Minor Attracted Person

Part of NewgonWiki's series on minor-attracted identities
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Category: Minor-attracted people
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A Minor Attracted Person (MAP) is a person who experiences preferential sexual or romantic attractions towards people considered to be Minors. A Minor may be defined as being below the local Age of Consent, Age of Majority or even as a "child" below the age of 18 as observed in UN conventions.

Usage

While Allyn Walker is famously responsible for the first (2021) significant publicity surrounding its use in a professional setting, the term has been mooted on at least two occasions since as early as 1998. It was first successfully coined in 2007 as a neologism by two online activists with differing attractions to minors (pedophilic and nonpedophilic). By 2023, following consistent use in academia, MA(P) had over 600 mentions in Google Scholar, and had been used in state-funded research projects, documentation, a theater performance, and even acknowledged in a parliamentary petition and law-enforcement operations.

The term is used frequently and casually on social media along with Adult Attracted Minor (AAM) by young people. Social services professionals have attested to its casual use by young people.

Specifications

• An umbrella term, hence not to be seen as a distinct "sexuality". Explicit identification as a MAP also implies preferential attraction to minors - for example, Hebephilia. Non-preferential attraction to minors is almost universal (see research). The term has, however, been applied situationally, i.e. to the older partner in an age-gap relationship involving a legal minor.
• Minors may themselves be accurately classified as MAPs. This might seem counterintuitive, but aligns with most professional opinions.

Subtypes

While there is not full approval of medical "taxonomic bingo" (among MAPs), many of the following long-standing psychiatric terms have been absorbed into the MAP chronophilia lexicon:

• Nepiophilia - Attraction to Infants 0-3
• Pedophilia - Attraction to Prepubescents 4-11/12
• Hebephilia - Attraction to Pubescents 11-14
• Ephebophilia* - Attraction to post pubescent youth, usually between 15-19

*The inclusion of ephebophilia within the MAP discourse is controversial, as is its concept validity.

Identities such as Boylove and Girllove are also common, particularly within the peer support community. Nowadays, these terms tend not to be used in outward-facing activism, due to their romantic overtones. MAPs may define as exclusive (no interest in adults) or nonexclusive (also interested in adults). Further, sociopolitical subtypes are used in both inward and outward facing situations, including NOMAP, pro-c and anti-contact.

Socipolitical background

The term "MAP" has a number of functions. As well as being more inclusive than terms such as pederast or pedophile, it addresses the stigma and conflatory misuse of pedophilia. Its wide adoption also effectively signals to the public that a movement does exist, and the topic is in play.

In the present climate, the act of self-identifying as a MAP can been seen as political. As a result, MAPs are sometimes incorrectly assumed to be disclosing pedophilia, which is just one form of minor attraction - as is explained above. For example, Interpol's Mick Moran has suggested that MAPs who view even legal images of naked minors should be considered an actionable threat for Law Enforcement agents. In 2022, the Australian charity, Project Rescue Children even launched a doomed campaign to have the term banned, recycling a known hoax graphic from the LGBTP campaign. On the other hand, charities and initiatives such as Prostasia, Defend (Canada), B4U-ACT and various EU-funded academics, all support its use.

Community

A limited, but growing community does exist for MAPs of all persuasions. This article goes on to discuss public-facing or organized activism with respect to minor attracted identities, while the community article also includes basic peer support.

Suicide risk

MAPs are generally thought to be at considerably increased risk of suicide, although the definition of attraction to minors, and the sampling may affect that number greatly:

"Additionally, one particular study has revealed that over one-third of people who are attracted to minors have experienced suicidal thoughts and another showed that 23% have attempted suicide. With these factors combined, people convicted of illegal sexual activity with minors and non-contact offenders may be 100 times more at risk for suicide compared to the general population"

Origin

For a fully researched/sourced history, see Minor Attracted Person (archive research).

The term originates from a forking of the term "Minor Attracted" in the late 00s era, and was first used regularly in 2007 on the now defunct ATC/ANU blog - run by MAPs with an interest in compiling lists of research articles. It was subsequently adopted by us (Newgon), and popularized in the academic field by B4U-ACT, who had been using a very similar term (MAA - Minor Attracted Adult) for many years. MAA and the accompanying concept of being "Minor Attracted" has been traced back to, Heather Peterson, a journalist covering interfaith news - as early as 1998. There is one archived example of the present term (MAP) being suggested on BoyChat as early as 2001, but no further examples have been found until 2007, suggesting it did not catch on.

In the mid-10s, the terms MAP and NOMAP began to circulate freely on some networking sites, particularly Tumblr. In 2017, the BBC published an article on the concept, and Ian Miles Cheong mentioned it on Twitter. Crucially, "MAP" then began to be used more frequently on sites such Twitter itself in 2018 after Tumblr MAPs migrated there following the MAP Flag controversy and bans.

2009 onward - the MAP Flag

For a more in-depth treatment of the flag, see MAP Flag.

