LifestyleFeelings about large age gaps in same sex relationships

submitted by lovelyspearmintLesbeing a lesbian from self.LGBDropTheT

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[–]ukrdude10 2 insightful - 9 fun2 insightful - 8 fun3 insightful - 9 fun -  (1 child)

17 year olds are not children, they can legally work, drive, join some military programs, and some other adult privileges. They're not fully developed, that only happens at like 25. However, that's old enough to make a sexual decision, in my opinion. At least I was capable at that age.

Also, most US states have the age of consent at 16, which is also the most common age of consent worldwide, if I'm not mistaken.

[–]reluctant_commenter 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Interesting.

  • About 30 US states have age of consent laws of 16 years old (the rest at 18 or sometimes 17), but

  • most people in the US live in the states that have age of consent laws of 18 (or sometimes 17) years old. (since most of the population is urban and not rural)

Graphs: age of consent and population distribution.

17 year olds are not children

In the US, legally they are children (although in some states they can consent as children). And personally, since you mention 25, I think most age-related laws should be higher-- we know people's cognitive function is still fully not developed even at 21, for example.

At least I was capable at that age.

I won't speak for anybody else. However, I hear transgender people I've met IRL say "I was mature enough to decide to go on hormones at 14!" and the like, so I don't really trust that phrase anymore, hahaha.