Womens activism

[JGHeaven]

Thinking back to the suffragettes and suffragists movements, what can women do contribute in a unique way to map activism and community?

It doesn't map directly because the suffragettes were fighting for their own rights and were willing to die for them, who wants to live with no rights or freedom? But this is a cross gender issue and as a woman I often think about how can I fight for change, not just for me but for men and women maps.

I'm very much in the pro-c camp because it's a fundamental human right to me for adults and children. The right to say yes or no to sex is as fundamental as the right to food, water, shelter and non-violence. Denial of those rights is an act of violence against maps and children.

But when I come here and I know this is true for some other women at least, it can feel hard to know how to contribute. There are so many very intelligent people, mostly men, doing incredible work and discussing deep issues, and I just think "how can I really contribute?".

So my question is how can women contribute to this movement? Is there anything we can bring to this fight and community that's unique or easier for women? Do we have any superpower we can offer?

It is important to me because I don't want to go through life thinking there's no hope of ever being with a young girl I strong affections for. The frustration never fully goes away although I control it very well. I've had young girl friends I've been close to but never crossed a line even if my body has been screaming to. There was one girl who was very openly expressive towards me how much she wanted a physical relationship. We were close to each other when she was 7 and by 8 she would flirt and make passes very often. She would masturbate in front of me and ask me to do it which I didn't and I would tell her to stop. One time I found her naked in my bed, she had gone there and when I walked in she asked me to join her, if possible, she was more horny for me than I was for her. But I told her to dress and stop doing this. She was frustrated and didn't like my rejections, I don't think it did her confidence any good, and I was frustrated and eventually just stopped seeing her because the frustration was too strong. I don't want to live forever in a world like that.

[Pegasus]

Thinking back to the suffragettes and suffragists movements, what can women do contribute in a unique way to map activism and community?

It doesn't map directly because the suffragettes were fighting for their own rights and were willing to die for them, who wants to live with no rights or freedom? But this is a cross gender issue and as a woman I often think about how can I fight for change, not just for me but for men and women maps.

I'm very much in the pro-c camp because it's a fundamental human right to me for adults and children. The right to say yes or no to sex is as fundamental as the right to food, water, shelter and non-violence. Denial of those rights is an act of violence against maps and children.

But when I come here and I know this is true for some other women at least, it can feel hard to know how to contribute. There are so many very intelligent people, mostly men, doing incredible work and discussing deep issues, and I just think "how can I really contribute?".

So my question is how can women contribute to this movement? Is there anything we can bring to this fight and community that's unique or easier for women? Do we have any superpower we can offer?

It is important to me because I don't want to go through life thinking there's no hope of ever being with a young girl I strong affections for. The frustration never fully goes away although I control it very well. I've had young girl friends I've been close to but never crossed a line even if my body has been screaming to. There was one girl who was very openly expressive towards me how much she wanted a physical relationship. We were close to each other when she was 7 and by 8 she would flirt and make passes very often. She would masturbate in front of me and ask me to do it which I didn't and I would tell her to stop. One time I found her naked in my bed, she had gone there and when I walked in she asked me to join her, if possible, she was more horny for me than I was for her. But I told her to dress and stop doing this. She was frustrated and didn't like my rejections, I don't think it did her confidence any good, and I was frustrated and eventually just stopped seeing her because the frustration was too strong. I don't want to live forever in a world like that.

We’re always talking about children’s consent—can they actually give consent? Even child psychologists ask: can babies consent? Even if they can’t speak? And when a girl who can speak gives her explicit consent? It feels like we’re at a crossroads: we wait so long for that moment, and when it finally arrives, we freeze. It’s like that story about the dog that chased every car that drove down the street; one day the car stopped, and he didn’t know what to do. That girl you mentioned—she gave you every sign; the only thing missing was her kneeling down in front of you.
MAP women are more reserved; they don’t stand out as much, but the few who have the courage are always wise and right in what they say; they are always of great value and offer valuable lessons to men. Not just because they are women, but because they have the soul of a woman; they possess a different, keen sense that we men don’t perceive, in addition to a different kind of love—a maternal love—and they can bring wonderful beings into the world, whom we love and desire deeply. You are wonderful, and I hope that you can, indeed, contribute to our struggle.

[RoosterDance]

I think people like you, whose personal lived experiences clearly contradict the dominant narrative, are very valuable. I think it would be great if you could share your experiences in a place where more people can see them. Safely share them that is. Doing so would also likely embolden others to do the same. If people were allowed to speak honestly about their experiences, it would become clear that there are just as many positive stories as there are negative ones.

The censorship of such stories has been an important part in keeping the anti narrative dominant. It helps radicalize those who would ordinarily be more moderate. They might be more sympathetic, or at least less punitive, if they knew positive outcomes were even possible. If they knew how inaccurate the idea of childhood "innocence" really is.

