The term Friend

[Addicted2boys]

Friend might actually be better then MAP. Too many people see the attraction as just sexual. They see pedophiles using the term as just an attempt by us to make paedophilia more acceptable in society.

[Outis]

If sticking to MAP, and I think we will, what I do think is that the meaning of the word MAP needs work to make it a workable term for the general public.

What I mean is that the word pedophile originally broke down to pedo- (from Greek pais (genitive paidos) "child") and Greek philos "loving" (see -phile). Sexuality was viewed differently in that society. An adult who loves children is a more open idea than an adult who wants sex with children. Love and sex are different things although they of course often have connections.

But the term has been twisted to mean adults who want to sexually exploit kids which isn't what it means at all but it's now so fixed in the minds of the public that the tern is just too toxic today.

MAP as I've said before to me focuses on attraction so isn't as accurate as pedophile but given that it's a term that is now quite widely used then it's a reasonable starting point for conversations. So I think the term MAP needs to be expressed more like the term pedophile, with a focus on love and connection. I have a low sex drive, I used to have a high sex drive so while I might have had a more sexual interest in the past, today a child still turns my head and draws me in but I tend to not have a sexual interest. But the feelings I have inside now are the same as I used to have and are still the same as what I can have towards an adult woman I'm attracted to or love in a romantic way.

So that's all a long winded way of saying I think MAP should mean an adult with a romantic or loving or physical interest in a young person. A MAP is someone who is inclind to feel towards a child the same way as a non-MAP would feel towards someone special or attractive in their own sexuality. Yes there can be a sexual attraction but not always and when there is it's the same effect as a non-map, so far different to feelings of wanting to harm or rape a person.

[PorcelainLark]

It's worth noting that being an aromantic MAP doesn't necessarily mean you don't care about the well being of children. Also, I'd hesitate to use the term "friend" because not every MAP is necessarily interested in friendship with children.

[Outis]

I agree that it should be presented as something more pure when it's an attraction with children but equally I don't think the focus should be one form of attraction that one section of map society feels.

I'm not exclusive which in many ways makes being a map easier but it also means I immediately recognise that what I feel towards a young person in terms of attraction is the same as what I feel towards an adult.

Sometimes I will see an adult woman and experience a physical attraction response towards her and I can have the same physical attraction towards someone young. I won't say anything about it or show it, but I will feel it. Most women and young females I have no such reaction to, they are just people I encounter, may be friends with.

I have had long term relationships with adult women which have usually been when I've met a woman, over time I've got to know her and that's developed into a romantic interest and with that, a physical interest. Those relationships for me have been the most special and memorable and impactful on my life. I've had the same reaction with young girls though. There have been a few girls I've just got to know of a long time, eventually developing a romantic interest and with that a physical attraction. I've not followed through in a romantic or physical way, but I recognise those feelings and that they are the same as what I've experienced with adult women.

I consider myself to be heterosexual which to me means I can develop a romantic or physical interest in the opposite sex. For me it might be an adult woman or a child. As a ratio it is much more likely to happen towards a young girl which is why I also recognise that I am primarly a map. For me, having heterosexuality focus only on the physical reaction isn't accurate because I've had relationships with women where sex wasn't something we had but we were mutually attracted and in love. I just think if the focus is all about sexual attraction then it makes it less than what adults feel for each other and only serves maps with a primarily sexual interest. I don't think there's anything wrong with not wanting love or commtment and being driven by a primarily sexual interest. When I was a kid I was highly sexual and had experiences that were just about pleasure and I didn't want more than that, it's a two way thing and sometimes sex is enough and fits the needs of two people perfectly. That's just not me though as an adult.

[Non Name]

I don't think the focus should be one form of attraction that one section of map society feels.

I think there may be a miscommunication because I think we're all on agreement with this?

MAPs with primarily sexual feelings are minor-attracted.
MAPs with primarily romantic feelings are minor-attracted.
MAPs with primarily nurturing/ emotional feelings are minor-attracted.

The sexual part is what gets more noticed by society and it's what causes the harshest legal penalties. But MAPs have a broader array of feelings than that, just as adult-attracted people do.

There's actually a research paper that was released recently (but I can't access) that deals with this:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39118553/

I've uploaded the pdf to the MAP Torrent Building matrix room we're both members of.

[Outis]

I don't think the focus should be one form of attraction that one section of map society feels.

I think there may be a miscommunication because I think we're all on agreement with this?

MAPs with primarily sexual feelings are minor-attracted.
MAPs with primarily romantic feelings are minor-attracted.
MAPs with primarily nurturing/ emotional feelings are minor-attracted.

The sexual part is what gets more noticed by society and it's what causes the harshest legal penalties. But MAPs have a broader array of feelings than that, just as adult-attracted people do.

There's actually a research paper that was released recently (but I can't access) that deals with this:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39118553/

Yes, I think we are saying the same thing.