That would make sense but it’s not neccessarily the case, as sexual expression depends upon alot of factors that go beyond just the physical.

I’ve seen many young teenage men who could easily pass for mid-twenties due to their physique, and some even due to their behaviour, character, and mental maturity.

A young, well-built and well-mannered teenage man can be very attractive to females older than himself.

Although for the sake of the smooth running of society, I can understand why “age of consent” laws are in place, I don’t neccessarily think they are or should be moral be-alls and end-alls.

There are some teenagers out there who are mature enough mentally and emotionally to enter into conscious and aware relationships with older partners that are not exploitative.

Generally I don’t think teenagers of either gender are considered ideal partners for people in their 20′s and 30′s, but there are exceptions to every rule.

As far as a sexual match, although teenage men around 17-18 are considered at their “peak” and women in their 30′s are also considered the same, I doubt a young teenage man has enough experience, art, skill or tricks of the trade “under his belt”, so to speak, to actually please a woman in her 30′s.

Being a great lover takes alot of time, patience and practice. It’s rare for men even in their 30′s and 40′s – what to speak of a 17 year old, although I am sure there are exceptions.

Perhaps there should be no legal “age of consent” at all and cases should just be viewed individually.

My granny was 14 when she married my grandpa, then in his twenties. Nowadays that would be considered statutory rape.

It’s hard to label relationships like this.

Unless someone can show me scientific evidence of 13 year old male students getting traumatized by having consentual intercourse with older, especially beautiful female teachers, I’ll stand by 13 as the legal age of consent. I’ve been there; I wasn’t a “victim” at all, and I’m probably one of the shyest guys in the universe! And I have very very weird origins, since both of my grandmothers were significantly older than their husbands. So maybe I’m just biased.

Now, how do I square the above with my own views? Sex is about contradictions. We can acknowledege that Hobbes is correct in viewing human nature as inhernetly selfish and uncivilised, while celebrating the dionysian darkness of human sexuality.

What I represent is the point of view of the 13 yr old boy. He should seduce the beautiful teacher and then be man enought to keep quite about it so no one finds out. And if he crys rape, his father should tell him to man-up. If the act is illegal, all the better, all th hotter. This is what future Goldman Sachs CEOs are made off.

My point -which I thought was clear – is that when both parties are underage ( hence the “Romeo and Juliet” reference ) the nature of the “crime” – if any is debatable

I’ll get a grip when everyone here gets a grip on reality !

Yeah, I agree that 12 or 13 is definitely or should definitely be out of the question… but what about 16? 17? These are grey areas — and they are grey areas legally, even if they are not grey in your mind.