To think "half your age plus seven" is a massive pile of nonsense?

I agree with you @Dizzydrizzy, I have never heard of that "rule" before either!

I also think that when it comes to age gap relationships, each one - if there needs to be any judgement at all - should be judged individually. I don't think that there is a natural law that governs all age gap relationships!

I have been married twice, the first time I was under 20 years old, and he was 4 years older than me, his friends teased him that he was a baby snatcher! My next, and present husband, is almost 8 years older than me, but we started going out when I was 32 and he was almost 40. Which I believe is a perfectly reasonable age gap, but if we had met and started going out when I was 12, and he was almost 20, many people would have called him a paedophile.

So, I am actually interested to know, whether anyone thinks of a particular number of years that would make a difference in ages turn from just being an accepted norm, to then becoming an age gap that is worthy of a damning judgement?

YANBU. Until just now, I didn't know this 'rule' originated that long ago. I think I first heard it on TV in the 2000s. Anyway, it's arbitrary, and I indulge in a little inner eye-roll when people reference it as though it's accepted knowledge of some type.

I understand feeling uncomfortable with large age gaps, but we all have different thresholds for where that discomfort starts, and so much depends on individual circumstances, maturity levels, the older person's intentions, etc. Some people act as though a 30-year-old dating someone in their mid 20s is a disgusting age gap, which is just crazy, imo.

Well young people deserve representation in the government. Voting is about collective, decision making, but relationships are a one on one power dynamic.

And while of course a young peoples choices in voting may well end up having a direct impact on their lives it is generally nothing at all like the impact that intimate relationships can have on an individual.

Everyone, no matter what age they are can make poor voting decisions that affect everyone else. Who says that older voters make better decisions on who controls the entire country? I'm not from the UK but I understand hat many in the UK believe that Brexit was a mistake, yet young adults had the highest amount of remain voters.

Anyways thats my points on the age gap debate

"There are a large amount of people today that view age gap relationships to be immoral. For example, a 26 yo man dating a 19 yo woman. People will say this is wrong because “she is too young to understand she’s being manipulated” “, her brain isn’t fully developed yet” “they don’t have enough life experiences to know any better”.

If people against age gap relationships truly think this then they should be for raising the voting age as well.

If young adults are too immature & don’t have enough life experience to date who they want, then how are they somehow mature enough to choose who should run the country. If their brains aren’t fully developed yet then why should they be able to vote, their brains are apparently too small to be able to date but large enough to be able to choose who controls the entire country. ?"

Why do you keep saying 'suddenly'? I'd say it was gradual cultural shift, not sudden at all.

it just seems odd that you can vote, join the military, and so on yet somehow if you fall for an older person suddenly your relationship is wrong, yet even same age relationships can and do fall apart so its like what happened society ?

See my response to that at 01:47am

so when did humanity change the goal posts, one min 18 year olds are leading armies in medievel times and rasing familys yet now suddenly they are too young just because people are living longer etc ?

I don't care, I think she was disgusting to date/sleep with someone so young.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson married director Sam Taylor-Johnson because of their profound personal connection and shared life goals, despite their 23-year age gap

I just googled those and most of those started when the younger man was around 36.....the vast majority don't care one bit when the youngest person is that age, regardless of gender.

No idea who the last couple are but he was 18 and she was 42. That sickens me and it sickens many other people, no different than if it were a man or a woman.

Did we suddenly say it after medieval times? 😂

Yes I think it was one sunny April day in 1634, literally came out of nowhere, big change and shock for everyone.

Ignoring the “let’s go back to medieval times” suggestion, an 18 year old cannot possibly have the “worldly experience” of a 30+ year old. They certainly haven’t had the years of relationship experience. Yes I know, what about and what if and all that. But they don’t. They’re only just coming out of childhood, and not yet out of adolescence. And any actual adult can see that a mile off, and unless there’s something wrong with you, that isn’t attractive.

i much prefer needlework than football

Now list the number of famous men with decades younger women.

Might be a good way to pass the time until the England kick off. You'll need at least that long.

Sam Taylor Johnson is horrific, I agree that goes against the common pattern, but she’s vile, certainly not something to be celebrated.

nope a spinster, prefer the quiet life, but i do enjoy the hypocrisy of society with age gaps

Cher & Alexander "AE" Edwards: 40 year age gap
Joan Collins & Percy Gibson: 32 year age gap
Holland Taylor & Sarah Paulson: 32 year age gap
Kris Jenner & Corey Gamble: 25 year age gap
Sam Taylor-Johnson & Aaron Taylor-Johnson: 23 year age gap

Indeed, especially when it’s an especially young person, where there is an age gap relationship where it is the woman who is older, the man isn’t often under 30.

Yeah, that's a TV show. Not real life.

In real life age gap relationships almost always involve an older man/younger woman combo.

You're in such a 'relationship' yourself, aren't you?

you forget the cougar women and even the tv show cougar town, well older women chasing younger guys, never, all women are saints and holy omg

im talking about an individuals knowing their own mind, that is all. and the judge mentality of society

In medieval times girls were giving birth at 13. What's your point?

And if you're 30 and are 'connecting on hobbies' with a teenager, then there's something seriously off about you. And let's face it, the 30 year old will almost always be a man, and the 'so mature for their age' teenager will almost always be a woman girl.

Not many 30 year old women 'connecting on hobbies' with boys just out of school, is there?

Medieval times, seriously? You think you’re going to win an argument pulling that out? Want me to list all
the other things that were ok in medieval times? Let’s just bring back marital rape and child marriage, it was ok in the 1400s after all!!

Is that the choice we have? Power imbalance or abuse and drugs? I think it’s fine to have boundaries and standards. I personally hope my children manage to find somebody who isn’t abusive, or an addict, or far too old for them.