional pro-contact positions of ''total age of consent abolitionism'' and decriminalization of real PIM ''production'' go too far to ever be taken seriously. Pro-Reform offers a very reasonable middle ground between the two positions. It is a useful framework for MAP activism, with demands that would improve our lives and have some hope of acceptance in the future.

[[Category:Essays]][[Category:BLueRibbon's Essays]]

Essay:The Push

2024-05-30T16:28:42Z

BLueRibbon:

<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''The Push.'''

23/05/24 ◆ '''BLueRibbon'''

Legend: '''MAP''' = "Minor-Attracted Person", '''AMSC''' = "Adult-Minor Sexual Contact", '''PIM''' = "Prohibited Images of Minors".

<hr>

My first essay on MAP issues since 2010 is about the extremely dangerous concept I call "''The Push''". Unpolished and meandering, the essay's main purpose is to describe how everyone is ultimately harmed or endangered by the relentless and unnecessary hunt of MAPs, the attempts to criminalize every possible outlet available to us, and the poor availability of mental health support for our community.

==The Case==

There was a case in the news perhaps a month ago. A former marine in the US showed up to have sex with two little girls, armed with a gun, and was executed by the mob in blue. Some MAPs interpreted the gun as a tool of self-defense. Others thought it was suicide by cop. My interpretation was that the man knew it was ''probably'' a sting, but was willing to go down shooting for some chance of ''either'' having sex with a child ''or'' gaining retribution for the horrific persecution to which MAPs are shamelessly subjected.

Should the man have been willing to have sex with two little girls being sold by their parents? Probably not. I am very much in favor of reforming the laws that outright prohibit AMSC (Adult-Minor Sexual Contact) with no regard for the circumstances, but paying a parent to have sex with their children sounds like a very real kind of ''bad touch''. There are healthy adult-minor relationships, including sexual ones, and there are acts of evil, and there are many shades of grey. But even that is an oversimplification of a man's actions, a misguided focus on the nature of the acts themselves and an ignorance of their origins.

==The Contradiction==

I believe that minors can give meaningful consent to sex with adults, with a caveat that may disappoint the extremists within our community: I also partially agree with wider society that minors are more vulnerable to exploitation than most adults. However, I firmly disagree with the absolute singling out of minors - ''up to ages as high as 21'' - as helpless subjects of abuse, and with the nonsensical juxtaposition of the ''lack of protection afforded to vulnerable adults'' and the ''insane paranoia surrounding any perceived threat to minors''.

I believe that minors are similarly vulnerable to women from poor countries, many of whom are horribly exploited in brothels in western countries, and at high risk of mistreatment in their home countries too. However, instead of prohibiting sex with poor women (which would be ridiculous!), we judge sex with adults on a case by case basis. Or at least we should. In reality, some adults don't even enjoy the most ''basic'' of protections, while ''all'' AMSC is deemed sexual violence. The abuse of adults is allowed to occur right out in the open in many cases, especially when the victims are of certain classes such as 'male', or 'immigrant', or whomever else the police decide they aren't willing to help.

Consider Amsterdam as an example. It is a beautiful city that used to be considered 'cool', but the red lights for which it's known haven't been cool for quite some time. The women sold like slabs of meat there are not perky Dutch girls making money to buy a designer handbag. They are victims of human trafficking, tricked away from their home countries by gangsters and put on display, subject to what is more or less rape in full view of the public, while the Netherlands' righteous government throws MAP activists in prison for advocating discussion over the age of consent.

Actual rape of immigrant women? "Fine."

Talking about whether a law is morally just? "Prison!"

==The Backstory==

Why is that discussion so controversial? We know that teenagers are not asexual; it's not even a matter of debate. The idea that sex with teenagers is inherently wrong is actually a construction of 19th century laws intended to combat the awful abuse of women and young girls in the sex trade. The very first law criminalizing sex wtih teenagers was enacted in response to the behavior of men likely ''not'' primarily attracted to minors, but by opportunists in the deepest depths of Dickensian London. Ethical AMSC with pubescents was never really supposed to be punished; the 'original' law to raise the age of consent above 12 years old was created to give the authorities a way to easily crack down on the rampant prostitution of teenage girls in what was an awful time to be anything but a rich, straight, white man.

That law, perhaps a necessary sledgehammer to eliminate some of the very real horrors of 19th century London, should have been nothing but a temporary measure. Instead, it was used as fuel for the campaigns of American puritans, who co-opted it for their campaign of righteousness. Much like religious leaders brainwash their congregations into believing the most absurd concoctions imaginable, the moral crusaders of depression-era America were somehow able to persuade enough people that sex with teenagers was morally wrong in itself, and so an imported law that was never meant to be interpreted very strictly was inexplicably adopted as a moral standard. While unpopular ideas such as the prohibition of alcohol failed to persist, thanks to the universal love of liquor, the ''equally unrealistic'' idea of abstinent teens was spread across the globe, bit by bit, for reasons that are not entirely clear to anyone.

==The Reality==

What is the reality of minor sexuality and how it relates to adults? As much as I would like to, it is impossible to provide personal anecdotes about female sexuality and man-girl interaction, so I will leave that to our GL friends. However, I can and will talk about my experience as a BL during my days of relative absence from our community.

During my hiatus, I worked jobs where I interacted with thousands of boys in a country that totally ignores non-contact BLs, but doesn't let you fuck around quite the way that, say, 1980s Thailand apparently did. As a fairly normal-looking man, of healthy weight and neither beautiful nor grotesque, I had situations where I unfortunately had to decline offers, that I had not encouraged, from wild-natured boys who were interested in sexual experimentation. It is very frustrating to have to do this, and I cast zero judgment on those who take whatever opportunity comes. There's nothing worse than having to pull your hand away when a sex-crazed 12 year old boy, straight nonetheless, tries to put your hand on his crotch because he's curious. Most boys do not behave like this with adults, but some do.

These boys are the natural ally and playmate of BLs, amused and unharmed by the games they seek to incite. They are also our greatest danger. The problem with wild boys is that their madness isn't restricted to gender-indifferent precociousness. It permeates every essence of their being, and this includes their willingness to broadcast their not-so-private lives to their parents, teachers, counselors, gaming buddies, local beggars, jealous priests, and anyone else they may know. In a sane world, nobody would care and this wouldn't matter, but that is not the kind of world we inhabit. We live in a world where simply saying "OK" can be a death sentence, where you are painted as an actual rapist, beaten up by murderers in prison because you are 'worse' than them. Actions like giving a 15 year old boy a blowjob are enough to trigger this reaction.

This is a world in which the only acceptable targets of outright abuse are MAPs, and any intimate expressions between us and minors are instantly problematized, treated as rape regardless of circumstance. Defenders of this approach will insist that they are just trying to protect children. They will say that children cannot consent because children cannot consent. I've never seen a convincing explanation that is not entirely circular in nature. An immense library of ''poor quality'' research will support claims that AMSC is inherently harmful, but better quality research suggests that AMSC is not inherently harmful, or at least no more so than AASC or MMSC.

