It is only an arbitrarary age and it is different in a lot of states, and countries. If I were to define the age of consent then it would be the age at which the person consenting has become emancipated. Sometimes this age might be younger than the state declared age of consent. It could even be older in certain cases. A more fairer way of determining the age of concent is to use a test to see if the person is emancipated. A test would be a series of questions like asking if the person decides where they want to go without their parent's permission. Do they have a job. Do they get good grades in school. Questions like this could determine whether a person is emancipated enough to be sexually active withoug having reached the state age of emancipation, or the state age of consent.

I read your post and was wondering what was your point. Your post simply stated that you thought that the AOC should be based on a group of questions. If a person is of the age of legal concent within the state where you live or more to the point, the state wherein they live. I don't think it matters what our opinion is, since the state where that person lives is the place that the legal age is determined at which that person may give consent. There are people in their 40's and 50's who should not, IMHO, have the rights of consent. There judgement is so clouded and irresponsible that they should not be allowed to drink, drive or vote. There are 13 yr olds that have more common sense than their parents.. A child that thinks they are responsible may, in just a few short years realize that they should not have been given emancipation at an earlier age.

So with no disrespect intended... What's your point? To ask people to think? To simply start a discussion? To think out loud? Bottom line is that it really doesn't matter.. states do what they want to do because they want to, they can, and as we all know government always knows better than we what we need, want and should ultimately have. Why is this important... or it's significance to you?

I'm curious
Ray

Well, when I got married my wifes mother signed.

Age of Consent for what? Marriage, Sex, Drinking, Voting. There are many different parimeters. In Canada, 1 can marry under 18 with a parent's consent, we can drive at 16 with a parent's consent, we can vote at 18 and drink at 19 and like Ray says, some should not be allowed to do it until they are 102 because they never grow up.

Sex on the other hand is very tricky... by our laws, anyone under the age of 18 can have mutually consented sex as long as everyone is over the age of 13, however become 18 and mess with a kid, yes kid under 18 and no matter whether it is consentual or not, it is classified as statutory rape.... both parties over 18, consentual, go for it...

So as Ray says... your point is?

Happy Trails, Radar.