This may be for GD,so it may move.It’s grown from a debate on another forum with forumers who support gay marriage.This is the scenario.For argument’s sake it’s set in Spain(where the age of consent is 13) so there’s no question of it being illegal.
Fred A is a 30-yr-old man who loves Sam a 30-yr-old man.They wish to have their relationship recognized and get married.
Fred B is a 30-yr-old man who loves Samantha a 13-yr-old girl.They wish to have their relationship recognized and get married.
My view is that if Fred A is allowed to be given rights and anti-discrimination measures then Fred B should be too.
Yet many other forumers have decided Fred B is a sexual deviant who has something wrong with him.
Views please?Which if any of the Freds should be allowed to marry and ave their relationship recognized.
Ever heard of “the age of consent”? (No, I am not talking about the Bronski Beat-album).
A 13-year old girl is of course a big no-no.
Two consenting adults should be allowed to do whatever they need, but a 30 year old and a 13 year old girl.
You wouldn’t happen to be a member of NAMBLA, right?
:rolleyes:
In the long view of things, Fred B is even less of a deviant than A, since we are wired to be attracted to anything of reproductive age. But why must we classify anything as “deviant”, these days?
However, since governmental recognition of marriage is more of an economical and legal issue, and 13-year-olds, despite the fact that Spain (and myself, incidentally,) considers them old enough to make decisions about their sexual activity, society does not consider them adult enough to, for instance, hold many jobs, vote, own property, i.e. be non-minors.
When 13-year-olds can become legally emancipated, I will support 13-year-old marriage.
I assume since that’s the age of consent,then that’s the marrying age.It could be 10,11,12.That’s not important.The important point is that Samantha however old she may be is OVER the age of consent,so there’s nothing illegal going on.I’m going purely on moral views…
Great Debates: For long-running discussions of the great questions of our time. This is also the place for religious debates and (if you feel you must) witnessing.
MPSIMS: For general discussion: from frivolous chatter to deep thoughts; from harmless diversions to life-changing announcements.
Announcing that you’re marring Sam might be a life-changing announcement, but making the arguement that SSM should not be allowed (which is essentially what I think you’re up to by using the young adolescent Samantha) kinda fits the first forum, doncha think?
I may get involved when this gets moved there, but I’m not much of a Great Debater, and I suspect the hyenas there will devour you before I even have a chance to get my hunk of carrion.
I didn’t know the age of consent was 13 in Spain. :smack:
But then there is a big difference between having sex and getting married.
Sex doesn’t last very long (at least with me ), marriage is (supposed to be) a lifelong commitment.
Since 13 year olds are considered too young to enter into legally binding contracts, I would assume they would also be too young to enter into marriage.
Does that make sense?
According to the OP, you’re not talking to a representative sample of moral judging. Talking to people who are in favor of gay marriage about the morality of lower age-of-consent is going to give you as skewed a set of results as if you were talking to proponents of lower age-of-consent laws about the morality of gay marriage. What’s moral to one group is going to be wildly immoral to another. You’re going to get a bit broader base of opinion here at the SDMB because it’s not a special focus forum (except that fighting ignorance thingy), but even then you’re only going to get answers that fall within a fairly predictable range–I seriously doubt there will be many people here posting something like “Sure, let’s lower the age of consent to 13 across the board! That’d be great!”
However, if you went to one of the many role-playing game boards, populated by a great many horny teenagers, chances are your answers would be a bit different.
Fred A & Sam are consenting adults. I don’t care what they do.
Fred B is a legal consenting adult & Samantha is a barely pubescent child. Most 13 year olds can’t decide what they want to be when they grow up, let alone who they want to spend the rest of their life with.
), marriage is (supposed to be) a lifelong commitment.