==The Hunt==

The reality behind our detractors' motivations is not as they state. We are subject to laws that criminalize what we view, even when the images are generated entirely by AI. We have to use complex security tools to avoid harassment from the authorities, and even this may not be enough. It was recently revealed that the German, American, British and Brazilian governments spent millions on a Tor de-anonymization project with the sole intent of identifying people simply visiting websites offering PIM (Prohibited Images of Minors). Merely accessing the websites, even if you only view the legal material they reportedly offer, is enough to justify a raid in some jurisdictions. Meanwhile, European police, desperate to prevent their jobs being made harder and willing to invade the privacy of the European public, recently argued for a prohibition on end-to-end encryption for everyone in the EU; not to prevent children being raped, but so that they could identify "individuals with a sexual interest in children."

You really don't have to do anything illegal to be hunted by the police, despite the endless barrage of laws their governments rain down on us. Realistically, the worst countries would criminalize simply being attracted to children if they had any hope of covering the costs of imprisoning the entirety of our community. It's also convenient, of course, that they are able to use us as pathetic pawns for their own ends whenever convenient. Other than 'dirty Muslims', we're the easiest group for them to exploit. This should be no comfort, however; it works because the reality is that the world hates MAPs for who we are, no matter what we do, and gullible people will sacrifice their privacy for the sake of sadistically ending the free life of anybody attracted to children.

==The Push==

Despite the ways in which we are relentlessly hunted and hounded, access to mental health support, for MAPs, is very challenging. In most countries, telling a psychologist that you're attracted to children feels like an absolute no-go. This necessitates a complex performative dance around the issues for any MAP needing therapy, leaving most unwilling to go a psychologist and seek treatment for any issue, including dangerous feelings of anger toward society or the inability to control their sexual urges. The work of B4U-Act is extremely helpful in this regard, and they maintain a list of recommended therapists. However, their work is confined to North America, doing nothing to help MAPs in other parts of the world, much of which is also incredibly hostile toward MAPs.

I know of two men who experienced mental health crises recently, visitors to a peer support chat, who went on to engage in dangerous and somewhat unethical activities because they felt they would never be happy otherwise. It was inevitable that they would be caught, and I think they knew it. It was more or less a slow suicide of indifference. One of those men is now dead; society might as well have pushed him off the ledge. The other man is now in the system, his family in extreme distress. With proper mental health support, might their outcomes have been different?

Additionally, we need to think about the rock that many people have to fall on when faced with severe distress. ''Friends and family''. Many MAPs, due to the evil of ''The Hunt'', don't even feel able to be open with those who would otherwise be close to them. There really is nowhere to go for MAPs who are understandably afraid of confiding in friends and family. These people often have no real connection with ''anyone''. Being completely isolated from the world, with nobody to rely on and nothing to lose, society can quickly end up with very dangerous men made out of those who would be saints.

MAPs are at serious risk if we engage in sexual contact with sexually curious teenagers, despite the applicable laws being co-opted as something they were never supposed to be. We are at risk if we view any imagery of minors in a slightly sexual, naked, or posed situation, even if the imagery was created entirely by AI. We are not able to get access to mental health support safely, even if we are highly distressed and a danger to ourselves or others. Confiding in friends and family is also much harder than it would be for virtually any other group in the world. There is, for many of us, no alternative to living in a state of depression, committing suicide or self-harm, or resorting to potentially harmful behavior in which we would otherwise never engage.

This is what I call ''The Push''. It describes the way that society is ''pushing'' MAPs to engage in harmful behavior that they would not engage in given ethical treatment from legislators, law enforcement agencies, mental health professionals, prison officials, and society in general. It leads, or will ultimately lead, toward an inevitable conclusion of rape, incarceration, death, and destruction.

With nowhere to go, most BLs, despite the fleeting depravity of curious young boys, accept loneliness, despair, and sexual frustration. Some BLs are understandably unwilling to accept this, and some of these people go on to seek relationships with quieter boys, acknowledging that they are a 'safer option' more willing to keep secrets. This is not because these BLs are sociopaths who hate children; they genuinely love these boys, and ultimately engage in consensual AMSC when the boys reciprocate their love, which is a frequent occurrence. Unfortunately, these boys don't wear their heart on their sleeve quite like the crazy, 'dirty', 'perverted', outgoing boys that would seek AMSC with their adult friends. They have a richer inner life than most people give them credit for, and they have a tendency to ponder that can quickly lead to negative thinking and self-hate. Emotionally vulnerable and easily influenced by wider society, these boys may later feel harmed by their encounter due to society's archaic conservative messaging about AMSC, even if the sexual contact itself was not innately harmful. The end result is a highly distressed child and imprisonment for the BL. Beyond the obvious moral issues, which I do not deny, seeking out AMSC with the quieter boys is a tempting but poor alternative for both the adult and the minor. Are the BLs who seek these relationships evil people who don't care about boys? I say no. With a logical AoC of 12 or so, plus additional protections to prevent outright exploitation, most active BLs would not seek out sexual contact with those boys. So why do some do it? They are subjected to ''The Push''.

Another thing that I consider harmful is 'capping'. According to reports from darkweb enthusiasts, and media reports that I would be less inclined to trust, there has been a massive explosion in men pretending to be girls, tricking boys into sexual activity on camera, and then sharing these videos online. Even though I am in favor of the legalization of PIM possession, it has to be said that manipulating boys like this, sometimes even threatening them with exposure if they don't send more videos and images, is utterly deplorable behavior that could cause massive distress to the boys. Are BLs inherently evil for engaging in and supporting these evil actions? I say no. If PIM were legal to possess, and an authorized, moderated website like Pornhub were allowed to distribute old PIM, the vast majority of MAPs would never end up on the darkweb, the 'cappers' would not receive the adulation that drives them, and these boys would not be victimized. Why does it happen the way it does? BLs are ''pushed'' to the darkweb and its highly questionable interactions.

Finally, without the confidence to trust regular friends and family, many MAPs are pushed to rely on peers for support, instead of engaging with a wider group of people and developing a balanced range of views. Although the MAP community has a much wider range of views than people give us credit for, the push to rely on a single community for one's entire social life is a fairly serious incitement to the development of extreme views. Online communities of any kind, no matter their target audience, have a tendency to push members toward a more singular and extreme form of behavior.

==The Future==

I predict a very dark future if there are no significant changes in how MAPs are treated.

The state of affairs for MAPs and minors is horrific, and I find it absolutely remarkable that there are so few cases of attempted MAP-led violence like the one reported in the news last month. In its treatment of MAPs, society breaks every rule in the book when it comes to not pushing people toward extremism, most notably in how it does its level best to leave so many of us with nowhere to go, nobody to rely on, and nothing to lose. ''The Push'' does so much damage to MAPs, to their friends and families who deal with their incarceration, despair, and suicide, and to the minors who are victimized when they otherwise would not have been harmed. Many publicly registered sex offenders, in particular, have few reasons to live; their lives are made intentionally difficult, torturous in fact, and I can't fathom how we are not seeing more cases of them violently exploding.

Eventually, I believe that as ''The Push'' continues and becomes more extreme, we will see many cases of violence from MAPs; shootings, stabbings, and even bombs. I suspect we are also likely to see violence from minor (or former minor) victims who have been harmed by ''The Push''. As a returning MAP activist, I really hope things don't go that way, for the sake of boys and the many random members of the public who may be harmed as collateral damage. There are some excellent activists within our community who are making progress peacefully; we now have allies in the academic and mental health community, even if some people do call them 'cunts' and tell them to fuck off when they post on our boards. A new activist project will be starting soon, and we will mix academic engagement with tactful ragebait and media manipulation. Nonetheless, the activists like myself who engage in peaceful activism are but a tiny portion of the MAP community, and we have no control over what others do. I really hope that society will start to choose engagement instead of persecution, to prevent the worsening of what is already a terrible situation heading for absolute disaster. ''The Push'' is a very dangerous thing.