The fact that you're female, and your young friends as well, is a bonus for helping to dispel that lingering victorian-era belief that females can't enjoy or pursue sex. A belief perpetuated by certain radical feminists in modern day. A belief that's easy to believe when they and/or the women in their lives report having such a terrible time in their very limited experiences with sex. And I believe that so often happens due to general lack of sexual liberty and education.

[JGHeaven]

We’re always talking about children’s consent—can they actually give consent? Even child psychologists ask: can babies consent? Even if they can’t speak? And when a girl who can speak gives her explicit consent? It feels like we’re at a crossroads: we wait so long for that moment, and when it finally arrives, we freeze. It’s like that story about the dog that chased every car that drove down the street; one day the car stopped, and he didn’t know what to do. That girl you mentioned—she gave you every sign; the only thing missing was her kneeling down in front of you.
MAP women are more reserved; they don’t stand out as much, but the few who have the courage are always wise and right in what they say; they are always of great value and offer valuable lessons to men. Not just because they are women, but because they have the soul of a woman; they possess a different, keen sense that we men don’t perceive, in addition to a different kind of love—a maternal love—and they can bring wonderful beings into the world, whom we love and desire deeply. You are wonderful, and I hope that you can, indeed, contribute to our struggle.

Beautifully said and true.
We are more reserved, I know a few other female maps here and at other forums, there's a surprising number but we tend to stay in the shadows. I think we don't know how to speak out and we carry mixed emotions of guilt, at least mothers do, not because we've done anything wrong but because we're told mothers must be a certain thing and as maps we feel like we're bad moms or betraying women which is silly.

There were times with that girl that I considered crossing that line I'd set because I knew she really wanted me to as much as I wanted to, but I always managed to hold back. If I had crossed that line then it would have been such a blessing for us both, but I never wanted to put either at risk and so I just refused to cross it. I've had other young friends much the same, but she always stood out as special because we knew each other a long time. I'm also perceptive towards young girls, I think many women are because we do remember what it was like even if we repress it. I've known several girls who I could tell were very attracted to adult men I knew, it was so obvious to see. Usually the guy wouldn't realise it but I've seen girls flirt so obviously, even making very suggestive moves that I've instantly recognised that she's horny for him and he's too distracted to even notice it.

I think in a different world that wasn't so repressed through centuries of religious guilt lecturing, people would be far more liberated and less frustrated.

I think people like you, whose personal lived experiences clearly contradict the dominant narrative, are very valuable. I think it would be great if you could share your experiences in a place where more people can see them. Safely share them that is. Doing so would also likely embolden others to do the same. If people were allowed to speak honestly about their experiences, it would become clear that there are just as many positive stories as there are negative ones.

The censorship of such stories has been an important part in keeping the anti narrative dominant. It helps radicalize those who would ordinarily be more moderate. They might be more sympathetic, or at least less punitive, if they knew positive outcomes were even possible. If they knew how inaccurate the idea of childhood "innocence" really is.

The fact that you're female, and your young friends as well, is a bonus for helping to dispel that lingering victorian-era belief that females can't enjoy or pursue sex. A belief perpetuated by certain radical feminists in modern day. A belief that's easy to believe when they and/or the women in their lives report having such a terrible time in their very limited experiences with sex. And I believe that so often happens due to general lack of sexual liberty and education.

Thank you, I was thinking the same.
Two ideas come to my mind.

One is to write a short guide for what activisim people can do, but fill it with practical things and break it into different people types.
Women who are maps, children who are attracted to adults or have had or are having positive experiences and want to contribute to activism, marries and single men, people working in media, people in work, retired, students, maps who are also lgbtq+ etc. Practical things from speaking to a parent or friend to template email to send to your local political representative. A growing document or website, providing real advice to help people to get involved however they can.

The other idea is to do what you suggested and find more ways to tell my story and to encourage others to do the same. Tell friends, speak out in social media, write to letters pages, just stop feeling like I can't speak out, that telling my story is bad and wrong.

[Pegasus]

We’re always talking about children’s consent—can they actually give consent? Even child psychologists ask: can babies consent? Even if they can’t speak? And when a girl who can speak gives her explicit consent? It feels like we’re at a crossroads: we wait so long for that moment, and when it finally arrives, we freeze. It’s like that story about the dog that chased every car that drove down the street; one day the car stopped, and he didn’t know what to do. That girl you mentioned—she gave you every sign; the only thing missing was her kneeling down in front of you.
MAP women are more reserved; they don’t stand out as much, but the few who have the courage are always wise and right in what they say; they are always of great value and offer valuable lessons to men. Not just because they are women, but because they have the soul of a woman; they possess a different, keen sense that we men don’t perceive, in addition to a different kind of love—a maternal love—and they can bring wonderful beings into the world, whom we love and desire deeply. You are wonderful, and I hope that you can, indeed, contribute to our struggle.

