You know in the 70s in France there was discussion of a bill to abolish the age of consent entirely? The age of consent was 15 at the time, too. It actually got a lot of support from leftists, believe it or not. Signing the petition names like Michel Foucault, Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Roland Barthes, Alain Robbe-Grillet, even a pediatrician named Françoise Dolto.
Foucault: "What is emerging is a new penal system, a new legislative system whose function is not so much to punish offenses against these general laws concerning decency, as to protect populations and parts of populations regarded as particularly vulnerable. Therefore, there would be on one side the fragile population, and on the other side the 'dangerous population.'"
It's hard for us to understand now why on earth they'd support such a thing. I don't really understand it myself. As a leftist, like any leftist, I recoil in horror when the subject is brought up. Raise the age to 21! To 35! To 60! Lord help us! But if the project is the "ruthless criticism of all that exists", I guess we have to talk about the age of consent too.
Why is there an age of consent? Old Europe, who's ideas about the world we inherit, talked a lot about consent. In the 'Marriage Canons from the Decretum of Gratian', written around 1140, the word 'consent' appears 100 times. It's a dascinating read if you want to get a sense of what consent meant at that time. Here is what it says about the age of consent:
"Betrothals cannot be contracted before the seventh year. For they can be contracted only with consent, which requires each party to understand what they agree to. This proves that betrothals cannot be contracted between children, because the debility of age prevents consent."
This was exclusively about marriage, and not sex (but considering the church's view on sex before marriage...) - he puts the age of consent pretty friggin low at 7. When did it get up to 18?
The 1800s, in France and Britain, and for one reason: to increase the criminalization of sex work. It was the response to public moral outrage and advocacy groups like the 'Social Purity movement' (who supported eugenics) about children in sex work. England raised the age of consent to 16 and started arresting sex workers in great numbers; it began a 'war on sex work' that still goes on today.
What should that tell us? I don't really know. One thing, at least: the law was never on our side.
I couldn't really fit it in because of the character limit, but I wanna make something clear: I am not in favour of lowering, or abolishing, the age of consent. I am very cautious about sleeping with girls who are 20, nevermind 18. I would absolutely not sleep with, or encourage sleeping with, a girl under 18. But I have a feeling the answer is a little more complicated than 'yeah the lawmakers pretty much got it this time.' So I'm interested in opening the conversation about it
uhhh, sorry, I'm used to addressing other lesbians. I don't encourage sleeping with ANYONE under 18!!!
that is interesting stuff, too bad most people can't think objective and immediately call people perverts when it comes to this topic
... In addition to compromising children's mental, emotional and physical wellbeing and increasing the rates of teenage pregnancy. You'll be trying to combat a problem and create other ones inadvertently.
And why this legislation specifically, hm? I can think of countless other laws than burden the legal system WAY more than that.
as if teenage pregnancies and teens fucking diesnt happen already...
@slimstiffy I didn't say it doesn't happen. I'm just saying the rates of it would increase even more if the age of consent is lowered.
i dont think it would change much. i think it will keep all those poor 19 yo guys out of jail for fucking their 17 yo girlfriends. what are they supposed to do. wait one year , put sex on hold, till their girlfriend has crossed the "adult " line as well? hoe stupid is tge current law
Would probably increase teen pregnancy rates which would cost even more.
Age of consent should be 18 so that if the girl gets pregnant she won't still be in high school by the time she gives birth
I dont think the age of consent should be 16 for EVERYBODY. I think its different for an 18 year old to hook up with a 16-17 year old compared to a 26-36+ year old guy hooking up with 16 year old girls.
An 18 year old is a little more developed but not by much. So they shouldn't be looked at as predators taking advantage of someone younger, naive, and less developed.
However, The 26 year olds or people older than that shouldn't be allowed to have sex and date 16 year olds. At that point its more like their preying down to the 16 year olds level. Your a grown adult, that kid is likely not going to be done developing physically, mentally, and emotionally until their 24.
In short, i feel if it should pass , it should only apply to 18 year olds, 19 at the oldest while people older than that can't have sex with a 16 year old.
I think some places it is 18, unless the minor is at least 16 and the adult is no more than three years older.
@zagor im my state 18 is the age of consent, and 1 day older then the 17 year old is statotory rape.
