Mon Oct 15, 2018, 12:43 AM

What's up with our concept of adulthood?

At age 18 you are considered a minor if you buy booze or if you try to sneak into some dance clubs, but you can buy cigarettes, get your brains blown away in war, go into adult stores and even some strip clubs and vote. Trayvon Martin at 17 was deemed a thug by a much older piece of shit who shot him fatally, and half of America thought he deserved it.

By the same token, a 22 yr old young woman sleeps with her boss consensually, and some people question her ability to consent. By the same token, there are people in their 20s having intimate relationships with much older people and nobody cares. Also, had the same 22 yr old commited some sort of crime back then, she would have arrested and charged without anybody doubting her ability to make decisions at age 22.

Why are we prone to infantilize young adults at times and to treat them like total grown ups at other times?

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23 replies	Author	Time	Post
What's up with our concept of adulthood? (Original post)	IluvPitties	Oct 2018	OP
You can't consent to sleeping with your boss because of the power relationship, not your age.	meadowlander	Oct 2018	#1
some work places might have some rules in place. but yes, you can have sex with people of different	JI7	Oct 2018	#2
It's not about relative power, it's about the specific relationship.	meadowlander	Oct 2018	#13
not always , people have relationships all the time. especially when it's the workplace	JI7	Oct 2018	#14
Not true. I know of several colleagues who have married former students.	IluvPitties	Oct 2018	#5
The operative word is "former" I hope.	meadowlander	Oct 2018	#12
Believe it or not...	IluvPitties	Oct 2018	#23
Maybe if you can't consent you also shouldn't be the one to INITIATE the relationship,	pnwmom	Oct 2018	#7
When I was in college in the 70s	Freddie	Oct 2018	#9
I taught in the 90s	meadowlander	Oct 2018	#11
He broke an ethical boundary, which doesn't mean consent is impossible..	JHan	Oct 2018	#15
with trayvon martin it was mostly about racism. just look at how middle aged and old ass Kavanaugh	JI7	Oct 2018	#3
I always figured Monica had a plan...	Wounded Bear	Oct 2018	#4
I don't think she had a plan.	violetpastille	Oct 2018	#6
Don't forget -- she's written that SHE was the one to initiate the relationship,	pnwmom	Oct 2018	#8
Hahaha.	violetpastille	Oct 2018	#10
Someone else had the theory about the book deal.	pnwmom	Oct 2018	#16
I think she had father figure issues,	JHan	Oct 2018	#17
She had an affair with a teacher at her high school, followed him to another state when in college.	betsuni	Oct 2018	#18
Yikes.	JHan	Oct 2018	#19
I know!	betsuni	Oct 2018	#20
Never read it, that is disturbing.	JHan	Oct 2018	#21
I regret not keeping my copy of the book, but it was so poorly written (forget my whom)	betsuni	Oct 2018	#22

Response to IluvPitties (Original post)

Mon Oct 15, 2018, 01:01 AM

meadowlander (4,009 posts)

1. You can't consent to sleeping with your boss because of the power relationship, not your age.

When I taught at university, I had students who were older than me with whom I could not have had a consensual relationship because of my relationship to them.

What's up with our concept of adulthood?

1. You can't consent to sleeping with your boss because of the power relationship, not your age.

2. some work places might have some rules in place. but yes, you can have sex with people of different

13. It's not about relative power, it's about the specific relationship.

14. not always , people have relationships all the time. especially when it's the workplace

5. Not true. I know of several colleagues who have married former students.

12. The operative word is "former" I hope.

23. Believe it or not...

7. Maybe if you can't consent you also shouldn't be the one to INITIATE the relationship,

9. When I was in college in the 70s

11. I taught in the 90s

15. He broke an ethical boundary, which doesn't mean consent is impossible..

3. with trayvon martin it was mostly about racism. just look at how middle aged and old ass Kavanaugh

4. I always figured Monica had a plan...

6. I don't think she had a plan.

8. Don't forget -- she's written that SHE was the one to initiate the relationship,

10. Hahaha.

16. Someone else had the theory about the book deal.

17. I think she had father figure issues,

18. She had an affair with a teacher at her high school, followed him to another state when in college.

19. Yikes.

20. I know!

21. Never read it, that is disturbing.

22. I regret not keeping my copy of the book, but it was so poorly written (forget my whom)