if it looks old enough is it? if it is going to do it with others anyway is it old enough? if it knows how to do it better than some twice its age is it old enough? if it has kids is it old enough? if its dad lives in another state and mom is just the coolest thing since the slip n slide is it old enough? if you were so druk you dont remember and therefore it didnt happen is it old enough?
In the old western days a grown woman had at least 1 child by the age of 13. Is it old enough?
Answer #1 As I'm not a parent, I admit I can't honestly answer the question of how I would feel if it was my teenager in a relationship with an adult. I have no way of knowing how I'll feel when that time comes.
Answer #2 Playing devil's advocate... the current 'ages of consent' are completely arbitrary, and I would prefer something less arbitrary. The only thing I've ever come up with is an age of consent based on puberty. However that would require parents actually being good parents and ensuring their child is mature enough to handle the responsibility of sex by puberty. We already expect parents to get their kids mature enough to drive, drink, not stick forks in outlets... Granted that doesn't always turn out right...but when a poorly taught 16 year old driver runs into and kills an innocent driver, we don't blame the other driver just because the kid was a "minor." We don't outlaw forks or electrical outlets when 14 year olds electrocute themselves. We realized banning booze altogether was dumb.
Answer #3 I was having sex and doing it very responsibly at 15 with a woman ten years my senior. I learned how to do it well and safely from her. It was probably the most educational and beneficial sexual experience of my life. So I would be a complete hypocrite if I said no young teen should have sex.
....Maybe create a "Companion" Service consisting of well educated and vetted adults (maybe educational equivalent to med school). Like Companions in Firefly, but geared specifically to the newly post pubescent in order to give them the healthiest hands-on sexual education possible. Parents can choose whether or not to allow their teenagers to be educated by a Companion. I know it sounds a little nuts, but I honestly think it could work, at least better than what we have now. But, I just pulled it out of my ass right now, so who knows.