This is a pretty good view, yeah. When I was 19 I was dating a 16 year old, and it didn't even occur to me. But at 22 it would seem completely wrong.
I'm on the fence, on one hand I wouldn't give a fuck at all because many 16/17 aren't retarded and can handle a more mature sexual relationship. But for every smart kid there's 5 idiots at least who wouldn't know what to do with a real relationship and it'd just be a mess. So unless parenting changes in America where kids mature faster, I think the age of consent can stay where it is.
If I think of a scenario where I had a teenager, say 16, I'll be damned if I let them date and fuck around with some 22 year old. In the world we live in that's nothing but a disaster waiting to happen. And it's weird.
Scroll Down to Read Other Opinions
What's Your Opinion? Sign Up Now!I think a question like this was posted before. Why do you want them underage girls so bad bruh?
Good idea. Its 16 in most European countries and no one has a problem with it.
Just one thing, instead of teaching abstinence American schools should teach kids how to protect themselves against pregnancies and std's.
How many people are currently incarcerated for such offenses? How much money would it save?
Should we give up our federalism and force every state to accept this proposal. taking away the right of each state to make their own laws?
Perhaps what is really needed is some realistic sentencing laws. "But Officer, she said she was 18!" is hardly in the same league as obvious prepubescent child molestation.
As for Federalism, hey, that's how the Constitutional Law was set up.
Its a good idea but not because of saving money but because experts consider 16 year olds mature enough to make that decision for themselves.
yeah that too, 16 year olds are not naive little kids
So that horny old dudes can legally pray on highshoolers because they are young and naive. Suuuuuuurrreeeee.
You realize that the laws can be used against an 18 year old as well?
@zagor an 18 year old shouldn't be having sex with a 15 year old
I would have when I was 18. Anyway, the same law applies with a 17 year old as well. Someone a week older should be arrested?
It's already 16 in most states. Only barbaric shitholes like Commiefornia have 18.
I think 18 is fine, adults shouldn't be wanting to fuck 16 year olds.
So endanger children to save money. What a nation that would be
you're acting like a 16 year old is some helpless child who doesn't know anything about sex
A 16 year old is a child. Period.
So children are allowed to drive cars?
Lolololo no!
It should stay the same. Kids aren't developed fully at that age. They're naive and can fall for sweet talk and bribery. It's just an open gate for digusting men to fuck youngsters without the title of a pedo. Bad idea.
Screw with people your own age. Adults have no business being intimate (in that way) with children that age.
Pedophiles are people sexually attracted to prepubescent children. A 16 year old is not (sexually speaking) a child.
@zagor is right, 16 year olds are not naive little kids
People aren't "fully developed" till their mid 20's. Should we raise the age of consent to that?
Good idea i think. People are gonna have sex anyway, so why not make it legal?
In Denmark the age of consent is 15, but statistically speaking, most teenagers dont lose their virginity before they're 18-19, so at least in dk, the low age of consent isn't really encouraging teenagers to have sex. There's also a low rate of stds because the students are taught about it in the 6th grade.
It's 16 in a large amount of states and most of the Western world, like smoking and alcohol there should be a universal age for it.
Here in Australia, the age of consent has been 16 in every state for as long as I can remember.
This has not caused the world to end.
The reality is that teenagers, who are bursting with hormones, are going to rut like rabbits, regardless of what the law says.
How about all states increase the age of consent to 18. Can't buy porn until 18, can't vote until 18 BUT can give consent at 16?
Age of consent is 16 in UK though.
Yeah it's a waste of money, if they wanted it who cares
yeah good idea.
a 16 yo can think damn well for himsef/herself.
i can think of no way im different than when i was at 16. they should be allowed to fuck
It would actually be more efficient to be 18 since that's the age for being an adult.
The 10th amendment wouldn't allow for that to ever happen.
Hell nah. It would just switch to a bunch of trolls thinking 14/15 are ok to date.
14 or fight!
@zagor what?
@zagor so basically you are a sick ma'!
state age of consents vary it is sixteen where I live
here in florida it is 18
en.wikipedia.org/.../Ages_of_consent_in_North_America
A lot of states are already sixteen
Sexual Relationships 
Sexual Health 
Most Helpful Girls