In order to identify themselves, MAPs have created a MAP Flag, which garnered widespread social media attention in July and August 2018, along with widespread attention for the term "Minor Attracted Person". Rumors had spread on social media, that MAPs intended to use the flag at pride events, and these fears resurfaced the following summer. The concept appears to go back at least to a 2009 competition, on Newgon.com (our predecessor) - in which various proposals were solicited for a symbol. However, the origins of the famous 2018 flag are a Tumblr user named Stenna, who published it in June of that year, and was supported in their publicity efforts by comrade_lecter. Since it was published, the MAP Flag has become internet folklore, attracting many variations inspired by common alternative pride flags. These have been wrongly interpreted as entryist attempts.

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  2021 variation (Designed on Newgon, intended for wider use)

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  The highly publicized 2018 flag (NOMAP/MAP)

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  2009 concept with a similar rationale (Philist/Newgon, not seen in wide use thereafter)

MAP Movement

For a full history, see MAP Movement.

A reasonably well-shared Sep 2023 poll on Fediverse suggested MAPs and allies favored the terminology, with many suggesting that it had become more familiar than Youth Attracted Person for example

There exists a small, mainly online MAP Movement - and occasional groups of allies who work together on social media. This is a developing trend, and is described as the second-wave MAP Movement, beginning with the proliferation of the internet at around the turn of the century. The common goal of this movement is destigmatization/visibility, although some parts of the MAP movement (pro-c/pro choice) are also in favor of relaxing the age of consent and prohibitions on other age-restricted activities. Pro-choice MAP activists commonly use resources such as our research anthologies to argue their case. They will be found on pre-2010 web forums, FreeSpeechTube and chat services such as Matrix. Anti-c/anti-contact MAP activists tend to associate with organizations such as Virtuous Pedophiles, MSC and on various Fediverse instances.

MAPs have a long history of organizing, going back to former associations with the Gay Movement; debatably to its very founding. We describe these manifestations as the first-wave MAP Movement, and such organizations were typically founded in the 1970s and 80s. At the time, they described themselves as pederast, pedophile and Man/Boy Love groups (since there was less of a stigma on those terms). The LGBT alliances only broke down in the late 80s and 90s for political reasons (gay assimilationism). For the purpose of activism, those organizations still existing continue to operate as websites and close circles of long-term members only - NAMBLA being the most high-profile example.

Popular reception

In the late 10s and early 20s, mainstream attention for MAPs was based upon the threat of "normalization of pedophilia". Misinformation circulated freely, sometimes drawing false links with the LGBT community. While the tone and bias of this publicity has been dictated by mainstream media and amplifiers who often feign outrage, polls have found that people are generally as accepting of "MAP" as a social justice term, as they are of others such as cisgender and genderqueer. One striking aspect of public reactions, is that both American Democrats and Republicans are almost equally as accepting of the term.

"MAP" has so far been criticized repeatedly by Jordan Peterson and FOX News hosts Tucker Carlson (despite his history of appearing to defend minor-adult relationships), Laura Ingraham, Greg Gutfeld, Jesse Watters and Geraldo Rivera and celebrities such as Joe Rogan, Ricky Gervais and Tim Young. The stock-in-trade angle employed by conservatives such as Glenn Beck is to ridicule "MAPs" as an example of "wokeness" gone mad, or the obvious pathway to "normalization" of "abuse". Media figureheads, for example, Rod Dreher, frequently abuse this lazy trope. Social Media personalities such as Jack Posibiec and Calvin Robinson have made occasional references, and Blaire White (a conservative transwoman) is a frequent low-level agitator on the subject.

As a radical lesbian feminist, Julie Bindel mentions MAPs as one of a number of groups she does not wish to be associated with in her project of reaffirming a lesbian identity she deems to have become "unfashionable". YouTubers such as shoe0nhead and exclusionary Feminists such as Anna Slatz frequently agitate against the concept on similar grounds, albeit more aggressively, and in more open alignment with the right-wing tendency.

Some plausibly liberal/left-wing feminist opposition has been seen, for example in the cases of SNP MP, Joanna Cherry, Jacqui Dillon, and Anna Zobnina from the European Network of Migrant Women, who preferred to substitute the term "paedo-criminal" for individuals experiencing an attraction to minors. Allyn Walker's controversy also saw criticism from a Trans-aligned student body, accusing the professor of misappropriating "queer experiences".

Timeline

For more examples, see MAPocalypse.

One example of such publicity was the controversy surrounding Allyn Walker in 2021, followed by further social media outcry in 2022, this time over a video made by Miranda Galbreath, a licensed Sex Therapist who was attempting to challenge the stigma on MAPs. This video, circulated by Libs of TikTok, went on to be viewed around 3 million times on various platforms, with network coverage from Rowan Dean and Bev Turner in Australia and the UK respectively. Turner suggested that the acceptance of MAPs might be a ploy to diffuse public unrest come the time a guest-list for Jeffrey Epstein's sex parties is released.