[[Category:Essays]][[Category:BLueRibbon's Essays]]

Essay:The Push

2024-05-30T16:27:09Z

BLueRibbon:

<div style="margin-left: 25px; float: right;">__TOC__</div>'''The Push.'''

23/05/24 ◆ '''BLueRibbon''' DRAFT

Legend: '''MAP''' = "Minor-Attracted Person", '''AMSC''' = "Adult-Minor Sexual Contact", '''PIM''' = "Prohibited Images of Minors".

<hr>

My first essay on MAP issues since 2010 is about the extremely dangerous concept I call "''The Push''". Unpolished and meandering, the essay's main purpose is to describe how everyone is ultimately harmed or endangered by the relentless and unnecessary hunt of MAPs, the attempts to criminalize every possible outlet available to us, and the poor availability of mental health support for our community.

==The Case==

There was a case in the news perhaps a month ago. A former marine in the US showed up to have sex with two little girls, armed with a gun, and was executed by the mob in blue. Some MAPs interpreted the gun as a tool of self-defense. Others thought it was suicide by cop. My interpretation was that the man knew it was ''probably'' a sting, but was willing to go down shooting for some chance of ''either'' having sex with a child ''or'' gaining retribution for the horrific persecution to which MAPs are shamelessly subjected.

Should the man have been willing to have sex with two little girls being sold by their parents? Probably not. I am very much in favor of reforming the laws that outright prohibit AMSC (Adult-Minor Sexual Contact) with no regard for the circumstances, but paying a parent to have sex with their children sounds like a very real kind of ''bad touch''. There are healthy adult-minor relationships, including sexual ones, and there are acts of evil, and there are many shades of grey. But even that is an oversimplification of a man's actions, a misguided focus on the nature of the acts themselves and an ignorance of their origins.

==The Contradiction==

I believe that minors can give meaningful consent to sex with adults, with a caveat that may disappoint the extremists within our community: I also partially agree with wider society that minors are more vulnerable to exploitation than most adults. However, I firmly disagree with the absolute singling out of minors - ''up to ages as high as 21'' - as helpless subjects of abuse, and with the nonsensical juxtaposition of the ''lack of protection afforded to vulnerable adults'' and the ''insane paranoia surrounding any perceived threat to minors''.

I believe that minors are similarly vulnerable to women from poor countries, many of whom are horribly exploited in brothels in western countries, and at high risk of mistreatment in their home countries too. However, instead of prohibiting sex with poor women (which would be ridiculous!), we judge sex with adults on a case by case basis. Or at least we should. In reality, some adults don't even enjoy the most ''basic'' of protections, while ''all'' AMSC is deemed sexual violence. The abuse of adults is allowed to occur right out in the open in many cases, especially when the victims are of certain classes such as 'male', or 'immigrant', or whomever else the police decide they aren't willing to help.

Consider Amsterdam as an example. It is a beautiful city that used to be considered 'cool', but the red lights for which it's known haven't been cool for quite some time. The women sold like slabs of meat there are not perky Dutch girls making money to buy a designer handbag. They are victims of human trafficking, tricked away from their home countries by gangsters and put on display, subject to what is more or less rape in full view of the public, while the Netherlands' righteous government throws MAP activists in prison for advocating discussion over the age of consent.

Actual rape of immigrant women? "Fine."

Talking about whether a law is morally just? "Prison!"

==The Backstory==

Why is that discussion so controversial? We know that teenagers are not asexual; it's not even a matter of debate. The idea that sex with teenagers is inherently wrong is actually a construction of 19th century laws intended to combat the awful abuse of women and young girls in the sex trade. The very first law criminalizing sex wtih teenagers was enacted in response to the behavior of men likely ''not'' primarily attracted to minors, but by opportunists in the deepest depths of Dickensian London. Ethical AMSC with pubescents was never really supposed to be punished; the 'original' law to raise the age of consent above 12 years old was created to give the authorities a way to easily crack down on the rampant prostitution of teenage girls in what was an awful time to be anything but a rich, straight, white man.

That law, perhaps a necessary sledgehammer to eliminate some of the very real horrors of 19th century London, should have been nothing but a temporary measure. Instead, it was used as fuel for the campaigns of American puritans, who co-opted it for their campaign of righteousness. Much like religious leaders brainwash their congregations into believing the most absurd concoctions imaginable, the moral crusaders of depression-era America were somehow able to persuade enough people that sex with teenagers was morally wrong in itself, and so an imported law that was never meant to be interpreted very strictly was inexplicably adopted as a moral standard. While unpopular ideas such as the prohibition of alcohol failed to persist, thanks to the universal love of liquor, the ''equally unrealistic'' idea of abstinent teens was spread across the globe, bit by bit, for reasons that are not entirely clear to anyone.

==The Reality==

What is the reality of minor sexuality and how it relates to adults? As much as I would like to, it is impossible to provide personal anecdotes about female sexuality and man-girl interaction, so I will leave that to our GL friends. However, I can and will talk about my experience as a BL during my days of relative absence from our community.

During my hiatus, I worked jobs where I interacted with thousands of boys in a country that totally ignores non-contact BLs, but doesn't let you fuck around quite the way that, say, 1980s Thailand apparently did. As a fairly normal-looking man, of healthy weight and neither beautiful nor grotesque, I had situations where I unfortunately had to decline offers, that I had not encouraged, from wild-natured boys who were interested in sexual experimentation. It is very frustrating to have to do this, and I cast zero judgment on those who take whatever opportunity comes. There's nothing worse than having to pull your hand away when a sex-crazed 12 year old boy, straight nonetheless, tries to put your hand on his crotch because he's curious. Most boys do not behave like this with adults, but some do.

These boys are the natural ally and playmate of BLs, amused and unharmed by the games they seek to incite. They are also our greatest danger. The problem with wild boys is that their madness isn't restricted to gender-indifferent precociousness. It permeates every essence of their being, and this includes their willingness to broadcast their not-so-private lives to their parents, teachers, counselors, gaming buddies, local beggars, jealous priests, and anyone else they may know. In a sane world, nobody would care and this wouldn't matter, but that is not the kind of world we inhabit. We live in a world where simply saying "OK" can be a death sentence, where you are painted as an actual rapist, beaten up by murderers in prison because you are 'worse' than them. Actions like giving a 15 year old boy a blowjob are enough to trigger this reaction.

This is a world in which the only acceptable targets of outright abuse are MAPs, and any intimate expressions between us and minors are instantly problematized, treated as rape regardless of circumstance. Defenders of this approach will insist that they are just trying to protect children. They will say that children cannot consent because children cannot consent. I've never seen a convincing explanation that is not entirely circular in nature. An immense library of ''poor quality'' research will support claims that AMSC is inherently harmful, but better quality research suggests that AMSC is not inherently harmful, or at least no more so than AASC or MMSC.

==The Hunt==

The reality behind our detractors' motivations is not as they state. We are subject to laws that criminalize what we view, even when the images are generated entirely by AI. We have to use complex security tools to avoid harassment from the authorities, and even this may not be enough. It was recently revealed that the German, American, British and Brazilian governments spent millions on a Tor de-anonymization project with the sole intent of identifying people simply visiting websites offering PIM (Prohibited Images of Minors). Merely accessing the websites, even if you only view the legal material they reportedly offer, is enough to justify a raid in some jurisdictions. Meanwhile, European police, desperate to prevent their jobs being made harder and willing to invade the privacy of the European public, recently argued for a prohibition on end-to-end encryption for everyone in the EU; not to prevent children being raped, but so that they could identify "individuals with a sexual interest in children."

You really don't have to do anything illegal to be hunted by the police, despite the endless barrage of laws their governments rain down on us. Realistically, the worst countries would criminalize simply being attracted to children if they had any hope of covering the costs of imprisoning the entirety of our community. It's also convenient, of course, that they are able to use us as pathetic pawns for their own ends whenever convenient. Other than 'dirty Muslims', we're the easiest group for them to exploit. This should be no comfort, however; it works because the reality is that the world hates MAPs for who we are, no matter what we do, and gullible people will sacrifice their privacy for the sake of sadistically ending the free life of anybody attracted to children.

==The Push==

Despite the ways in which we are relentlessly hunted and hounded, access to mental health support, for MAPs, is very challenging. In most countries, telling a psychologist that you're attracted to children feels like an absolute no-go. This necessitates a complex performative dance around the issues for any MAP needing therapy, leaving most unwilling to go a psychologist and seek treatment for any issue, including dangerous feelings of anger toward society or the inability to control their sexual urges. The work of B4U-Act is extremely helpful in this regard, and they maintain a list of recommended therapists. However, their work is confined to North America, doing nothing to help MAPs in other parts of the world, much of which is also incredibly hostile toward MAPs.

I know of two men who experienced mental health crises recently, visitors to a peer support chat, who went on to engage in dangerous and somewhat unethical activities because they felt they would never be happy otherwise. It was inevitable that they would be caught, and I think they knew it. It was more or less a slow suicide of indifference. One of those men is now dead; society might as well have pushed him off the ledge. The other man is now in the system, his family in extreme distress. With proper mental health support, might their outcomes have been different?

Additionally, we need to think about the rock that many people have to fall on when faced with severe distress. ''Friends and family''. Many MAPs, due to the evil of ''The Hunt'', don't even feel able to be open with those who would otherwise be close to them. There really is nowhere to go for MAPs who are understandably afraid of confiding in friends and family. These people often have no real connection with ''anyone''. Being completely isolated from the world, with nobody to rely on and nothing to lose, society can quickly end up with very dangerous men made out of those who would be saints.

MAPs are at serious risk if we engage in sexual contact with sexually curious teenagers, despite the applicable laws being co-opted as something they were never supposed to be. We are at risk if we view any imagery of minors in a slightly sexual, naked, or posed situation, even if the imagery was created entirely by AI. We are not able to get access to mental health support safely, even if we are highly distressed and a danger to ourselves or others. Confiding in friends and family is also much harder than it would be for virtually any other group in the world. There is, for many of us, no alternative to living in a state of depression, committing suicide or self-harm, or resorting to potentially harmful behavior in which we would otherwise never engage.

This is what I call ''The Push''. It describes the way that society is ''pushing'' MAPs to engage in harmful behavior that they would not engage in given ethical treatment from legislators, law enforcement agencies, mental health professionals, prison officials, and society in general. It leads, or will ultimately lead, toward an inevitable conclusion of rape, incarceration, death, and destruction.

With nowhere to go, most BLs, despite the fleeting depravity of curious young boys, accept loneliness, despair, and sexual frustration. Some BLs are understandably unwilling to accept this, and some of these people go on to seek relationships with quieter boys, acknowledging that they are a 'safer option' more willing to keep secrets. This is not because these BLs are sociopaths who hate children; they genuinely love these boys, and ultimately engage in consensual AMSC when the boys reciprocate their love, which is a frequent occurrence. Unfortunately, these boys don't wear their heart on their sleeve quite like the crazy, 'dirty', 'perverted', outgoing boys that would seek AMSC with their adult friends. They have a richer inner life than most people give them credit for, and they have a tendency to ponder that can quickly lead to negative thinking and self-hate. Emotionally vulnerable and easily influenced by wider society, these boys may later feel harmed by their encounter due to society's archaic conservative messaging about AMSC, even if the sexual contact itself was not innately harmful. The end result is a highly distressed child and imprisonment for the BL. Beyond the obvious moral issues, which I do not deny, seeking out AMSC with the quieter boys is a tempting but poor alternative for both the adult and the minor. Are the BLs who seek these relationships evil people who don't care about boys? I say no. With a logical AoC of 12 or so, plus additional protections to prevent outright exploitation, most active BLs would not seek out sexual contact with those boys. So why do some do it? They are subjected to ''The Push''.

Another thing that I consider harmful is 'capping'. According to reports from darkweb enthusiasts, and media reports that I would be less inclined to trust, there has been a massive explosion in men pretending to be girls, tricking boys into sexual activity on camera, and then sharing these videos online. Even though I am in favor of the legalization of PIM possession, it has to be said that manipulating boys like this, sometimes even threatening them with exposure if they don't send more videos and images, is utterly deplorable behavior that could cause massive distress to the boys. Are BLs inherently evil for engaging in and supporting these evil actions? I say no. If PIM were legal to possess, and an authorized, moderated website like Pornhub were allowed to distribute old PIM, the vast majority of MAPs would never end up on the darkweb, the 'cappers' would not receive the adulation that drives them, and these boys would not be victimized. Why does it happen the way it does? BLs are ''pushed'' to the darkweb and its highly questionable interactions.

Finally, without the confidence to trust regular friends and family, many MAPs are pushed to rely on peers for support, instead of engaging with a wider group of people and developing a balanced range of views. Although the MAP community has a much wider range of views than people give us credit for, the push to rely on a single community for one's entire social life is a fairly serious incitement to the development of extreme views. Online communities of any kind, no matter their target audience, have a tendency to push members toward a more singular and extreme form of behavior.

==The Future==

I predict a very dark future if there are no significant changes in how MAPs are treated.

The state of affairs for MAPs and minors is horrific, and I find it absolutely remarkable that there are so few cases of attempted MAP-led violence like the one reported in the news last month. In its treatment of MAPs, society breaks every rule in the book when it comes to not pushing people toward extremism, most notably in how it does its level best to leave so many of us with nowhere to go, nobody to rely on, and nothing to lose. ''The Push'' does so much damage to MAPs, to their friends and families who deal with their incarceration, despair, and suicide, and to the minors who are victimized when they otherwise would not have been harmed. Many publicly registered sex offenders, in particular, have few reasons to live; their lives are made intentionally difficult, torturous in fact, and I can't fathom how we are not seeing more cases of them violently exploding.

Eventually, I believe that as ''The Push'' continues and becomes more extreme, we will see many cases of violence from MAPs; shootings, stabbings, and even bombs. I suspect we are also likely to see violence from minor (or former minor) victims who have been harmed by ''The Push''. As a returning MAP activist, I really hope things don't go that way, for the sake of boys and the many random members of the public who may be harmed as collateral damage. There are some excellent activists within our community who are making progress peacefully; we now have allies in the academic and mental health community, even if some people do call them 'cunts' and tell them to fuck off when they post on our boards. A new activist project will be starting soon, and we will mix academic engagement with tactful ragebait and media manipulation. Nonetheless, the activists like myself who engage in peaceful activism are but a tiny portion of the MAP community, and we have no control over what others do. I really hope that society will start to choose engagement instead of persecution, to prevent the worsening of what is already a terrible situation heading for absolute disaster. ''The Push'' is a very dangerous thing.

