

“When behaviours such as age regression are normalised, those who have been fearful of being judged feel safe in sharing their private worlds.” “Online communities often provide validation and support for those who have secretly engaged in behaviours that they may have felt were abnormal,” explains Dr Carla Manly, a clinical psychologist.

“Because sex is a more acceptable form of play in adulthood, it's perhaps why many make the association to it here.”ĭespite the stigma, age regressors describe the subreddit as positive. “Age regression provides a return to childhood naivety and a time when broader play was more acceptable,” he says. Do better and do your research.”įor cultural theorist Matt Klein, much of the stigma also occurs because “play becomes more scarce as one enters adulthood” and “any counter to this cultural norm becomes glaring, drawing scrutiny”. It's not right to send age regressors death threats because of your misunderstandings. “This is a perfectly safe thing to do and that just because you don't do it doesn't mean it's any less valid… isn't meant to hurt others. “I hate the stereotype that age regression is a sexual thing or pedophile kink,” James says. On the subreddit, however, sexual content is banned, with the forum describing it as a “postive non-sexual coping strategy”. For some, voluntary regression especially looks a lot like age play or “ daddy dom/little girl” kinks, which can make people pretty uncomfortable. Age regression obviously attracts a great deal of stigma and suspicion.
