Age of attraction

Age of attraction, or AoA, is a term used primarily by MAPs in reference to their generalized age preference. The term is in common use among the minor-attracted community, and is to be distinguished from chronophilia. Typically, it is stated as a range, for example, 12-30.

Sometimes those whose AoA favors prepubescent children (often under 6) may refer to themselves as little boy lovers or little girl lovers. Those whose AoA favors teenagers (who have reached puberty) may refer to themselves as teen boy lovers, teen girl lovers or hebephiles, even sometimes ephebophiles. Factors in one's age of attraction can include both the physical and emotional development of the person. As most commonly used, the term denotes a sexual as well as an emotional attraction.

Some people resist claiming any specific AoA for themselves, since they find that the ages of the people they are attracted to vary too much. They argue that a person's age says little of their attractiveness. Others, wishing to express their special preference for particular ages without excluding a broader range prefer the term primary age of attraction.

History

Use of this term goes back at least to the beginnings of the internet era. See, for example, AoA in BoyChat thread titles.

Gallery

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  Survey of Paedophile Information Exchange members appears to reveal that most are hebephiles.

See also

• BoyWiki.
• MAP Wiki - Historical context in Tumblr/Twitter NOMAP community.