Age Differences and Age of Consent

People are so quick to paint someone as a pedophile if they are sexually active with a "minor". I disagree with this on so many levels.....but here's is just 1 example.

My first boyfriend....I was 13, he was 21. Mind you, I was very mature and grown for my age. We had so much fun together and no, it wasn't sexually based, though he was my first. So many people have told me "he was a pedophile". No, he was not. We were just attracted to each other. It was what it was. Now, if he (and this goes for all people of legal age) was out there targeting minors only, then yes, I would see that as pedophile behaviors (grooming process, etc). However, his girlfriend before me was 17, and after we stopped seeing each other, I believe his next girlfriend was around 18-ish.


Another relationship I had, I was 27, and he was 17. Again, we were very attracted to each other.....but in my state age of consent is 18. I could have gotten into trouble (thankfully he turned 18 6 months into our relationship).


I hate seeing people painted with the same brush, and it ruins their lives. A 14 year old has a relationship with someone a couple years her senior (or whatever their genders/sexual orientations) and wham! They are registered for the rest of their life.

This should not be a 1 size fits all area, as we tend to do in our divine criminal justice system **rolls eyes**. There are gray areas. Let's be clear here, there is a line that definitely needs to be drawn, no matter what. 10, 12, etc...with someone overage is a no brainer.....but when you are dealing with a teenager, there are lots of gray areas and I think it is highly irresponsible to not deal with them on a case by case basis. It turns into witch hunts and people's lives get destroyed.