MAP Forum

I've been reading a series of posts by a non-map activist in another forum and it got me thinking about whether there's an alternative approach to activism.

There are many fast growing subcultures in the world, often around something creative or an idea that binds people together. Hackers, cypherpunks, music subcultures, art subcultures, anarchists etc etc.

Take hackers and cypherpunks as one example. They are united in a belief of openness and are driven by the pursuit to learn technical skills. They learn, they perform actions, they compete and a whole subculture has developed and grown with a distinct feel and culture. Mohawks at Defcon, stickers and designs celebrating an underground and dystopian technical future. It's exciting and mysterious and people are drawn to it, hackers but also non-hackers. From it we get new technology, cryptocurrencies and blockchain, privacy tools, art and a whole subculture.

It has been suggested that a subculture could and should form that supports maps and other sexualities, a celebration of individuality, human respect and rights including sexuality. A celebration that celebrates the individual, whether it's a child or adult, a male or female, a leader or follower, a skilled or manual worker. Any religion, gender, belief system, sexuality. The right of the individual to celebrate and own their individuality. The comment was made that sexuality without the right to sex is a meaningless expression. It's having the right to food but not to eat or the right to freedom but not to leave a cell. The world champions the right to children to have a sexuality, but not to have sex, although it's common knowledge that underage people pursue sex because it's enjoyable.

So thinking about all these things it made me wonder whether a new movement built around a subculture for the individual is the real fight to be had. A map free to be a map, identify as a map, as the individual and a young person to identify as a sexuality and to have the natural right to sex. Obviously there are practical reasons not to such as parents are responsible for their kids and so can always say no, but that doesn't mean that a child should not have a sexuality and to express an interest in sex even if they can't have it. It shouldn't be a legal thing but a practical thing but a child and an adult should equally be able to say they have a sexuality, a sex drive and to feel no shame for it, even if it's towards each other. You can't have universal self identity and sexuality if there are exceptions made.

A subculture with art, music, creative skills, challenges. Building, drawing, writing, expressing. Sexuality and self, not just maps alone pushing for maps but part of that rich subculture. The natural path of such a subculture leads to the same destination for maps which is respect, freedom and the right to celebrate being a map.

The intention isn't to build a MAP organisation or to take a pro or anti stance on MAP issues, it's about celebrating self and identity. Being gay is fine, don't feel shame for it at any age. Being straight is fine at any age. Identifying as a different gender is fine at any age (not getting into arguments about rights to change gender at a young age, but don't feel shame for it). Celebrating the unusual is a good thing, the edges and in-between spaces. Tall, short, disabled, female with a beard, 8 years old and trans. I have a friend with a very visible disability that she struggles with, as a young child someone literally screamed and called her a freak in public. All forms of art.

Now I would place pedophiles in there as an identity like any other, and at its core the subculture is about understanding and accepting identity. So being a pedophile is absolutely acceptable. it isn't making moral judgements on whether being gay is good or being a pedophile is good, it's purely identity.

Where it impacts MAPs is in two ways.

1. MAP is an identity so be proud of it. The aim is to get people to reach out a hand of friendship to others who they wouldn't normally. Befriend and talk to a gay person, a dwarf, a map. Learn what it means, hear peoples stories from all walks of life.

2. Sexuality without sex is meaningless or rather to say someone has a sexuality and has no sexual interest or drive is meaningless. An 8 year old gay person absolutely has a sexuality and sexual pull. They may not want to have sex, it isn't about that, but it has to be recognised and considered that sexuality means they have a sexual side. It at least opens the idea of sexuality in all people.

Would I join such a movement? Yes, in a heartbeat if I liked the art and culture. I wouldn't feel threatened, celebrating identity is something I would happily openly do. It's no worse than supporting the LGBTQ community, I accept there will be some people in there who are maps and that all ages can identify as LGBTQ, but it just doesn't focus so much on identity and shy's away from the idea of young people having a sexuality beyond a letter or slogan.

Outis wrote: Thu Jul 31, 2025 4:41 pmIt has been suggested that a subculture could and should form that supports maps and other sexualities, a celebration of individuality, human respect and rights including sexuality.

From this description, I think of humanism.
To be honest, I think those subcultures you mentioned thrive precisely because they're somewhat decayed at their core. Cyberpunk isn't inherently beautiful, nor is hacking, yet that very rawness is what makes them captivating—that's their allure. There's something tied to rebellion.

First, there's an issue tied to crafting an alluring fantasy—but more critically, people are overly cautious. There's this persistent urge to hedge one's bets, because naturally, no one wants to equate MAPs with rapists. Yet, in my view, this restraint stifles the growth of a subculture. It's already being subtly policed.
I'm not sure if I'm making myself clear.