What Should Be The Legal Age Of Consent?

[greaves]

I notice that most of the states have "law invalidated" in the male-male and female-female columns. I'm pretty sure that's due to Lawrence v. Texas. Before that, most of them had higher ages for male-male sex, except New Mexico, where the AoC for male-male sex was 13 - I have no idea why.

I wonder if you could argue that those states have no binding Age of Consent laws regarding male-male sex? I think the smart thing to do is revert to the AoC being the same regardless of the gender of the participants, but I don't think those states have moved to do that yet. Perhaps they're hoping that the new Court will reverse itself again.

As I said, confusing.

Why do Austria and China have AOC laws at 14, yet the USA/Canada/Australia/EU countries seem totally confused as to what the AOC should be?

I don't want to know what the AOC is in your country/state.

I want to know what YOU think the AOC should be.

 

[elra]

Um. Canada's AOC is 14. It is only 18 when the older person is a person of authority over the minor: teacher, boss, religious figure, etc or the sex is exploitative: prostitution, pornography, etc.

But because of some ridiculous law that has not been repealed, 18 for anal sex, regardless of gender/authority figure/etc. You can suck off your boyfriend, but you can't stick it in his pooper.

There are also other provisions to this, though. How much of an age difference is there? How did the relationship develop? How much control or influence does the older person have on the younger?

Kids gonna have sex, Canada knows this and lets em have sex. But there are rules protecting them from predators.

 

[Marbas]

I still remember when the age of consent for gay sex was 21, in the UK. As if anyone actually took any notice of that law. Homosexual sex had only been legal here for just over 10 years before I began coming out, and the ridicuous age of 21 seemed to have been chosen as some sort of compromise to attempt to placate those who considered that it should remain entirely illegal.

Personally, I am less bothered about the actual age of consent, providing that it is equal for both hetero- and homosexual acts.

Mind you , having said that, any age of consent set higher than 15 or 16 seems pretty ludicrous to me.

 

[Negasta]

In S.A. it is 16 for Hetero sex and 18 for Homo sex.

 

[jdcnow]

I know full grown adults who don't understand the ramifications of sex.

Somebody say Amen to that! Right on, cmhcrew!

 

[buzzj]

I was fully prepared for sexual relationships by the time I hit my early thirties.

 

[ok455]

it should be 16 for normal and straight sex

normal as in homosex

 

[thermodynamics]

18,
but if the difference in ages of the two people is 4 years or less, then you're OK.

 

[Ninja108]

I would say 16 or 17 should be old enough to consent

 

[MidnightPrism]

18 is fine with me.

I believe age is 17 for girls and 18 for boys in Missouri.

 

[Críostóir]

16 unless it's my kid then 25.

LOL More honest than most people!