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.