[[Category:Essays]][[Category:BLueRibbon's Essays]]

Essay:The Push

2024-05-22T16:33:05Z

BLueRibbon: /* The Future */

=Personal Essay: "The Push"=

My first essay on MAP issues since 2010 is about the extremely dangerous concept I call "''The Push''". Unpolished and meandering, the essay's main purpose is to describe how everyone is ultimately harmed or endangered by the relentless and unnecessary hunt of MAPs, the attempts to criminalize every possible outlet available to us, and the poor availability of mental health support for our community.

~ BLueRibbon

===The Case===

There was a case in the news perhaps a month ago. A former marine in the US showed up to have sex with two little girls, armed with a gun, and was executed by the mob in blue. Some MAPs interpreted the gun as a tool of self-defense. Others thought it was suicide by cop. My interpretation was that the man knew it was ''probably'' a sting, but was willing to go down shooting for some chance of ''either'' having sex with a child ''or'' gaining retribution for the horrific persecution to which MAPs are shamelessly subjected.

Should the man have been willing to have sex with two little girls being sold by their parents? Probably not. I am very much in favor of reforming the laws that outright prohibit AMSC (Adult-Minor Sexual Contact) with no regard for the circumstances, but paying a parent to have sex with their children sounds like a very real kind of ''bad touch''. There are healthy adult-minor relationships, including sexual ones, and there are acts of evil, and there are many shades of grey. But even that is an oversimplification of a man's actions, a misguided focus on the nature of the acts themselves and an ignorance of their origins.

===The Contradiction===

I believe that minors can give meaningful consent to sex with adults, with a caveat that may disappoint the extremists within our community: I also partially agree with wider society that minors are more vulnerable to exploitation than most adults. However, I firmly disagree with the absolute singling out of minors - ''up to ages as high as 21'' - as helpless subjects of abuse, and with the nonsensical juxtaposition of the ''lack of protection afforded to vulnerable adults'' and the ''insane paranoia surrounding any perceived threat to minors''.

I believe that minors are similarly vulnerable to women from poor countries, many of whom are horribly exploited in brothels in western countries, and at high risk of mistreatment in their home countries too. However, instead of prohibiting sex with poor women (which would be ridiculous!), we judge sex with adults on a case by case basis. Or at least we should. In reality, some adults don't even enjoy the most basic of protections. The abuse of adults is allowed to occur right out in the open in many cases, especially when the victims are of certain classes such as 'male', or 'immigrant', or whomever else the police decide they aren't willing to help.

Let's look at Amsterdam as an example. It is a beautiful city that used to be considered 'cool', but the red lights for which it's known haven't been cool for quite some time. The women sold like slabs of meat there are not perky Dutch girls making money to buy a designer handbag. They are victims of human trafficking, tricked away from their home countries by gangsters and put on display, subject to what is more or less rape in full view of the public, while the Netherlands' righteous government throws MAP activists in prison for advocating discussion over the age of consent.

Actual rape of immigrant women? Fine!

Talking about whether a law is morally just? Prison, you sick fucks!

===The Backstory===

Why is that discussion so controversial? We know that teenagers are not asexual; it's not even a matter of debate. The idea that sex with teenagers is inherently wrong is actually a construction of 19th century laws intended to combat the awful abuse of women and young girls in the sex trade. The very first law criminalizing sex wtih teenagers was enacted in response to the behavior of men likely ''not'' primarily attracted to minors, but by opportunists in the deepest depths of Dickensian London. Ethical AMSC with pubescents was never really supposed to be punished; the 'original' law to raise the age of consent above 12 years old was created to give the authorities a way to easily crack down on the rampant prostitution of teenage girls in what was an awful time to be anything but a rich, straight, white man.

That law, perhaps a necessary sledgehammer to eliminate some of the very real horrors of 19th century London, should have been nothing but a temporary measure. Instead, it was used as fuel for the campaigns of American puritans, who co-opted it for their campaign of righteousness. Much like religious leaders brainwash their congregations into believing the most absurd concoctions imaginable, the moral crusaders of depression-era America were somehow able to persuade enough people that sex with teenagers was morally wrong in itself, and so an imported law that was never meant to be interpreted very strictly was inexplicably adopted as a moral standard. While unpopular ideas such as the prohibition of alcohol failed to last, thanks to the universal love of liquor, the equally unrealistic idea of abstinent teens was spread across the globe, bit by bit, for reasons that are not entirely clear to anyone.

===The Reality===

What is the reality of minor sexuality and how it relates to adults? As much as I would like to, it is impossible to provide personal anecdotes about female sexuality and man-girl interaction, so I will leave that to our GL friends. However, I can and will talk about my experience as a BL during my days of relative absence from our community.

During my hiatus, I worked jobs where I interacted with thousands of boys in a country that totally ignores non-contact BLs, but doesn't let you fuck around quite the way that, say, 1980s Thailand apparently did. As a fairly normal-looking man, of healthy weight and neither beautiful nor grotesque, I had situations where I unfortunately had to decline offers, that I had not encouraged, from wild-natured boys who were interested in sexual experimentation. It is very frustrating to have to do this, and I cast zero judgment on those who take whatever opportunity comes. There's nothing worse than having to pull your hand away when a sex-crazed 12 year old boy, straight nonetheless, tries to put your hand on his crotch because he's curious. Most boys do not behave like this with adults, but some do.

These boys are the natural ally and playmate of BLs, amused and unharmed by the games they seek to play. They are also our greatest danger. The problem with wild boys is that their madness isn't restricted to gender-indifferent precociousness. It permeates every essence of their being, and this includes their willingness to broadcast their not-so-private lives to their parents, teachers, counselors, gaming buddies, local beggars, jealous priests, and anyone else they may know. In a sane world, nobody would care and this wouldn't matter, but that is not the kind of world we inhabit. We live in a world where simply saying "OK" can be a death sentence, where you are painted as an actual rapist, beaten up by murderers in prison because you are 'worse' than them. Actions like giving a 15 year old boy a blowjob are enough to trigger this reaction.

This is a world in which the only acceptable targets of outright abuse are MAPs, and any intimate expressions between us and minors are instantly problematized, treated as rape regardless of circumstance. Defenders of this approach will insist that they are just trying to protect children. They will say that children cannot consent because children cannot consent. I've never seen a convincing explanation that is not entirely circular in nature. An immense library of ''poor quality'' research will support claims that AMSC is inherently harmful, but better quality research suggests that AMSC is not inherently harmful, or at least no more so than AASC or MMSC.

===The Hunt===

The reality behind our detractors' motivations is not as they state. We are subject to laws that criminalize what we view, even when the images are generated entirely by AI. We have to use complex security tools to avoid harassment from the authorities, and even this may not be enough. It was recently revealed that the German, American, British and Brazilian governments spent millions on a Tor de-anonymization project with the sole intent of identifying people simply visiting websites offering PIM (Prohibited Images of Minors). Merely accessing the websites, even if you view the legal material they reportedly offer, is enough to justify a raid in some jurisdictions. Meanwhile, European police, desperate to prevent their jobs being made harder and willing to invade the privacy of the European public, recently argued for a prohibition on end-to-end encryption for everyone in the EU; not to prevent children being raped, but so that they could identify "individuals with a sexual interest in children."

