RP Kids in SL

whatever. you just enjoyed having your diaper changed.

Shutup you!!




...or I'll tell mom.

What this really boils down to is two camps:


"Consenting adults should be free to roleplay together however they see fit"

vs.

"Some roleplay topics are so taboo that they are harmful to society at large"


Because both camps feel so passionate about their respective position, the chances of touching on this topic without it devolving into a flamefest are, well, around the same chances as us seeing Havok 2 in the next few months.

Not speaking from personal interests, but from what I have noticed from those I've interracted who do engage in age play:

Some poeple have felt that they have missed out on the "childhood" thing (Mother committer suicide, so had to grow up REALLY fast; Drunk father wouldn't support family so child had to go to work to help out early; Too secluded and shy in RL to engage with other children thus stuck at home with nothing but books, tv and web; Parents decided you're "sick" and not worth their attention when they found out their kid is gay, leading to allienation issues; etc etc etc. Multiple people listed here btw). So roleplaying as kids lets them pretend-experience what they believe they have missed out on in life. Probably not too different from how some SL players pretend they're space pirates, or some other group, simply because it's not an experience they believe is or has been available to them in real life. Some people also have nurture issues (were very much NOT taken care ofenough when they were kids) and age-play with willing "adults" lets them get some of that missed-out-on feeling back. True, in some regards all of this could be labled as social defects or deficiencies, but when you think about it, so can be playing a space pirate

-----------------------------------
Back when I was a little boy, I would attend catholic church every Sunday. My priest never molested me though. Now I have confidence and self-worth issues due to feelings of not being "good enough"

It still amazes me that people do this, assume bad things about things they don't know, to look at someone and stereotype them because of what they are wearing or what kind of av they have. I grew up pretty secluded irl, I had very strict parents and I was pretty overwhelmed when I finally left their house and was on my own. I have learned more about people and the things they like and do in the time I have been in SL than I had ever learned before.

When I came to SL I had no clue what a furry, gorean, D/s, etc was. Now I am a sub and have a Master and Mistress and some people automatically assume we all are just having orgies and I am pixel chained up in a basement somewhere. It has been assumed that we do all sorts of bad nasty evil things and it's very hurtful to hear. Truth be told I am a pixel virgin and proud of it, I have never been on a sexball nor do I have any desire to as I think I would be laughing the entire time. I have never played a child av but I have been a Vampyre, Fairy, Pony, Kitty, Hellraiser Cenobite, Wolf, and human. I have alot of fun in SL and it is great to be able to be whatever we want.

I assume that someone who has a child av is doing it for the same reasons anyone else chooses how they want to be, because they want to. Maybe they had a bad childhood irl and want to try to make it better in their mind by doing it again here. Maybe they didn't have much family growing up and want to have it here. Maybe they just need to be able to call someone Mommy or Daddy. I don't agree with any child sex play as that is just wrong to me because of 2 family members who have been abused irl and it hits home with me. But I don't go around assuming people are having child av sex just because they are a child av. In fact there is only one instance I have seen where a child av was in the Welcome Area and was a member of a bunch of sex groups and a daddy and daughter naughty group of some sort. I've seen some SL Universe pics of some people who play little girls and showing their room or their new doll or their mom and dad and I think it's cute.

This is SL and we should be able to dress and be whatever we want to be without being judged on our appearance based on ignorance of the facts...

Tis odd, I still assume most child AVs to be people engaging in Family RP, or working through some psychological thing. The very last thought on my mind is "Perverts". Assuming every one with a child AV is some kind of social deviant is as bad as my parents assuming anyone with a tattoo must be a criminal or other person with "loose morals".

Well said, all around. Something else I was thinking about in regards to child avs is various threads that have been started about people wanting to have pregnancy and birth experiences in SL and being flamed for it. One in particular I remember was where someone posted back that they're barren in RL and can't have kids, so SL was in a way theraputic for them. Perhaps it's the same with some child avies in that regard. Not necessarily just for people who can't have kids, but people who just don't yet. I know for myself that I don't have kids yet, but I've always wanted a little girl. Maybe having a child avie to shop for and whatnot in SL touches something in me until such time as I have kids in RL. Sounds silly, in a way, but there you go.

Also, I have to say I'm a 'pixel virgin' also. Pixel slapping is just not my thing. A good cuddle swing, however, now that's where it's at.

Cheers!

Just for the record, and this is the last thing I'm going to say, EVER on this issue, I do NOT assume all child avies are involved in some sexual activity. Or that SL is full of child/adult avatar sex or something. I never even thought about it until those two. I was suspicious of the two, one an adult and another a child, that I observed. Could I be wrong? Yes. Am a some filthy brained judgemental jerk for thinking that was... "funny" and not in a good way? No. Not with what we all know goes on in RL, sadly, all too often. I'm new to SL and people may roleplay in ways I'm not aware of, that are completely innocent. But in a sexually free 3d platform I would imagine a lot of things go on that even those familiar with the world haven't actually seen, themselves.