Beautifully said and true.
We are more reserved, I know a few other female maps here and at other forums, there's a surprising number but we tend to stay in the shadows. I think we don't know how to speak out and we carry mixed emotions of guilt, at least mothers do, not because we've done anything wrong but because we're told mothers must be a certain thing and as maps we feel like we're bad moms or betraying women which is silly.

There were times with that girl that I considered crossing that line I'd set because I knew she really wanted me to as much as I wanted to, but I always managed to hold back. If I had crossed that line then it would have been such a blessing for us both, but I never wanted to put either at risk and so I just refused to cross it. I've had other young friends much the same, but she always stood out as special because we knew each other a long time. I'm also perceptive towards young girls, I think many women are because we do remember what it was like even if we repress it. I've known several girls who I could tell were very attracted to adult men I knew, it was so obvious to see. Usually the guy wouldn't realise it but I've seen girls flirt so obviously, even making very suggestive moves that I've instantly recognised that she's horny for him and he's too distracted to even notice it.

I think in a different world that wasn't so repressed through centuries of religious guilt lecturing, people would be far more liberated and less frustrated.

I think people like you, whose personal lived experiences clearly contradict the dominant narrative, are very valuable. I think it would be great if you could share your experiences in a place where more people can see them. Safely share them that is. Doing so would also likely embolden others to do the same. If people were allowed to speak honestly about their experiences, it would become clear that there are just as many positive stories as there are negative ones.

The censorship of such stories has been an important part in keeping the anti narrative dominant. It helps radicalize those who would ordinarily be more moderate. They might be more sympathetic, or at least less punitive, if they knew positive outcomes were even possible. If they knew how inaccurate the idea of childhood "innocence" really is.

The fact that you're female, and your young friends as well, is a bonus for helping to dispel that lingering victorian-era belief that females can't enjoy or pursue sex. A belief perpetuated by certain radical feminists in modern day. A belief that's easy to believe when they and/or the women in their lives report having such a terrible time in their very limited experiences with sex. And I believe that so often happens due to general lack of sexual liberty and education.

Thank you, I was thinking the same.
Two ideas come to my mind.

One is to write a short guide for what activisim people can do, but fill it with practical things and break it into different people types.
Women who are maps, children who are attracted to adults or have had or are having positive experiences and want to contribute to activism, marries and single men, people working in media, people in work, retired, students, maps who are also lgbtq+ etc. Practical things from speaking to a parent or friend to template email to send to your local political representative. A growing document or website, providing real advice to help people to get involved however they can.

The other idea is to do what you suggested and find more ways to tell my story and to encourage others to do the same. Tell friends, speak out in social media, write to letters pages, just stop feeling like I can't speak out, that telling my story is bad and wrong.

It would be incredibly helpful and great for everyone if you were willing to put together this guide.
Another thing I’d like to point out is that women tend to be more reserved and stay hidden in forums, not wanting to expose themselves. It’s the men’s own fault; some seem to cross the line of respect and launch explicit, sexual attacks against women. Let’s be realistic: in forums, there aren’t just maps, but a lot of pseudo-maps that prioritize sex and arousal. How can this not scare women away? Especially since this makes them view men as being on the same level as those who want to talk more about sex than actual feelings. So they don’t know who they’ll be talking to, and therefore prefer to stay silent. Perhaps when one woman gives another advice on whether a certain profile is good or not, this could help bring women closer to some genuine men.

[JGHeaven]

It would be incredibly helpful and great for everyone if you were willing to put together this guide.
Another thing I’d like to point out is that women tend to be more reserved and stay hidden in forums, not wanting to expose themselves. It’s the men’s own fault; some seem to cross the line of respect and launch explicit, sexual attacks against women. Let’s be realistic: in forums, there aren’t just maps, but a lot of pseudo-maps that prioritize sex and arousal. How can this not scare women away? Especially since this makes them view men as being on the same level as those who want to talk more about sex than actual feelings. So they don’t know who they’ll be talking to, and therefore prefer to stay silent. Perhaps when one woman gives another advice on whether a certain profile is good or not, this could help bring women closer to some genuine men.

I will work on such a guide but when I've written it, others should review it and add to it. I have a lot of ideas to add to it but other people will have more ideas I know.

There have been times when I've felt attacked in a way, but I've always rationalised it away as just coming from a place of pain. I know many maps are denied love because of an over-protective mother or because some minority of feminists are on a mission to suppress men but those feminists are a very small part of womankind and are not representative. Even most feminists aren't like that. In fact there are feminists who might be more aligned with maps than we think because I've heard some talk about how men suppress and dominate women and young girls, and that young girls are denied choice and sexuality by the patriarchy.

I'm not a feminist, I don't know many women who are, most women like me are just people trying to live a life, pay bills, find joy, live a happy good life. But not all feminists are bad, there's a strange tension I've seen in some where they argue that young women and girls shouldn't be suppressed and should be able to celebrate their gender and sexuality without feeling guilty, but then fear about men taking advantage of that sexual liberty. I think feminists are actually fighting some of the same fight, and if they could understand that maps seek sexual liberty for young women and girls to and not just to take advantage of it then they could make an odd but effective ally.