You really don't have to do anything illegal to be hunted by the police, despite the endless barrage of laws their governments rain down on us. Realistically, the worst countries would criminalize simply being attracted to children if they had any hope of covering the costs of imprisoning the entirety of our community. It's also convenient, of course, that they are able to use us as pathetic pawns for their own ends whenever convenient. Other than 'dirty Muslims', we're the easiest group for them to exploit. This should be no comfort, however; it works because the reality is that the world hates MAPs for who we are, no matter what we do, and gullible people will sacrifice their privacy for the sake of sadistically ending the free life of anybody attracted to children.

===The Push===

Despite the ways in which we are relentlessly hunted and hounded, access to mental health support, for MAPs, is very challenging. In most countries, telling a psychologist that you're attracted to children feels like an absolute no-go. This necessitates a complex performative dance around the issues for any MAP needing therapy, leaving most unwilling to go a psychologist and seek treatment for any issue, including dangerous feelings of anger toward society or the inability to control their sexual urges. The work of B4U-Act is extremely helpful in this regard, and they maintain a list of recommended therapists. However, their work is confined to North America, doing nothing to help MAPs in other parts of the world, much of which is also incredibly hostile toward MAPs.

I know of two men who experienced mental health crises recently, visitors to a peer support chat, who went on to engage in dangerous and somewhat unethical activities because they felt they would never be happy otherwise. It was inevitable that they would be caught, and I think they knew it. It was more or less a slow suicide of indifference. One of those men is now dead; society might as well have pushed him off the ledge. The other man is now in the system, his family in extreme distress. With proper mental health support, might their outcomes have been different?

Additionally, we need to think about the rock that many people have to fall on when faced with severe distress. ''Friends and family''. Many MAPs, due to the evil of ''The Hunt'', don't even feel able to be open with those who would otherwise be close to them. There really is nowhere to go for MAPs who are understandably afraid of confiding in friends and family. These people often have no real connection with ''anyone''. Being completely isolated from the world, with nobody to rely on and nothing to lose, society can quickly end up with very dangerous men made out of those who would be saints.

MAPs are at serious risk if we engage in sexual contact with sexually curious teenagers, despite the applicable laws being co-opted as something they were never supposed to be. We are at risk if we view any imagery of minors in a slightly sexual, naked, or posed situation, even if the imagery was created entirely by AI. We are not able to get access to mental health support safely, even if we are highly distressed and a danger to ourselves or others. Confiding in friends and family is also much harder than it would be for virtually any other group in the world. There is, for many of us, no alternative to living in a state of depression, committing suicide or self-harm, or resorting to potentially harmful behavior in which we would otherwise never engage.

This is what I call ''The Push''. It leads, or will ultimately lead, toward an inevitable conclusion of rape, incarceration, death, and destruction. ''The Push'' describes the way that society is ''pushing'' MAPs to engage in harmful behavior that they would not engage in given ethical treatment from legislators, law enforcement agencies, mental health professionals, prison officials, and society in general. Let's take a look at where ''The Push'' leads us.

With nowhere to go, most BLs, despite the fleeting depravity of curious young boys, accept loneliness, despair, and sexual frustration. Some BLs are understandably unwilling to accept this, and some of these people go on to seek relationships with quieter boys, acknowledging that they are a 'safer option' more willing to keep secrets. This is not because these BLs are sociopaths who hate children; they genuinely love these boys, and ultimately engage in consensual AMSC when the boys reciprocate their love, which is a frequent occurrence. Unfortunately, these boys don't wear their heart on their sleeve quite like the crazy, 'dirty', 'perverted', outgoing boys that would seek AMSC with their adult friends. They have a richer inner life than most people give them credit for, and they have a tendency to ponder that can quickly lead to negative thinking and self-hate. Emotionally vulnerable and easily influenced by wider society, these boys may later feel harmed by their encounter due to society's anachronistically conservative messaging about AMSC, even if the sexual contact itself was not innately harmful. The end result is a highly distressed child and imprisonment for the BL. Beyond the obvious moral issues, which I do not deny, seeking out AMSC with the quieter boys is a tempting but poor alternative for both the adult and the minor. Are the BLs who seek these relationships evil people who don't care about boys? I say no. With a logical AoC of 12 or so, plus additional protections to prevent outright exploitation, most active BLs would not seek out sexual contact with those boys. So why do some do it? They are subjected to ''The Push''.

Another thing that I consider harmful is 'capping'. According to reports from darkweb enthusiasts, and media reports that I would be less inclined to trust, there has been a massive explosion in men pretending to be girls, tricking boys into sexual activity on camera, and then sharing these videos online. Even though I am in favor of the legalization of PIM possession, it has to be said that manipulating boys like this, sometimes even threatening them with exposure if they don't send more videos and images, is utterly deplorable behavior that could cause massive distress to the boys. Are BLs inherently evil for engaging in and supporting these evil actions? I say no. If PIM were legal to possess, and an authorized, moderated website like Pornhub were allowed to distribute old PIM, the vast majority of MAPs would never end up on the darkweb, the 'cappers' would not get the adulation that drives them, and these boys would not be victimized. Why does it happen the way it does? BLs are ''pushed'' to the darkweb and its highly questionable interactions.

Finally, without the confidence to trust regular friends and family, many MAPs are pushed to rely on peers for support, instead of engaging with a wider group of people and developing a balanced range of views. Although the MAP community has a much wider range of views than people give us credit for, the push to rely on a single community for one's entire social life is a fairly serious incitement to the development of extreme views. Online communities of any kind, no matter their target audience, have a tendency to push members toward a more singular and extreme form of behavior.

===The Future===

I predict a very dark future if there are no significant changes in how MAPs are treated.

The state of affairs for MAPs and minors is horrific, and I find it absolutely remarkable that there are so few cases of attempted MAP-led violence like the one reported in the news last month. In its treatment of MAPs, society breaks every rule in the book when it comes to not pushing people toward extremism, most notably in how it does its level best to leave so many of us with nowhere to go, nobody to rely on, and nothing to lose. ''The Push'' does so much damage to MAPs, to their friends and families who deal with their incarceration, despair, and suicide, and to the minors who are victimized when they otherwise would not have been harmed. Many publicly registered sex offenders, in particular, have few reasons to live; their lives are made intentionally difficult, torturous in fact, and I can't fathom how we are not seeing more cases of them violently exploding.

Eventually, I believe that as ''The Push'' continues and becomes more extreme, we will see many cases of violence from MAPs; shootings, stabbings, or even bombs. I suspect we are also likely to see violence from minor (or former minor) victims who have been harmed by ''The Push''. As a returning MAP activist, I really hope things don't go that way, for the sake of boys and the many random members of the public who may be harmed as collateral damage. There are some excellent activists within our community who are making progress peacefully; we now have allies in the academic and mental health community, even if some people do call them 'cunts' and tell them to fuck off when they post on our boards. A new activist project will be starting soon, and we will mix academic engagement with tactful ragebait and media manipulation. Nonetheless, the activists like myself who engage in peaceful activism are but a tiny portion of the MAP community, and we have no control over what others do. I really hope that society will start to choose engagement instead of persecution, to prevent the worsening of what is already a terrible situation heading for absolute disaster. ''The Push'' is a very dangerous thing.