Some friends of mine, we all made child avatars awhile back, for fun. I still wear mine.

But it's more along the lines of creepy little girl than anything else.

you know not all roleplay is sexual.

and really everyone in SL should be a legal adult.

I asked this because I've seen the looking for parents, looking for kids ads.

My first thought is not zOMG, pixel pedo, but rather what would make you want to play a role which I view as dependant and with limited power. I was very, very happy to become an adult, and I didn't let the family door hit me in the ass on the way out - but I was raised by jackals (only 1/2 joking).

I DO understand the desire to form a "family" tie, especially if your family of origin sucked. I just can't imagine being the kid. Childhood in my mind represents other people making decisions for me without my input or consent.

Maybe that's one reason people play child avies. Not all child avies have a parental unit in SL, maybe they like being children who can make their own decisions.

I suppose some people like the dependency in a similar way that people like being submissive as adults. Security? Support? Not having to be constantly in control of the situation? I suppose there's all sorts of reasons.

I have a couple of child avatars. One that I made to look like I imagine my adult avatar would have looked at around the age of 10-13, which I did for that special Linden celebration that had the kids fair, and another one that was pre-made (Goth Baby).

I don't pull them out very often, but when I do it is usually to act like a brat or be silly. It's not sexual, and is suprisingly fun. You look like a kid, even to yourself, and it is very easy to start acting like one. Running around, being a brat, jumping up and down on beds and couches, asking random women if they are my mommy, sticking my tongue out at kootie-infested girls, etc.

I've been to a couple of parties, way back, that were for child avatars and acting as children, and I had a fantastic time and laughed till I had tears in my eyes. Some great humor and spontaneous and energetic fun!

I've also seen some other folks that were just damned adorable dressed as children.

In a world where you can be anything, I'm suprised more of us aren't kids, riding skateboards, flying kites, building tree forts, etc.

It certainly doesn't have to be sexual to enjoy the freedom, energy and naive innocence of youth.

We totally need more kid parties.

my alt, Storm Casanova is a child AV, mainly cus I think it's cute... he runs around with spiked blue hair, sunglasses, and roller blades

**clears throat**


ZOMG AGEPLAY WTF!


seriosly any new comers stay away from this topic.. you will be lampooned over it..

My avatar in SL has a mate in SL who likes the idea of being pregnant and raising little ones. It's quite possible that at some point she and I will become 'Parents' in SL. When we do, we'll either have a friend play the kid, or one of us will create an alt for that purpose.

Why have a kid in SL? For the same reason people become parents in real life. It's cool to raise and cherish a growing person, and to be loved by them in a completely appropriate and innocent way. And unlike in RL, when it's 'inconvenient' for the little one to be around, you don't need a babysitter! And you can accellerate their 'growth' to enjoy some of the most fun periods together, while not having to live through the years of smelly diapers, teen angst, or other periods you don't feel like roleplaying.

I'm actually looking forward to figuring out how to create tiny avvies as winged foxes (which is what my mate and I both are in SL, winged anthro foxes). I'm a parent in real life, and it would be kind of cool to be one in the game, as well.

Sure, there are perv's out there that do inappropriate things with kid avatars. You can get dog and pony avatars, too, but that doesn't mean that everyone who gets them is into bestiality. Some people just think it would be cool to be a carefree, happy dog. Or a carefree happy kid. And in either case, to belong to a family that gives them unconditional love.

I do play a colt (young male anthro horse) Avie.. being a total smart-butt, like I was at 10years old.. (I am much older now) at times.. and it's not sexual at all what I do.

just a man having fun with his 'action figures'

Interesting. I have drawn that parallel too, but I thought I would see what people said.

It's also interesting to me how many furries are raising "pups".

Hey, the furs gotta procreate too, ya know. Much to the Gorean's dismay.

(oops, did I say that?)

Which parent formed the "not joking" part of your upbringing?

(Sorry, no serious post here. I don't have any particular input on the subject, it's not my thing. *shrug*)

So in other words, your alt is Sonic the Hedgehog?

I have to say... I have seen a few child avs running around, and perhaps it's because I am a dad in RL, but it just creeps me out.

If they're just running around acting like kids, why would it creep you out? I'm a rl dad too, and although I was surprised the one time I encountered some kid avies while out doing my wandering madman thing, it wasn't a particularly odd or uncomfortable situation. Mostly they just acted like real kids. They came up and said hello, and because my avie has distinctive facial tattoos, they were curious about it (just like real kids would be). They asked if I had any candy or cookies with me, and I said no, but I did (as i usually do) have some hot tea handy. I offered them some tea as an alternative, but (not surprisingly) they declined. Then they suddenly said "bye," having lost interest in the madman and dashed off. Just like kids. Eh, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.