But I do understand why some men are anti women when they've lost love due to an over protective mother or have had some extreme feminists attacking men unfairly. When men hit back I feel it's unfair for most of us but I don't take it personally and just see as coming from that place of pain. It's a shame because I think male and female maps have so much to offer each other and have different perspectives. Male and female maps can work well together for activism but also just building relationships and families and there are map moms that worry about men not being in their kids lives at all and would love a good male map to be a role model and close friend for their precious one.

I will work on a guide and see how it works out.

[JGHeaven]

First draft just to show what I'm thinking about writing. I would want to add more detail and practical advice and links, where to go to learn more and how to carry out such activism. Please post any feedback, links, suggestions and I'll keep refining it until it becomes a real document we can use. I'm already talking to some people about spin-out projects such as a legacy program to form a foundation that MAPs can donate to and leave an inheritance to with that foundation supporting map work and advocacy. This came from another discussion where MAPs are often pushed out of society and families and so may wish to leave a legacy or financially support activism and the map community rather than leave everything to the state or people who have disowned them.

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How Different People Can Safely Advocate for MAP Rights
Many people care about MAP rights but do not always know what they can do. Some people are able to speak publicly. Others need to stay anonymous because of family, work, faith communities, safety concerns, immigration status, local laws, or social pressure.

Advocacy does not have to look the same for everyone. Some people march, write, campaign, organise, or speak publicly. Others quietly support someone, correct misinformation, donate, vote, share resources, or help create safer spaces.

The important thing is this: everyone can contribute in a way that matches their situation, safety level, skills, and confidence.

First: Think About Your Safety Level
Before taking action, people should ask themselves:

Can I be public?
Some people can use their real name, speak at events, write articles, talk to employers, or challenge public figures.

Can I be semi-public?
Some people may speak in trusted groups, use a first name only, attend events, or support local organisations without becoming a visible public figure.

Do I need to stay anonymous?
Some people may need to protect their identity. They can still help through anonymous accounts, private donations, secure sharing of information, quiet education, and behind-the-scenes support.

Could my actions put someone else at risk?
This is especially important for people with MAP friends, partners, children, students, colleagues, or community members. Never “out” someone or share their story without permission.

Different People and How They Can Help

1. MAP’s
MAP’s are often expected to lead every conversation about MAP rights, but they should not have to carry all the burden.

Ways to help:

· Share your story only if it feels safe and empowering.
· Join MAP organisations, support groups, or campaign networks.
· Help younger or newly questioning MAP’s find safe resources.
· Challenge misinformation when you have the emotional energy to do so.
· Write anonymously or publicly about lived experience.
· Support other MAP’s who are isolated.
· Help create community spaces online or offline.
· Take breaks when activism becomes emotionally exhausting.

Important reminder: You do not owe anyone your trauma, your private life, or your personal story.

2. Allies Who Know and Support MAP’s

Many people care because they have MAP friends, children, siblings, colleagues, partners, students, or neighbours.

Ways to help:

· Listen without making the conversation about yourself.
· Ask how you can support someone rather than assuming.
· Speak up when MAP’s are not in the room.
· Challenge jokes, stereotypes, and misinformation.
· Support inclusive policies at work, universities, and in local communities.
· Share accurate resources.
· Vote or campaign for candidates and policies that protect equal rights.
· Make it clear that your home, workplace, or social group is safe and respectful.

Important reminder: Never reveal someone’s sexuality or gender identity without their permission.

3. People Who Want to Stay Anonymous

Most MAPs live in places, families, workplaces, or communities where public advocacy would be risky.

Ways to help safely:

· Use anonymous or separate social media accounts.
· Share educational resources without revealing personal details.
· Donate privately to trusted MAP organisations.
· Support petitions, consultations, or campaigns using privacy-protecting methods where possible.
· Help fact-check misinformation behind the scenes.
· Send resources to journalists, campaigners, or organisations.
· Encourage supportive conversations in private.
· Use secure passwords, two-factor authentication, and avoid linking anonymous accounts to personal emails or phone numbers.
· Avoid posting identifiable photos, locations, workplaces, study place names, or family details.

Anonymous advocacy is still real advocacy. Not everyone has the privilege of being visible.

4. People Who Can Speak Publicly

Some people are safe enough, confident enough, or privileged enough to speak openly.

Ways to help:

· Write articles, posts, letters, or public statements.
· Speak at meetings, community events, or local councils.
· Attend protests, vigils, or awareness events.
· Put your name to campaigns and petitions.
· Challenge harmful narratives in public.
· Support MAP speakers and activists rather than speaking over them.
· Use your platform to amplify MAP voices.
· Take some of the public pressure off people who cannot safely speak.

Public allies can be especially useful because they may face less personal risk than MAP people themselves.

5. Married People and People With Families

People with families can have a powerful influence in homes, schools, faith groups, parent groups, and local communities.

Ways to help:

· Teach children that MAP’s deserve respect and equal rights.
· Challenge anti-MAP comments within the family.
· Talk to other parents calmly and respectfully.
· Make your home a safe place for MAP relatives or friends.
· Support young MAP’s who may not feel safe at home.
· Model kindness and fairness in everyday conversation.
· Join parent-led campaigns for inclusive education and anti-bullying policies.

Families can help change culture by raising children who see equality as normal.

6. Single People

Single people may have more flexibility with time, travel, volunteering, or public participation.

Ways to help:

· Volunteer time with MAP community groups.
· Attend local events, meetings, or protests that have some element of MAP support.
· Help with campaign admin, design, writing, social media, or fundraising.
· Offer practical support to people who feel isolated.
· Join local equality groups.
· Build friendships and networks across communities.
· Use spare time to learn, organise, and support others.

Not being part of a family unit does not mean someone has less influence. Single people can often be highly active organisers and connectors.

7. Men

Men can play an important role, especially in challenging homophobia, transphobia, sexism, map hate and toxic masculinity among other men.

Ways to help:

· Challenge “banter” that targets MAP’s.
· Make workplaces, sports teams, gaming groups, and social circles safer.
· Speak openly about respecting minority groups including MAP’s.
· Support map men without stereotypes.
· Talk to boys and young men about dignity, consent, respect, and difference.
· Push back against the idea that equality threatens masculinity.
· Call out harassment when safe to do so.

Men speaking to other men can sometimes reach spaces where MAP’s and women are ignored or dismissed.

8. Women

Women have often been central to equality movements, care networks, education, and community organising.

Ways to help:

· Build solidarity between women’s rights and MAP rights.
· Support MAP’s in women’s spaces.
· Challenge attempts to divide women from MAP communities.
· Create safe spaces for discussion and learning.
· Support inclusive healthcare, education, and workplace policies.
· Mentor younger activists.
· Speak against harassment, abuse, and discrimination.

Advocacy is strongest when it refuses to pit vulnerable groups against each other.

9. Young People

Young people are often highly aware of MAP issues but may have less power in schools, families, or workplaces.

Ways to help safely:

· Support MAP friends privately and respectfully.
· Start or join equality clubs, student groups, or awareness campaigns where safe.
· Share accurate information online.
· Challenge bullying without putting yourself in danger.
· Ask schools for better anti-bullying policies.
· Create art, videos, writing, music, or social media content.
· Learn about MAP history and current issues.
· Find trusted adults or organisations if someone is unsafe.

Young people should not feel pressured to take risks that adults are not taking themselves.

10. Older People

Older people may have life experience, community influence, professional networks, and historical perspective.

Ways to help:

· Share memories of how rights have changed over time.
· Challenge prejudice among older friends, relatives, and community groups.
· Support older MAP adults, who may face isolation.
· Volunteer as mentors, trustees, advisors, or campaign supporters.
· Write letters to newspapers, representatives, schools, or local councils.
· Help preserve MAP history.
· Use respected community status to promote fairness and dignity.

Older allies can show that MAP rights are not just a “young person’s issue.”

11. Working People

Most adults spend a large part of life at work, so workplaces matter.

Ways to help:

· Support MAP colleagues.
· Ask for inclusive policies on harassment, parental leave, healthcare, and dress codes.
· Encourage inclusive training that covers genders and sexualities to be broad and inclusive of all sexualities, ensuring that as a MAP they would not feel excluded.
· Challenge workplace jokes or exclusion.
· Make sure recruitment and promotion are fair.
· Support colleagues who face discrimination.
· Use unions or staff forums to raise issues safely.

Workplace advocacy can be quiet but very powerful.

12. Employers and Managers

Employers have real power to change people’s daily lives.

Ways to help:

· Create clear anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies.
· Make reporting systems safe and confidential.
· Support MAP employee’s.
· Connect with and liase with MAP community groups online to better understand how to support MAPs in the workplace.
· Train managers properly.
· Use inclusive language in documents and communications.
· Respect privacy around sexuality, and family life.
· Support MAP staff publicly if they are out as a MAP.
· Make sure benefits and leave policies include MAP families.
· Respond seriously to bullying or harassment.

A workplace is not inclusive because it has a rainbow logo. It is inclusive when people are safe, respected, and treated fairly.

13. Students

Students can influence schools, universities, clubs, societies, and online communities.

Ways to help:

· Join LGBTQ+ or equality societies and speak out about MAP inclusion.
· Campaign for inclusive policies and safe reporting systems.
· Ask for diverse reading lists and inclusive teaching.
· Support MAP classmates.
· Organise awareness events, panels, fundraisers, or campaigns.
· Challenge misinformation in student media or group chats.
· Work with student unions.
· Make sure activism includes disabled students, international students, religious students, and students from different backgrounds.