Essay:The Push

2024-05-22T16:27:06Z

BLueRibbon: Created page with "=Personal Essay: "The Push"= My first essay on MAP issues since 2010 is about the extremely dangerous concept I call "''The Push''". Unpolished and meandering, the essay's main purpose is to describe how everyone is ultimately harmed or endangered by the relentless and unnecessary hunt of MAPs, the attempts to criminalize every possible outlet available to us, and the poor availability of mental health support for our community. ~ BLueRibbon ===The Case=== There was..."

=Personal Essay: "The Push"=

My first essay on MAP issues since 2010 is about the extremely dangerous concept I call "''The Push''". Unpolished and meandering, the essay's main purpose is to describe how everyone is ultimately harmed or endangered by the relentless and unnecessary hunt of MAPs, the attempts to criminalize every possible outlet available to us, and the poor availability of mental health support for our community.

~ BLueRibbon

===The Case===

There was a case in the news perhaps a month ago. A former marine in the US showed up to have sex with two little girls, armed with a gun, and was executed by the mob in blue. Some MAPs interpreted the gun as a tool of self-defense. Others thought it was suicide by cop. My interpretation was that the man knew it was ''probably'' a sting, but was willing to go down shooting for some chance of ''either'' having sex with a child ''or'' gaining retribution for the horrific persecution to which MAPs are shamelessly subjected.

Should the man have been willing to have sex with two little girls being sold by their parents? Probably not. I am very much in favor of reforming the laws that outright prohibit AMSC (Adult-Minor Sexual Contact) with no regard for the circumstances, but paying a parent to have sex with their children sounds like a very real kind of ''bad touch''. There are healthy adult-minor relationships, including sexual ones, and there are acts of evil, and there are many shades of grey. But even that is an oversimplification of a man's actions, a misguided focus on the nature of the acts themselves and an ignorance of their origins.

===The Contradiction===

I believe that minors can give meaningful consent to sex with adults, with a caveat that may disappoint the extremists within our community: I also partially agree with wider society that minors are more vulnerable to exploitation than most adults. However, I firmly disagree with the absolute singling out of minors - ''up to ages as high as 21'' - as helpless subjects of abuse, and with the nonsensical juxtaposition of the ''lack of protection afforded to vulnerable adults'' and the ''insane paranoia surrounding any perceived threat to minors''.

I believe that minors are similarly vulnerable to women from poor countries, many of whom are horribly exploited in brothels in western countries, and at high risk of mistreatment in their home countries too. However, instead of prohibiting sex with poor women (which would be ridiculous!), we judge sex with adults on a case by case basis. Or at least we should. In reality, some adults don't even enjoy the most basic of protections. The abuse of adults is allowed to occur right out in the open in many cases, especially when the victims are of certain classes such as 'male', or 'immigrant', or whomever else the police decide they aren't willing to help.

Let's look at Amsterdam as an example. It is a beautiful city that used to be considered 'cool', but the red lights for which it's known haven't been cool for quite some time. The women sold like slabs of meat there are not perky Dutch girls making money to buy a designer handbag. They are victims of human trafficking, tricked away from their home countries by gangsters and put on display, subject to what is more or less rape in full view of the public, while the Netherlands' righteous government throws MAP activists in prison for advocating discussion over the age of consent.

Actual rape of immigrant women? Fine!

Talking about whether a law is morally just? Prison, you sick fucks!

===The Backstory===

Why is that discussion so controversial? We know that teenagers are not asexual; it's not even a matter of debate. The idea that sex with teenagers is inherently wrong is actually a construction of 19th century laws intended to combat the awful abuse of women and young girls in the sex trade. The very first law criminalizing sex wtih teenagers was enacted in response to the behavior of men likely ''not'' primarily attracted to minors, but by opportunists in the deepest depths of Dickensian London. Ethical AMSC with pubescents was never really supposed to be punished; the 'original' law to raise the age of consent above 12 years old was created to give the authorities a way to easily crack down on the rampant prostitution of teenage girls in what was an awful time to be anything but a rich, straight, white man.

That law, perhaps a necessary sledgehammer to eliminate some of the very real horrors of 19th century London, should have been nothing but a temporary measure. Instead, it was used as fuel for the campaigns of American puritans, who co-opted it for their campaign of righteousness. Much like religious leaders brainwash their congregations into believing the most absurd concoctions imaginable, the moral crusaders of depression-era America were somehow able to persuade enough people that sex with teenagers was morally wrong in itself, and so an imported law that was never meant to be interpreted very strictly was inexplicably adopted as a moral standard. While unpopular ideas such as the prohibition of alcohol failed to last, thanks to the universal love of liquor, the equally unrealistic idea of abstinent teens was spread across the globe, bit by bit, for reasons that are not entirely clear to anyone.

===The Reality===

What is the reality of minor sexuality and how it relates to adults? As much as I would like to, it is impossible to provide personal anecdotes about female sexuality and man-girl interaction, so I will leave that to our GL friends. However, I can and will talk about my experience as a BL during my days of relative absence from our community.

During my hiatus, I worked jobs where I interacted with thousands of boys in a country that totally ignores non-contact BLs, but doesn't let you fuck around quite the way that, say, 1980s Thailand apparently did. As a fairly normal-looking man, of healthy weight and neither beautiful nor grotesque, I had situations where I unfortunately had to decline offers, that I had not encouraged, from wild-natured boys who were interested in sexual experimentation. It is very frustrating to have to do this, and I cast zero judgment on those who take whatever opportunity comes. There's nothing worse than having to pull your hand away when a sex-crazed 12 year old boy, straight nonetheless, tries to put your hand on his crotch because he's curious. Most boys do not behave like this with adults, but some do.

These boys are the natural ally and playmate of BLs, amused and unharmed by the games they seek to play. They are also our greatest danger. The problem with wild boys is that their madness isn't restricted to gender-indifferent precociousness. It permeates every essence of their being, and this includes their willingness to broadcast their not-so-private lives to their parents, teachers, counselors, gaming buddies, local beggars, jealous priests, and anyone else they may know. In a sane world, nobody would care and this wouldn't matter, but that is not the kind of world we inhabit. We live in a world where simply saying "OK" can be a death sentence, where you are painted as an actual rapist, beaten up by murderers in prison because you are 'worse' than them. Actions like giving a 15 year old boy a blowjob are enough to trigger this reaction.

This is a world in which the only acceptable targets of outright abuse are MAPs, and any intimate expressions between us and minors are instantly problematized, treated as rape regardless of circumstance. Defenders of this approach will insist that they are just trying to protect children. They will say that children cannot consent because children cannot consent. I've never seen a convincing explanation that is not entirely circular in nature. An immense library of ''poor quality'' research will support claims that AMSC is inherently harmful, but better quality research suggests that AMSC is not inherently harmful, or at least no more so than AASC or MMSC.

===The Hunt===

The reality behind our detractors' motivations is not as they state. We are subject to laws that criminalize what we view, even when the images are generated entirely by AI. We have to use complex security tools to avoid harassment from the authorities, and even this may not be enough. It was recently revealed that the German, American, British and Brazilian governments spent millions on a Tor de-anonymization project with the sole intent of identifying people simply visiting websites offering PIM (Prohibited Images of Minors). Merely accessing the websites, even if you view the legal material they reportedly offer, is enough to justify a raid in some jurisdictions. Meanwhile, European police, desperate to prevent their jobs being made harder and willing to invade the privacy of the European public, recently argued for a prohibition on end-to-end encryption for everyone in the EU; not to prevent children being raped, but so that they could identify "individuals with a sexual interest in children."

You really don't have to do anything illegal to be hunted by the police, despite the endless barrage of laws their governments rain down on us. Realistically, the worst countries would criminalize simply being attracted to children if they had any hope of covering the costs of imprisoning the entirety of our community. It's also convenient, of course, that they are able to use us as pathetic pawns for their own ends whenever convenient. Other than 'dirty Muslims', we're the easiest group for them to exploit. This should be no comfort, however; it works because the reality is that the world hates MAPs for who we are, no matter what we do, and gullible people will sacrifice their privacy for the sake of sadistically ending the free life of anybody attracted to children.

===The Push===

Despite the ways in which we are relentlessly hunted and hounded, access to mental health support, for MAPs, is very challenging. In most countries, telling a psychologist that you're attracted to children feels like an absolute no-go. This necessitates a complex performative dance around the issues for any MAP needing therapy, leaving most unwilling to go a psychologist and seek treatment for any issue, including dangerous feelings of anger toward society or the inability to control their sexual urges. The work of B4U-Act is extremely helpful in this regard, and they maintain a list of recommended therapists. However, their work is confined to North America, doing nothing to help MAPs in other parts of the world, much of which is also incredibly hostile toward MAPs.

I know of two men who experienced mental health crises recently, visitors to a peer support chat, who went on to engage in dangerous and somewhat unethical activities because they felt they would never be happy otherwise. It was inevitable that they would be caught, and I think they knew it. It was more or less a slow suicide of indifference. One of those men is now dead; society might as well have pushed him off the ledge. The other man is now in the system, his family in extreme distress. With proper mental health support, might their outcomes have been different?

Additionally, we need to think about the rock that many people have to fall on when faced with severe distress. ''Friends and family''. Many MAPs, due to the evil of ''The Hunt'', don't even feel able to be open with those who would otherwise be close to them. There really is nowhere to go for MAPs who are understandably afraid of confiding in friends and family. These people often have no real connection with ''anyone''. Being completely isolated from the world, with nobody to rely on and nothing to lose, society can quickly end up with very dangerous men made out of those who would be saints.

MAPs are at serious risk if we engage in sexual contact with sexually curious teenagers, despite the applicable laws being co-opted as something they were never supposed to be. We are at risk if we view any imagery of minors in a slightly sexual, naked, or posed situation, even if the imagery was created entirely by AI. We are not able to get access to mental health support safely, even if we are highly distressed and a danger to ourselves or others. Confiding in friends and family is also much harder than it would be for virtually any other group in the world. There is, for many of us, no alternative to living in a state of depression, committing suicide or self-harm, or resorting to potentially harmful behavior in which we would otherwise never engage.

This is what I call ''The Push''. It leads, or will ultimately lead, toward an inevitable conclusion of rape, incarceration, death, and destruction. ''The Push'' describes the way that society is ''pushing'' MAPs to engage in harmful behavior that they would not engage in given ethical treatment from legislators, law enforcement agencies, mental health professionals, prison officials, and society in general. Let's take a look at where ''The Push'' leads us.

With nowhere to go, most BLs, despite the fleeting depravity of curious young boys, accept loneliness, despair, and sexual frustration. Some BLs are understandably unwilling to accept this, and some of these people go on to seek relationships with quieter boys, acknowledging that they are a 'safer option' more willing to keep secrets. This is not because these BLs are sociopaths who hate children; they genuinely love these boys, and ultimately engage in consensual AMSC when the boys reciprocate their love, which is a frequent occurrence. Unfortunately, these boys don't wear their heart on their sleeve quite like the crazy, 'dirty', 'perverted', outgoing boys that would seek AMSC with their adult friends. They have a richer inner life than most people give them credit for, and they have a tendency to ponder that can quickly lead to negative thinking and self-hate. Emotionally vulnerable and easily influenced by wider society, these boys may later feel harmed by their encounter due to society's anachronistically conservative messaging about AMSC, even if the sexual contact itself was not innately harmful. The end result is a highly distressed child and imprisonment for the BL. Beyond the obvious moral issues, which I do not deny, seeking out AMSC with the quieter boys is a tempting but poor alternative for both the adult and the minor. Are the BLs who seek these relationships evil people who don't care about boys? I say no. With a logical AoC of 12 or so, plus additional protections to prevent outright exploitation, most active BLs would not seek out sexual contact with those boys. So why do some do it? They are subjected to ''The Push''.

Another thing that I consider harmful is 'capping'. According to reports from darkweb enthusiasts, and media reports that I would be less inclined to trust, there has been a massive explosion in men pretending to be girls, tricking boys into sexual activity on camera, and then sharing these videos online. Even though I am in favor of the legalization of PIM possession, it has to be said that manipulating boys like this, sometimes even threatening them with exposure if they don't send more videos and images, is utterly deplorable behavior that could cause massive distress to the boys. Are BLs inherently evil for engaging in and supporting these evil actions? I say no. If PIM were legal to possess, and an authorized, moderated website like Pornhub were allowed to distribute old PIM, the vast majority of MAPs would never end up on the darkweb, the 'cappers' would not get the adulation that drives them, and these boys would not be victimized. Why does it happen the way it does? BLs are ''pushed'' to the darkweb and its highly questionable interactions.

Finally, without the confidence to trust regular friends and family, many MAPs are pushed to rely on peers for support, instead of engaging with a wider group of people and developing a balanced range of views. Although the MAP community has a much wider range of views than people give us credit for, the push to rely on a single community for one's entire social life is a fairly serious incitement to the development of extreme views. Online communities of any kind, no matter their target audience, have a tendency to push members toward a more singular and extreme form of behavior.

===The Future===

I predict a very dark future without a significant change in how MAPs are treated.

The state of affairs for MAPs and minors is horrific, and I find it absolutely remarkable that there are so few cases of attempted MAP-led violence like the one reported in the news last month. In its treatment of MAPs, society breaks every rule in the book when it comes to not pushing people toward extremism, most notably in how it does its level best to leave so many of us with nowhere to go, nobody to rely on, and nothing to lose. ''The Push'' does so much damage to MAPs, to their friends and families who deal with their incarceration, despair, and suicide, and to the minors who are victimized when they otherwise would not have been harmed. Many publicly registered sex offenders, in particular, have few reasons to live; their lives are made intentionally difficult, torturous in fact, and I can't fathom how we are not seeing more cases of them violently exploding.

Eventually, I believe that as ''The Push'' continues and becomes more extreme, we will see many cases of violence from MAPs; shootings, stabbings, or even bombs. I suspect we are also likely to see violence from minor (or former minor) victims who have been harmed by ''The Push''. As a returning MAP activist, I really hope things don't go that way, for the sake of boys and the many random members of the public who may be harmed as collateral damage. There are some excellent activists within our community who are making progress peacefully; we now have allies in the academic and mental health community, even if some people do call them 'cunts' and tell them to fuck off when they post on our boards. A new activist project will be starting soon, and we will mix academic engagement with tactful ragebait and media manipulation. Nonetheless, the activists like myself who engage in peaceful activism are but a tiny portion of the MAP community, and we have no control over what others do. I really hope that society will start to choose engagement instead of persecution, to prevent the worsening of what is already a terrible situation heading for absolute disaster. ''The Push'' is a very dangerous thing.