Go back to enlightened antiquity, and MAPness was pretty cool. At least, the gay form of it was, and I see no reason why man-girl love should be viewed any differently. If MAPness was cool once, why can't it be cool again? After all, fashions do come and go in waves.

Unfortunately, MAPness is now so distinctly uncool that most MAPs are living in self-loathing or denial. This article discusses why we need to reach them, and how we might do it.

Normality and the need to convert

Regular people are terrified of MAP 'normalization' precisely because they know it's the best route to softening anti-MAP laws. Such laws are predicated not on preventing harm, but on prohibiting the expression of feelings that are considered abnormal or disgusting. While disgust is a matter of taste, abnormality is a matter of fact.

Being a MAP is not abnormal; studies suggest a very high prevalence among randomly sampled men. Presumably, there are a lot of men who are attracted to both adults and children, who suppress their feelings for children because they are socially unacceptable. These people are likely to be in denial, or suffering in silence and shame. They probably believe their feelings are abnormal, and perhaps even participate in anti-MAP narratives. Converting them into self-affirming MAPs, en masse, goes some way toward asserting the normality of MAPness.

The message

Here is my proposed message, to be distributed - edited or unedited - as widely as possible.

Are you sexually attracted to children or teens? There is no reason to be ashamed. Studies show that such feelings are extremely common and unlikely to lead to harm.

Furthermore, laws against consensual contact with young people are not truly about protecting them. These laws are derived from religious prudism, and they persist for a variety of silly reasons that need to be actively challenged.

Do not waste your time with government-sponsored charities that may report you to the authorities. Join the MAP community, instead. You can find a list of resources that are legal to access at https://www.map-union.org/community

You need to stop suppressing who you really are. Come and join those who are eager to support you, and to ultimately help push for change.

Again, you do not need to copy and paste this message exactly; I did not spend a million years pondering the wording. But the spirit should remain intact.

Those who have not been outed

If you have not been outed (yet), you can still help spread this messaging online. Yes, you will get censored on any of the major platforms, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it anyway. Having an account shut down is frustrating, and yet if you still manage to reach a few-thousand people, hasn't it been worth it?

When faced with extreme censorship, we are playing a numbers game; instead of just a few prominent activists shouting into the void - like Tom O'Carroll, Jim Burton, or myself - we need lots of micro-voices. A hundred MAPs each reaching a hundred different people on social media would be great! Some of the people reached will be MAPs in denial, and they may be open to conversion.

Those who have already been outed

First of all, I'm sorry. Most people outed as MAPs haven't done anything wrong, whether it be possession of criminalized images or involvement in consensual relationships with young people. I understand that most registered sex offenders are desperately trying to rebuild their lives, likely struggling to find jobs and decent housing. MAP activism therefore may not be a priority.

Nonetheless, MAPs who have already been outed are in a unique position to help. That doesn't mean standing on street corners like a street preacher, but it does open doors. You could spread our message on platforms that require a working phone number or other method of verification, something which those who have not yet been outed are typically unwilling to do. You could stick an interesting-looking poster with a QR code on walls and lampposts. You could work with Ally on in-person outreach. You could also attend parades and marches, which would no doubt lead to a lot of drama, but would draw in new people in the process.

Summary

The number of MAPs in denial must be truly staggering. Right now, there are 'charities' and organizations like VirPed vying to reach these people and fill their heads with self-hating garbage. We need to get there first, to start building an army of proud and self-accepting MAPs. And you can take part in this, starting today.

UPDATE: If you live in a Spanish-speaking country, please consider distributing a new Spanish flyer created by HumanBeing.