Student activism can shape the culture of an entire institution.

14. Teachers, Educators, and People in Education

Education is one of the most important areas for long-term cultural change.

Ways to help:

· Create classrooms where MAP students are safe from bullying.
· Use inclusive examples where appropriate.
· Teach respect, dignity, and anti-bullying clearly.
· Support students who come out or ask for help.
· Avoid forcing students to disclose personal information.
· Include MAP history, literature, and role models where relevant.
· Challenge misinformation from parents, students, or colleagues calmly and professionally.
· Follow safeguarding responsibilities carefully.

For many young MAP people, one supportive adult can make a huge difference.

15. People in Media

People in media shape public understanding.

Ways to help:

· Avoid sensationalising MAP lives.
· Interview MAP people respectfully and fairly.
· Include MAP voices in stories about MAP issues.
· Avoid framing equality as a “debate” where one side questions people’s dignity or existence.
· Correct misinformation quickly.
· Highlight positive stories, not only conflict and suffering.
· Protect vulnerable sources.
· Give space to local activists, young people, older MAP’s, and people from different backgrounds.

Media coverage can either increase fear or increase understanding.

16. Journalists

Journalists have a specific responsibility because their work can affect public policy, safety, and social attitudes.

Ways to help:

· Use accurate language.
· Check claims before repeating them.
· Avoid outing people.
· Protect anonymous sources.
· Understand the difference between legitimate scrutiny and moral panic.
· Speak to experts, legal specialists, healthcare professionals, and MAP organisations.
· Report on discrimination, violence, policy changes, and human impact.
· Avoid reducing MAP people to controversy.

Good journalism helps the public understand reality rather than fear.

17. People Working in Justice, Law, or Policy

People in justice systems, law, advocacy, policing, courts, prisons, and policy roles can affect whether MAP’s are protected or harmed.

Ways to help:

· Support fair treatment under the law.
· Challenge discriminatory practices.
· Improve access to legal support.
· Help organisations understand rights and responsibilities.
· Support victims of hate crime or discrimination.
· Promote training on MAP issues.
· Review policies for hidden bias.
· Protect confidentiality and dignity.
· Support evidence-based policy rather than fear-based policy.

People in justice roles should be especially aware that vulnerable people may already distrust institutions.

18. People in Healthcare and Social Care

Healthcare and social care can be life-changing for MAP people.

Ways to help:

· Use respectful language.
· Do not assume someone’s partner, gender, family structure, or sexual orientation.
· Protect confidentiality.
· Make services visibly welcoming.
· Train staff on MAP needs.
· Support mental health without treating MAP identity as the problem.
· Challenge discrimination from colleagues or service users.
· Make forms and systems inclusive.
· Listen to patients’ own descriptions of themselves.

Respectful care can reduce fear, isolation, and harm.

19. Faith and Community Leaders

Faith and community leaders can either make people feel rejected or deeply supported.

Ways to help:

· Speak about dignity, compassion, and safety.
· Challenge hatred within the community.
· Support families with MAP children.
· Create space for respectful learning.
· Avoid language that encourages shame or exclusion.
· Work with MAP’s of faith.
· Make clear that harassment and violence are unacceptable.
· Support people quietly if public statements are difficult.

A community does not have to agree on every theological or philosophical issue to agree that people deserve safety and dignity.

20. Business Owners

Business owners can influence staff, customers, suppliers, and local culture.

Ways to help:

· Make anti-discrimination policies clear.
· Support MAP staff and customers.
· Sponsor MAP events or organisations.
· Provide safe, respectful customer service.
· Avoid performative Pride marketing without real support.
· Use inclusive hiring practices.
· Support local campaigns or community groups.
· Refuse to tolerate harassment from customers or staff.

Small businesses can become important safe spaces in local communities.

21. Artists, Writers, Musicians, and Creators

Culture changes hearts as well as minds.

Ways to help:

· Create stories, songs, films, art, or performances that humanise MAP people.
· Support MAP artists.
· Challenge stereotypes.
· Make educational content accessible and emotional.
· Use humour, beauty, storytelling, and creativity to reach people.
· Preserve MAP history and memory.
· Create anonymous or pseudonymous work if needed.
· Collaborate with activists and community groups.

Art can reach people who would never read a policy document.

22. Online Creators and Influencers

Online creators can reach large audiences quickly.

Ways to help:

· Share accurate information.
· Platform MAP voices.
· Challenge misinformation without encouraging harassment.
· Moderate comments to protect vulnerable people.
· Avoid clickbait that increases fear or hatred.
· Be honest when you are still learning.
· Use your audience to support campaigns, fundraisers, petitions, and education.
· Protect your own mental health and privacy.

Influence should be used carefully, especially when discussing vulnerable communities.

23. People Who Are Unsure But Want to Learn

Not everyone starts with full understanding. That is okay. What matters is being willing to learn honestly.

