Boylove
Boylove, a concept whose origin can be traced back to Classical antiquity, with cultural parallels being found across various times and places, is the word chosen by boylovers themselves to describe the strong feelings of attraction and affection that certain adult individuals feel towards boys.
It is semantically equivalent to the term "pederasty", which itself originates from the combination of the Greek words pais ("boy") and erastēs ("lover"; cf. eros). In ancient Greek homoerotic poetry, the noun paiderastēs and the verb paiderastein were respectively replaced by paidophilēs and paidophilein (synonyms from which the term "pedophilia" is derived), in order to fit the elegiac metre favored for the genre.[1]
The word "boylove" was adopted by the homonymous community because it could be applied to both pedophiles and ephebophiles, as well as to avoid the negative connotations of the modern clinical term "pedophilia", and to more accurately define the exclusive focus of the attraction: male children and adolescents.
Boylovers commonly assert that boylove is a natural, non-pathological phenomenon that has existed throughout human history, fundamentally analogous to currently accepted sexual orientations, a perspective grounded on the documented existence of customs of age-structured sexuality in different cultures and time periods.
While boylove includes feelings of sexual attraction, it does not in itself require, nor imply, sexual activity with boys. Boylove can be completely platonic, since the main concern of most self-identifying boylovers is providing friendship and guidance.
That being said, there is still ongoing debate on the nature of boylove. There are some members of the community who believe that boylove is simply a noun for adults who are emotionally and physically attracted to boys, and that there are no particular guidelines or requirements to being a boylover besides having said attraction and an aversion to hurting boys. Others believe that boylove, in addition to the attraction, denotes a set of beliefs and values related to the treatment of boys, and that one must adhere to these expectations to be considered a boylover.[2] These values may include ideas such as that boylovers should never expose boys to alcohol and drugs, that boylovers should never initiate sexual activities with boys, or even that boylovers should refrain from sex with boys in any case, due to the risks involved for both parties in contemporary social environments. Universally accepted in the community, however, is the principle that boylovers, by definition, respect boys and do not hurt them. Therefore, the term boylove does not refer to child abuse.
Terms for boylove in other languages
- Japanese: Shounen'ai (少年愛)
References
- ↑ K. J. Dover, Greek Homosexuality; Harvard University Press, 1989; p. 50.
- ↑ The Philosophy of Responsible Boylove
See also
External links
- Wikipedia: Pederasty in the modern world
- Pedophilia or boy love - boylove as seen by a gay columnist
- OLD LINK - SEEMS NOT TO FUNCTION (THE HYPOCRITES AT ARCHIVE.ORG SEEM TO HAVE DISABLED THE PAGE):
- Boylove: semantically correct? - boylove as seen by a victim of child abuse
- NEW LINK, TO ANOTHER ARCHIVED VERSION (PRESS "CONTROL + A" TO HIGHLIGHT THE TEXT FOR EASY READING:
