Anyone else Dislike the term "MAP"

[The dude]

Think about it, a 17 yo could be dating say a 24 year old and people still view it with the same stigma as someone with a 10 year old [...]

The stigma is equally unjustifiable in each case. Because there are assumptions that people make about age gap relationships. Probably the same assumptions that you make about 'someone with a 10 year old.'

MAP is an umbrella-term bridging a collection of minor-attracted orientations, including ephebes, hebes, child-lovers, boy-lovers, girl-lovers, nepis, etc. It is based on the legal designation of a 'minor' (which might be different depending on jurisdictions), because that is the primary basis of enforcement. The term unites these different classes of MAPs who all face the same unjust stigmas, stereotypes, and oppression.

BOTH classes of MAP will go to prison if they read certain FICTION (with no real victims). BOTH classes will be arrested for viewing certain AI-generated images (with no real victims). BOTH classes are assumed to be 'evil' and 'predatory' for their attraction alone (NOT based on their actions!).

Yeah, there are differences among the orientations. The types of relationships desired by nepis versus ephebs are very different. So to suggest that nepis or child-lovers are more 'predatory' than ephebs, who desire completely different things, is really a red herring, based on mainstream media propaganda and stereotypes.

Some novices in the past thought that they could gain public favour for hebes and ephebs by restigmatising nepis and throwing child-lovers under the bus. But they only succeeded in fracturing the community and alienating those few who would support your shared aims. And you are not going to gain much public support by reinforcing the same false stereotypes and narratives that got you where you are today - with governments now using 'child safety' hysteria as a pretext for insane online surveillance and privacy violations that we should all be fighting against. ALL MAPs face the same unjust stigmas and stereotypes.

I like the term as it sounds better than "PEDOPHILE!!!" [...]

Exactly. The term 'paedophile' is not our term. It has been defined by people who hate us, and stigmatised strategically. Why should child lovers identify with a slur or a false stereotype? I like the term 'MAP' because it was created by minor attracted people who are taking ownership of the language that identifies themselves. And the mainstream media hates that!

"BOTH classes of MAP will go to prison if they read certain FICTION (with no real victims)."

In what dystopian hell do you live? I can say a lot of negative stuff about my country, but I have never once heard of someone being arrested there for reading the wrong material, except maybe ISIS and Hamas manuals (even when it comes to photos, the Israeli authorities usually include them in charges only when charging a guy for other stuff as well).

[John_Doe]

YEAH we have all had moments where say a 15 yo with big breasts walks in the room and you go stiff [...]

No, we have not all had those moments. Some people here are sexually repulsed by biological adults with large breasts.

I was on social media and an 18 yo was helping a 15 yo with homework and people started calling the guy a "groomer" and that hes a "grown ass man that should not be interacting with a literal child"....its all just so so mind numbing when you think about it.

Yeah, people judging others' relationships out of prejudice sucks... doesn't it??
(Do you get it yet?)

The reason I sort side eyed the term MAP is because its such a broad term, places like reddit and other social media platforms are turning MAP into ANYONE over 18 that even thinks about dating a minor is a pedo so MAPS in general are becoming just as hated as straight up pedos because in our modern times according to many no adult should interact with a minor thats non related to them EVER, or something like that.

The term MAP is not responsible for your stigmatisation. Want to assign blame? Look towards people like Chris Hansen, whose entrapment-for-entertainment TV show convinced the world that there is no worse 'predator' than a teen-lover. This all started in the 2000s. Before then, society was quite different.

And look at the 'child protection' fanatics who would charge parents with neglect for letting their kid walk to the store alone. They want to replace independence with surveillance and control. MY FRIEND, it is no wonder they do not see teens as mature. It starts with the overprotective way they treat children, which stifles all growth.

If you wait until they turn 16 to remove bubble wrap, then how is that 16yo any different from a child? Children are learning and growing at all stages of life... but ONLY if they are given the freedom to grow. In order for society to see teens as more responsible, society first needs to allow children more independence.

I don't think Chris Hansen introduced the idea that adults who are interested in developed/developing teens or preteens are evil predators, I think he capitalized on a sentiment that already existed which is why the show became so popular. I think the idea of pinpointing a very specific moment in recent history as the start of the anti-MAP moral panic or hysteria is a mistake. I think it's been brewing for several decades now and getting worse over time gradually. I don't think something like a tv show can cause most people to just switch over night.

I suspect that adult attraction to minors, or at least real-world 'interest' in them, has been considered inappropriate for a long time but the punitive response has become more exaggerated, and age-gap relationships between legal adults has also become more taboo.

[CantChainTheSpirit]

I've said it before, I don't like any sexuality term.
I like the old Greek approach to dealing with sexuality, you were either a sexual being or you weren't. There was no gay or lesbian or map or LGBTQ+, there didn't need to be. It was binary, you're sexual or you're not.

If there was no terms for any sexuality then it would be harder to discriminate I think. I'm sure there would still be discrimination, but a label makes it easier I think, there's something to label people with as being ripe for targeting.

So for me, it would be better if there were no endless list of sexualities, we were just sexual or not. Labeling people would be considered prejudice.

But we're not going to get rid of labels I expect. I'm not sure if map or pedophile is better.

[OnionPetal]

"BOTH classes of MAP will go to prison if they read certain FICTION (with no real victims)."

In what dystopian hell do you live? I can say a lot of negative stuff about my country, but I have never once heard of someone being arrested there for reading the wrong material, except maybe ISIS and Hamas manuals [...]

If fictionalised child erotica is actually legal in your country, then that's great freedom. But sadly, most of the English-speaking world prohibits that. If you spend more time reading MAP-related news, you will see countless prosecutions involving fictional content where there are no real victims. Some of them are high profile cases, and indeed quite ridiculous.

I don't think Chris Hansen introduced the idea that adults who are interested in developed/developing teens or preteens are evil predators, I think he capitalized on a sentiment that already existed which is why the show became so popular. [...]

Sure, sure. Chris Hansen did not exist 'in a vacuum.' There was growing fear of uncontrolled exploitation on the internet in the early 2000s era. But Hansen did have an agenda, and is on record showing his personal hatred for MAPs. His show used the term 'predator' to dehumanise MAPs, comparing them to dangerous animals. Hardly an 'unbiased news journalist.' His show did a lot of damage to MAPs, and it's a prime example of mainstream media that had a huge cultural impact in shaping attitudes around MAPs.

But you're right, it was only one example of the changing cultural sentiments following the advent of the internet in the early 2000s. There was also the 'Satanic panic' hysteria of the 1980s, following the now-debunked Satanic preschool abuse hoax, that is also an example of mainstream media playing a role in spreading cultural hysteria about paedophilia.

I suspect that adult attraction to minors, or at least real-world 'interest' in them, has been considered inappropriate for a long time but the punitive response has become more exaggerated, and age-gap relationships between legal adults has also become more taboo.

Oh yeah, it was always a bit of a taboo. But you just have to look at all the old mainstream movies about age-gap relationships with minors to realise it wasn't that controversial. The 1970s alone had dozens of films like 'Twinky' (1970) and 'Breezy' (1973) that were perhaps 'edgy' for their positive portrayals of age gap relationships, but they reflect a very different cultural sentiment from an era when it wasn't even that big of a deal.

[reaver]

BOTH classes of MAP will go to prison if they read certain FICTION (with no real victims).

Distiction without a difference regarding non-fiction and fiction, plus a victim assumption.

Some novices in the past thought that they could gain public favour for hebes and ephebs by restigmatising nepis and throwing child-lovers under the bus.

As in e.g. NAMBLA, Newgon? Expand, please.