Ways to begin:

· Read MAP history and personal stories.
· Listen to MAP people without demanding they educate you personally.
· Learn the meaning of basic terms.
· Notice where your information comes from.
· Ask respectful questions in appropriate spaces.
· Avoid sharing claims before checking them.
· Accept correction without becoming defensive.
· Start with the principle that everyone deserves safety, dignity, and equal rights.

You do not have to understand everything immediately to oppose cruelty and discrimination.

Practical Actions Anyone Can Take

Low-Risk Actions

These are useful for people who need to be careful:

· Read and learn.
· Follow trusted MAP organisations.
· Donate privately (crypto, cash drops or bank payments). Consider leaving an inheritence to MAP community organisations, particularly where MAP’s have been isolated and would like to leave a legacy to support MAP’s now and in the future.
· Share resources in private chats.
· Support MAP friends quietly.
· Correct misinformation in one-to-one conversations.
· Vote for equality-supporting policies and representatives.
· Avoid engaging in unsafe online arguments.
· Use anonymous accounts carefully.

Medium-Risk Actions

These suit people who can be somewhat visible:

· Attend events.
· Sign petitions.
· Join local groups.
· Write to representatives.
· Speak in workplaces, schools, or community groups.
· Share educational posts under your own name.
· Help organise fundraisers or awareness campaigns.
· Support policy changes in your institution.

Higher-Visibility Actions

These suit people who are safer being public:

· Give interviews.
· Speak at public events.
· Lead campaigns.
· Publish articles.
· Challenge harmful public narratives.
· Stand for leadership roles.
· Organise protests or community meetings.
· Publicly support MAP’s during moments of backlash.

Safety Tips for Anonymous or Careful Advocacy

People who need anonymity should consider:

· Use a separate email address.
· Use strong passwords and two-factor authentication.
· Do not reuse usernames linked to your real identity.
· Avoid posting identifiable photos, locations, workplaces, schools, or family details.
· Be careful with metadata in images and documents.
· Do not log into anonymous accounts on shared devices.
· Avoid arguments with people who may try to expose you.
· Keep records of harassment or threats.
· Know when to step away.

Anonymous advocacy should be treated seriously. It is often the safest way for people in hostile environments to contribute.

What Good Advocacy Looks Like

Good MAP advocacy should be:

Positive — focused on dignity, safety, equality, and human rights.
Accurate — based on facts, not rumours or panic.
Respectful — not shaming people who are still learning.
Safe — not exposing people to unnecessary risk.
Inclusive — remembering that MAP people are also parents, workers, students, disabled people, religious people, older people, immigrants, and members of many communities.
Practical — giving people real things they can do.
Sustainable — allowing people to rest, learn, and contribute at their own pace.

A Simple Message to End With

You do not have to be famous, fearless, or an expert to support MAP rights.

You can be public or anonymous. Loud or quiet. Young or old. MAP or an ally. A parent, student, worker, journalist, employer, artist, teacher, neighbour, or friend.

What matters is choosing the form of advocacy that is safe for you and useful to others.

Small actions matter. Private support matters. Public courage matters. Learning matters. Speaking up matters.

MAP rights are protected not only by big campaigns, but by millions of everyday choices to defend dignity, truth, safety, and equality.

[PorcelainLark]

I think interrogating friends of the same gender is important, if you're a woman. There's this association between women's rights and opposition to intergenerational relationships which should be questioned.

It's common place for teenage boys to fantasize about older women, even if culture now pretends it's abnormal. Why pretend it isn't the same for girls and women? I think there's a lot of prejudice going on; fearfulness about acknowleding sexual interests women and girls have, a paternalistic feeling that adults and men know better what a woman or girl wants. I feel MA is the fault line where we still have these imaginary and puritanically views of women and girls. We all know teenage boys masturbate to porn, why is it such a big deal to acknowledge girls do it too? Why do we have to frame anything sexual about women and girls as an unwanted intrusion into their lives, instead of sometimes just being a normal part of who they are? Antis just reconstruct this idea that sex is an unwanted introduction into the lives of girls and women, rather than something the sometimes might want.

[RoosterDance]

This guide is a good start. I encourage you to keep improving it. However, I'm afraid I can't imagine it seeing much use until we convince more people that advocacy is necessary or even possible. I also might suggest putting some emphasis on supporting youth rights as well. Youth rights and MAP rights are pretty inextricably linked after all. Still, this is good. Keep up the good work.

I'm already talking to some people about spin-out projects such as a legacy program to form a foundation that MAPs can donate to and leave an inheritance to with that foundation supporting map work and advocacy.

Also, I like this idea. Definitely worth a try.

[JGHeaven]

I think interrogating friends of the same gender is important, if you're a woman. There's this association between women's rights and opposition to intergenerational relationships which should be questioned.

