Have you ever questioned the idea that people who aren't over 18 shouldn't read mature stuff (yaoi)?

Sorry if i come off as blunt or radical. And, side note, this may get a bit psychological... ╮(￣▽￣)╭

In this day and age, the general belief i seem to be getting from the culture & media around me is that sex should not be a shameful topic, and people should be able to talk freely about it and learn about it without having to be ashamed.

If so, in keeping with this idea, would it not be fair to allow the underage to read sexual materials such as yaoi or ecchi or smut or yuri? Don't get me completely wrong, I do think it is right to uphold things like statutory rape and prohibiting graphically violent material (such as gore like disembowelment or similar stuff) to kids. But if we are to become a more open society about ideas such as sex we should give them the information they need so they have time to contemplate what they want and to absorb all the information.

kids don't magically transform into adults on their 18th (or 21st, for that matter) birthday. they aren't magically imparted with sexual knowledge and mental preparedness that they will need to deal with it when it actually happens! They need to be taught. yaoi, or sexually explicit material, is just a method to expose people to sexual ideas that they might actually enjoy (and introduced in a non-clinical way such as a formal class about sex).

in the future, if we can stand to let go of this social norm, i think it would be good to change this one little thing about "TV-MA" or "R18" from sexually explicit material to just violently graphic.

Just FYI, I am a supporter of people also getting a formal and up-to-date education on sexual health and conduct. I have taken such classes myself but without reading yaoi there would be a lot I would miss out on. And, another plus to reading yaoi, you can't be too embarrassed to ask!

again, sorry if this is just me ranting to get my opinion out there. feel free to reply with your own take on sexually explicit material and it's age restrictions.

*** this question disregards the factor that a lot of kids read R18/TV-MA stuff already despite it saying 'don't read if you're not above 18'. this is about social stigma and formal regulations not de facto.

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Have you ever questioned the idea that people who aren't over 18 shouldn't read mature stuff (yaoi)? [Answer]

Miwa 05 07,2016

I find it a bit awkward that 11 and 12 year olds are on here reading porn. I didn't start reading yaoi until I was 18/19, which was a decade ago. The thought of kids not much older than my niece reading this stuff...real squicky. In regards to whether it should be okay or not, I would lean toward "not". It's not that sex should be shameful or anyt...... 3 reply

05 07,2016

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Have you ever questioned the idea that people who aren't over 18 shouldn't read mature stuff (yaoi)? [Answer]

awholelotofnothin 05 07,2016

I began reading very explicit romance novels when I was eleven years old. So I'm the last person who should judge! However, when kids and teenagers see porn - and I'm not just talking about manga, comics, and books - they're seeing an idealized and often violent version of sex. In many yaoi books, rape is okay as long as the two main c...... 1 reply

05 07,2016

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Have you ever questioned the idea that people who aren't over 18 shouldn't read mature stuff (yaoi)? [Answer]

Betty 05 07,2016

I am a mother to 3 (ages 6,8,11). I am obsessed with yaoi and my kids know i enjoy reading manga where boys kiss boys. But as a mother, i don't think i would allow my oldest to view such material. Although i don't think i will hold him off on these until 18, but 11 is too young. I don't understand kids now who are like 12 watching hentai, yaoi and ...... 2 reply

05 07,2016

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Have you ever questioned the idea that people who aren't over 18 shouldn't read mature stuff (yaoi)? [Answer]

[DELETED] 05 07,2016

I think it's only ok when you are 14,15 and so on. reply

05 07,2016

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Have you ever questioned the idea that people who aren't over 18 shouldn't read mature stuff (yaoi)? [Answer]

Bree 05 07,2016

Well, there are surprisingly a lot of people that started reading yaoi and other adult stuff when they were around 12 years old. So I think it's fine for those under 18 to read sexuall materials. As long as you know right from wrong and real from unreal, and keep it separate from your real life. 2 reply

05 07,2016

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Have you ever questioned the idea that people who aren't over 18 shouldn't read mature stuff (yaoi)? [Answer]

BigBootyBaka 05 07,2016

I see no reason to show kids sexually explicit content such as yaoi and yuri. Those genres are pretty much porn and who in their right mind would show a child porn? Besides, yaoi and yuri mangas often display unhealthy relationships and notions about love. Like someone else in this thread already mentioned, yaoi and yuri are so unrealistic that the...... 1 reply

05 07,2016

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Have you ever questioned the idea that people who aren't over 18 shouldn't read mature stuff (yaoi)? [Answer]

yung_medusa 05 07,2016

Oh my god yesss! I'm 18 now, I started reading yaoi and explicit fanfics when I was like 10 or 12 barely in middle school. My mom is very modest and didn't explain a whole lot to me about sex, the female body ect. So often times I went searching for answers by the Internet. I wish I waited later to start reading yaois, erotic fanfictions, ect. For ...... 3 reply

05 07,2016

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Have you ever questioned the idea that people who aren't over 18 shouldn't read mature stuff (yaoi)? [Answer]

Charo 14 01,2017

I sort of agree with Loli. Not only can kids get addicted to porn (my sister did), they can easily be swayed into thinking that sex is Bad(tm) and that they are Bad for thinking that it's interesting or that they like to see it/read it. This can lead to deeper mental health issues later. Maybe it's the parents' fault for not being more open about ...... 2 reply

14 01,2017

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Have you ever questioned the idea that people who aren't over 18 shouldn't read mature stuff (yaoi)? [Answer]

Soryu 05 07,2016

Thanks for all the responses! I have read through and here are my general replies to some of the main counterpoints i heard (in case you want to hear them): - if you think that some kids can't handle something at a young age, or that when you're below 18 you should keep you're innocence or 'only learn the right things' then i would object. people e...... 2 reply

05 07,2016

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Have you ever questioned the idea that people who aren't over 18 shouldn't read mature stuff (yaoi)? [Answer]

shinigamibuyou 22 11,2018

Truthfully, I was exposed to yaoi very early. Maybe like 12 or 13. I will try and keep myself short: I feel like ppl under 13 (oh what a hypocrite I am) shouldn´t consume sexual content as a form of pleasure or something. I feel like at that age you shouldn´t even think about sex. As a general rule of thumb I always say that if you can´t handle ...... 1 reply

22 11,2018

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