MEDAL
MEDAL (minorattracted.org, f. 2023) is a third-generation/third-wave MAP organization with a primarily US focus.
It was set up by Steve Carson, Katie Cruz and a committee.[1]
A list of priorities endorsed by one committee member has been mentioned on their website:
- Build the MAP community, including reaching MAPs who are unaware of the community.
- Achieve protected class status.
- Access to compassionate, empathetic mental healthcare.
- Access to legal services.
- Remove “pedophilic disorder” from the DSM and ICD.
- Social justice – differentiating between rape/assault/coercion/violent crimes and statutory crimes.
- Social justice for minor MAPs, and those close in age.
- Ban conversion therapy.
- Meet the physiological needs of MAPs facing injustice/discrimination.
- High-quality factual MAP media for public consumption.
- Continued honest research into the various aspects of minor-attraction.
- Improved sex education that also talks about minor attractions.
- Legalization of all fictional sexual outlets, including loli/shota and dolls.
- Social Justice – reform the sex offender registry.
- Combat false accusations, doxing, and myths of stranger danger.
- Defeat the stigma
- A credible organization to speak on and represent these goals to the public.[2]
MEDAL includes both neutral-c and anti-contact members who participate in a range of initiatives online and in their local communities.
In 2024, MEDAL revealed plans for an in-person meeting of MAPs at a campsite; a so-called "MAP-Camp" to run over three days. This then became an independent initiative before the first meeting was held.