It's common place for teenage boys to fantasize about older women, even if culture now pretends it's abnormal. Why pretend it isn't the same for girls and women? I think there's a lot of prejudice going on; fearfulness about acknowleding sexual interests women and girls have, a paternalistic feeling that adults and men know better what a woman or girl wants. I feel MA is the fault line where we still have these imaginary and puritanically views of women and girls. We all know teenage boys masturbate to porn, why is it such a big deal to acknowledge girls do it too? Why do we have to frame anything sexual about women and girls as an unwanted intrusion into their lives, instead of sometimes just being a normal part of who they are? Antis just reconstruct this idea that sex is an unwanted introduction into the lives of girls and women, rather than something the sometimes might want.

This is definitely true and it's an area that is deeply conflicted.
On the one hand, there is strong resentment towards men telling women how to act, what to wear, how to feel. When a man has sex for fun he's being "one of the boys" but when a woman does it she's a slut. This still persists even today, that a man can be anything but a woman who is having fun is bad and corrupt. This is what drives feminism. I'm not a hardened feminist but I do feel this because I've grown up with it. Logically, that should apply to young girls to, that young girls shouldn't be treated like sluts or corrupt fallen girls just for expressing some form of sexuality.

I've seen mothers tell their daughters to be proud and independent and to not let men tell you what you can and can't do, then in the same breath tell them how to dress and feel because people will think you're a slut otherwise. "Be independent and don't let men control how you think and feel" alongside "don't dress or feel or act in a way that a man might consider slutty or immoral".

I've seen this strange opposites show in many ways. We can go out into town in a short dress and revealing top if we want to and it gives us confidence, that isn't an invitation to rape. When men have raped and used the defense "she was dressed for it", that triggers us because it's up to us how we dress and behave, what men feel or think towards us is irrelevant. But then for young females it's all about "dress and act this way because of what men might think and feel". It's a strange mixed message.

In part it's driven by fear of men, that we can dress this way as women and men should respect us, but a young girl doing the same thing might be less able to defend herself. But I don't think this is the real story because we're not talking about going out dressed in a way that could overly excite men, we're talking about just being sexual even alone at home. Having a sex drive towards adult men and women is terrible, don't do it, it's wrong, until you're 16 or 18 and then suddenly being told that it's wrong, is wrong. Try to get your head around that twisted logic.

But in fact, when I've tested the water in the past the response I've received from other women isn't that girls aren't sexual, I think most mothers know only too well that their daughters are, it's that being too sexual too young is harmful because it's distracting from school and education and leads towards teenage pregnancies. I have a friend who told me how when she was young, 11 onwards, she was very sexual and slept around quite a bit, including with adults. She had a thing for soldiers and lived not far from a base and so even at 11 or 12 she was out having sex with guys from the base. She didn't do well at school and didn't go to university, she puts that down to spending her youth chasing guys. As a mother she is worried about her daughter doing the same, chasing guys. She isn't worried about pedophiles abusing her daughter, she's worried about her daughter chasing boys and men for sex because it feels good, guys being guys and taking advantage of what's on offer, and her daughter throwing her future away like she feels she did.

I think for many women that's the real worry rather than pedophiles, it's their daughters being horny and chasing it and guys being guys and taking it. When a girls is very young, under 10 for instance, there is more worry about girls showing off and having some sexual interest and guys still taking advantage, but beyond 10 it shifts more quite often towards worrying about their daughters sexual interest becoming something they pursue more themselves.

I think there is a case to be made that this is really dangerous logic because it's doing the patriarchies job for them. We're saying men are horny and sometimes opportunists, girls are horny also and do chase boys and men, but denying girls their sexuality is no different men telling women how to feel and act and dress. Girls should feel able to embrace their sexuality and feel empowered to say "no" just like a woman should be able to, and also feel empowered to say "yes" on her terms, just like a woman does. Anything less is patriarchy.

This guide is a good start. I encourage you to keep improving it. However, I'm afraid I can't imagine it seeing much use until we convince more people that advocacy is necessary or even possible. I also might suggest putting some emphasis on supporting youth rights as well. Youth rights and MAP rights are pretty inextricably linked after all. Still, this is good. Keep up the good work.

I'm already talking to some people about spin-out projects such as a legacy program to form a foundation that MAPs can donate to and leave an inheritance to with that foundation supporting map work and advocacy.

Also, I like this idea. Definitely worth a try.

Thank you. It's an early start, I want to add a lot more content and detail. I want to make it so that anyone can see themselves in this document and find some things they're able to do. Right now, the term activism can be scary because for many people that means openly marching for change or taking big risks, but it doesn't have to.

As for the foundation, I've been discussing this for some time with another member with some expertise in this field, just not with maps. We're working towards a vision of having a legal and well managed foundation or legal structure that fund-raises in various ways including legacy donations. Then using these funds to support the map community in various ways, from helping with legal costs to supporting forums and projects to research and messaging. I have this dream of some day seeing signs on the bus about respecting maps or seeing people on the TV discussing how it used to be when maps were treated as criminals but how far society has come to understand that maps are ordinary people with so much to offer society and young partners.