MAP Forum

Hello everyone,

I'm Fragment, otherwise known as Percy Shelley. I'm the communications officer for Mu. I'm a middle aged man from an English speaking country, but I've been living in Japan for the past decade.

I've had quite a turbulent time trying to find myself as a MAP. I've been single and lonely, I've been in a long term relationship with a man, I've had platonic YFs and I've married a woman, all in trying to find the path to happiness in this world that places sanctions against my attraction.

Although I was involved in other activism in my college days, I've only been a passive spectator to the BL community. I've probably known about BoyChat since about 2003, but I was only ever a lurker until recently.

I have a pro-choice philosophy, but rather than being focused on the morality or immortality of adult-minor sexual contact (AMSC) I'm more interested in the immortality of incarceration. My hope for moderate reform of AMSC laws is less about a wish for AMSC to increase, and more about a wish that when people do have non-violent, non-coercive AMSC that the adults involved aren't imprisoned for decades.

Although we still face many seemingly impossible barriers, I honestly feel that the MAP community is at the strongest point it's been since the 70s, if not ever. We have more and more communities emerging and (very) slowly growing support from society. I hope Mu can be another piece of the puzzle moving forward, growing our community and advancing our freedoms. We deserve more.

Fragment wrote: ↑Fri Jul 05, 2024 4:14 am [...] I'm more interested in the immortality of incarceration. My hope for moderate reform of AMSC laws is less about a wish for AMSC to increase, and more about a wish that when people do have non-violent, non-coercive AMSC that the adults involved aren't imprisoned for decades.

Yes, our justice systems seem very punitive. Teachers have largely come to realize that disciplinarian approaches are among the least effective strategies for promoting learning for their students. But the rest of society has not yet caught up. Are you familiar with theories of restorative justice?

Fragment wrote: ↑Fri Jul 05, 2024 4:14 am [...] I honestly feel that the MAP community is at the strongest point it's been since the 70s, if not ever. We have more and more communities emerging and (very) slowly growing support from society. [...]

I appreciate that optimistic outlook. Nice seeing you here, Fragment. And thanks for your hard work here, the site is looking great.

OnionPetal wrote: ↑Wed Jul 17, 2024 10:58 am Yes, our justice systems seem very punitive. Teachers have largely come to realize that disciplinarian approaches are among the least effective strategies for promoting learning for their students. But the rest of society has not yet caught up. Are you familiar with theories of restorative justice?

I'm not super well read on it, but from what I've read restorative justice seems to be exactly what we need more of in society. Not just for perpetrators and rehabilitation, but also for victims of crime. An increase in empathy for all parties, rather than anger and feeling hard done by.