of monsters and mirrors

## of monsters and mirrors

#### 9 October 2015
from pedophiles about pedophilia

### ender

| Part of what inspired me, was this deep desire that before I died, I would make some mirrors so that kids like me might see themselves reflected back. In my previous post, I mentioned how young LGBT teens these days have quite a few role models to look up to, but how those who discover they're sexually attracted to children have no such thing. I came across this quote today that basically expresses what I think is what so many of us feel when growing up and coming to terms with our attractions: «You guys know about vampires? ... You know, vampires have no reflection in a mirror? There's this idea that monsters don't have reflections in a mirror. And what I've always thought isn't that monsters don't have reflections in a mirror. It's that if you want to make a human being into a monster, deny them, at the cultural level, any reflection of themselves. And growing up, I felt like a monster in some ways. I didn't see myself reflected at all. I was like "Yo, is something wrong with me? That the whole society seems to think people like me don't exist?" And part of what inspired me, was this deep desire that before I died, I would make a couple of mirrors. That I would make some mirrors so that kids like me might see themselves reflected back and might not feel so monstrous for it.» — Junot Diaz If you are a young person realizing you have an attraction to children, know that you are not alone. Know that you are not a monster. Know that you can lead a meaningful life, without ever harming anyone. I hope that this blog can be a mirror in which you can see yourself reflected. About the author: Ender was a moderator of the VirPed forum for some years, and also the founder of MAP Support Club. He has now retired from ‘maptivism’, having chosen to focus on family and the rest of a viable life. |

tags for this item

tags for this item

maptivism23
media portrayals27
public perception40

other relevant items

other relevant items

map advocate rusty |  | those other pedophiles |  | critique of a podcast: the worst epidemic
global prevention project Rusty and Candice talk about getting to know the truth about MAPs, dealing with trolls, the importance of education as a means of accurate suicide prevention especially among teen MAPs, and more! |  | ethan edwards This blog is called "Celibate Pedophiles". The core message is that many pedophiles never engage in any illegal activity. But then there are the other pedophiles, the ones who are not celibate. |  | ethan edwards It's as if you said, Lawbreakers! Disgusting people! An epidemic of vast proportions! Some of them murder and torture people! That's true. But there are other lawbreakers who park in no parking zones or let the time expire on their meters.

map advocate rusty global prevention project Rusty and Candice talk about getting to know the truth about MAPs, dealing with trolls, the importance of education as a means of accurate suicide prevention especially among teen MAPs, and more!
those other pedophiles ethan edwards This blog is called "Celibate Pedophiles". The core message is that many pedophiles never engage in any illegal activity. But then there are the other pedophiles, the ones who are not celibate.
critique of a podcast: the worst epidemic ethan edwards It's as if you said, Lawbreakers! Disgusting people! An epidemic of vast proportions! Some of them murder and torture people! That's true. But there are other lawbreakers who park in no parking zones or let the time expire on their meters.