Later in 2022, a Texas High School Teacher, Amber Parker, went viral on social media after she was filmed appearing to defend the idea of MAPs (as opposed to pedophiles - see our Press Release on the subject). This incident was amplified on Twitter by Gays Against Groomers (a conservative radical feminist front group), TX Governor Greg Abbott, and Matthew Kolken among others. The comments were said by students, parents, Parker's husband and a school administrator to have been taken out of context. She was later fired from her job. She later sued multiple people for defamation. In yet more controversy in 2022 (this time focusing on the UK), LSE Professor Jacob Breslow was called out by radical feminists including J.K. Rowling for his participation in a B4U-ACT symposium in 2011, said to be incompatible with his position as a trustee at the transgender children's charity, Mermaids. Among the criticism was his use of the controversial term, Minor Attracted Person.

The Daily Caller (a conservative news website) have expressed incredulity that PayPal continue to provide services to Prostasia Foundation (who provide support to MAPs) while banning conservative and conservative feminist organizations such as Gays Against Groomers. Eventually, Prostasia's account was banned as well. Turning Point, a conservative nonprofit that seeks to influence social media has intervened in mainstream MAP Discourse, with its UK offshoot making various graphics referencing the phenomenon. On 20 September 2022, various mid-tier conservative blue ticks on Twitter all consecutively made 2500+ times shared posts about MAPs, fuelling suspicion of Turning Point's involvement. Founder Charlie Kirk, who commands 2M Twitter followers at the time of writing has mentioned MAPs in the past.

Trolling/harassment gateway sites such as the embattled KiwiFarms, have hosted threads frequently mocking NOMAPs and MAPs, and their contributions on Twitter. In January 2023, Police Scotland and the European Union were hauled before the court of public opinion, after what appeared to be sympathetic use of the term "Minor Attracted Person" in official materials.. In March, 2023, Australia's 2SM radio station faced complaints after three "shock jocks" repeated false claims of PM Anthony Albanese using the term, then fielding calls from members of the public who had been left "incandescent with rage" (audio example). Tulsi Gabbard also mentioned MAPs at CPAC in the same month. In April 2023, another politician - the German AfD's Christine Anderson agreed that Queer Theory "needs to be torched", citing as evidence, the supposed rise of MAPs. This evoked memories of Nazi book burnings at Magnus Hirschfeld's Institute of Sex Research.

Following Pride Month of 2023, attempts to scandalize the paradigm of MAPs started to fall on deaf ears, as per Noah Berlatsky's continuing work for Bloomberg, and the dampened uproar over an esteemed Canadian Naval Officer's apparent use of the MAP term, and support for the UN's concept of a minor consenting, if not in law. Alternative ("radical") Pride festivities started to show more openness towards MAPs, suggesting that Queer MAPs could be introduced as part of Queer culture in the future. Snopes famously reversed their opinion that the MAP Movement and the MAP Flag were hoaxes, by replacing an outdated article with a new one. Repeated attempts by smalltime media influencers to stir up controversy around a prominent MAP Activist's merchandise venture were met with silence and embarrassment.

In late August 2023, Turning Point UK used Twitter.com to encourage followers to engage in the illegal activity of wasting police time by complaining when they witness the use of "Minor Attracted Person". Early in 2024, the term was again in the press after X (Twitter) played host to 3M+ impression conservative outrage thread concerning Google's AI Chatbot and its tolerance of pedophilia. The answer was later manually replaced with an anti-pedophile screed. In March, A Kentucky Democrat Senator, Karen Berg, suggested sex dolls styled to resemble children could help prevent pedophiles from abusing them, adding "there are what they call 'MAPS,' Minor Attracted Persons".

Gallery

See also: MAP visibility on Twitter.

Some other political figures and journalists have sought to take advantage of the phenomenon:

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  TX Governor Greg Abbott

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  Jesse Kelly

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  Two highly shared tweets, inc. Blaire White

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  Jordan Peterson

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  Jack Posobiec

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  Author, Craig Huey (Sep, 2019).

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  Kathy Barnette election platform

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  Talk show host, Steve Deace, who has also discussed the idea for Blaze Media

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  Turning Point UK social graphic

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  Turning Point UK (cont'd)

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  The simple mindset reflected by Turning Point UK's social media graphics inspired the Turning Point Greggs meme. Simple as.

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  Even semi-celebs have made vast sums of "social capital" grifting off the MAP trend

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  Christine Anderson, of the German right-wing/anti-Islam AfD party

Wikipedia indecision

Wikipedia maintained and then deleted a disambiguation page for MAP, between 2019 and late 2021, shortly after the Allyn Walker controversy. The term was then erroneously redirected to Pedophilia for five months, before being corrected to Chronophilia by an editor. It was then pointed to a Wiktionary entry in what appeared to be a "halfway house" between acknowledging and denying its notability. In late April, 2023, a high-quality article was for the first time presented on the platform, describing the umbrella term, research and some controversy. It was soon deleted, along with other articles, following its own internal controversy at Wikipedia (described in our article).

Quotes

“It is unsurprising that professionals who are trying to prevent people with pedophilia from becoming child abusers would encourage the use of an identifier that isn’t considered synonymous with ‘child abuser’.”

- Gilian Tenbergen (sexual violence prevention professional)