MAP ally

A map ally is a pro map activist and supporter who is not a map themself.

Some people use "map ally" as a self identity when they want to say they are a non-map who likes some maps and agrees with them.

History

Exclusively peer/adult attracted people have always been present in map activism. Heather Elizabeth Peterson, the coiner of the term "minor attracted", is an example of such a person. It is unclear when these people started calling themselves map allies, but this identity gained traction somewhere between 2017 and 2018, very likely on Tumblr. Its creation and promotion is sometimes attributed to Aleska Kolja, but it is possible that other people came up with this label independently.

Qualities of an ally

Some people come to the community because their close ones are maps. Some come through CSA prevention. But whatever your initial vision was, you stay as an ally because you want to make the world better for maps. The core of allyship is working for maps and putting maps’ wellbeing first, not watching over maps to make sure they don’t offend, not using the map community to hunt for sexual predators. Maps are the ultimate goal of your actions, not a stepping stone to something else.

- Lecter

The basic requirements for a map ally are to put maps first in all map issues, to respect maps’ boundaries and mental and physical autonomy (which includes not urging maps to out themselves and go to therapy), to treat all maps as innocent till proven guilty, to be ready to accept and analyze criticism of one’s behavior around maps.

An ally is expected to share and promote measures that will make living as a map safer and more comfortable.

Bad allyship

Some people express desire to join the map community as allies, but still perpetuate mapmisia without being aware of it.

But the reality is, sometimes allies act in ways that… really are less than helpful, if not just downright rude. Sometimes, outright ignoring our voices to speak for us things most of us would never say or misrepresenting what entire groups of us think. The premise of this article is that if you acted these ways as a white ally to a black person… um… well… you would get labeled as racist in a heartbeat and dismissed just as quickly as those people in white robes burning crosses.

- TNF

People who come to the map community with a goal to teach and guide are frequent participants of various scandals. Elliot lists the following mistakes bad allies commit:

• Misinformation;
• Incompatible views (bigotry, thoughtcrimes, etc);
• Silencing maps.
  

After repeated conflicts, such people often leave the community. Contrary to the popular belief, maps have standards for whose allyship they accept.

Ally to anti-contact maps

A specific subcategory of self proclaimed allies labels themselves as "allies to anti-contact maps". A major portion of map activism, such as helping maps access community support, promoting up-to-date information about minor attraction, protecting maps from harassment, is not related to contact discourse. Very few pro map initiatives benefit only one side in this discourse, because most concern the basic quality of life. Therefore, such allies either do not fulfill their ally role by ignoring many important goals, or turn basic human rights into special rewards for maps that pass their standard of a good person.

It is possible to be an ally and hold anti-contact views. However, people who identify as allies to anti-contact maps only have a tendency to act in a police-like manner and make map spaces hostile for maps of all stances.

Coming out as a map

Not being a map becomes a common rhetorical device for many allies. Yet, sometimes old allies end up coming out as maps themselves. Francis/Death and Lecter are an example of that. This phenomenon should not be used to discredit the legitimacy of other allies. Realizing you share an identity with people you stood up for is common in other marginalized communities (e.g. trans), due to how a safer and more calm environment makes questioning easier. Most allies do not end up identifying as maps.