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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Age of consent, voting, betting,smoking and games

82 replies

McHappyPants2012 · 27/08/2012 22:27

To me it seems daft that a 16 year old can have sex resulting a baby and to be able to play the lotto.

But can not buy cigerettes, alcohol, vote, bet and some games.

Iabu to think every thing so be 18

OP posts:
kittyandthefontanelles · 27/08/2012 22:28

YANBU.

Tortington · 27/08/2012 22:29

good luck on stopping sex.

the rest i agree.

manicinsomniac · 27/08/2012 22:31

Well in America where it is 18 for sex (I think?) they have the drinking even higher at 21 so maybe it's some universal opinion that alcohol is far more serious and grown up than sex???

I agree with you though, I think everything should be 18.

ExitStencilist · 27/08/2012 22:31

er, what? Do you think the age of consent ever mattered to a teenager who wanted to have sex, ever? Sure make it 18, make it 37 if you like, won't make the slightest bit of difference.

JollyHockeyStick · 27/08/2012 22:32

Yabu.

Voting should be 16.

Look up the stats for age of consent in European countries and you'll find it doesn't match average age of first sexual experience.

Changing the age of consent, would not change the age at first young folk first have sex. Changing the 'British' attitude and having sex talked about more openly and a set national curriculum for sex ed with set national resources would have a much more positive impact, in my opinion.

Certainly it would bw better than teachers having to invent sex ed from sometimes dubious online resources.

Original poster
McHappyPants2012 · 27/08/2012 22:36

No I wouldn't matter if the age of consent is 16 or 26, but it seems bizaar to me that a 16 year old can legally have a baby yet for the first 2 years can vote for which government should run the country that effect that child future.

OP posts:
ExitStencilist · 27/08/2012 22:47

I would say that if you're having a baby at 16, you have proved you certainly aren't mature enough to be voting or anything else.

LineRunner · 27/08/2012 22:48

I think you'll find that girls and boys can have sex and have a baby a lot younger than 16.

WorraLiberty · 27/08/2012 22:49

But Exit you can legally marry at 16 so why not have a baby?

I agree OP, it's weird that you can move out of the family home, marry, have a baby and you still don't get a vote when it comes to government elections.

LineRunner · 27/08/2012 22:50

I think that voting should be at least 16. I'd argue 13 actually.

MoaningMingeWhingesAgain · 27/08/2012 22:51

You can work, pay tax and NI but not get to vote - that seems very unfair.

ExitStencilist · 27/08/2012 22:54

You can legally get married, doesn't mean that you should! Same for having a baby. 16 is a child as far as I'm concerned, and babies having babies is a Bad Thing in my world. The law is neither here nor there.
By the by though, the age of consent is 17 and minimum marriage age is 18 in my country.

OutragedAtThePriceOfFreddos · 27/08/2012 22:55

YANBU. I agree everything should be 18.

LineRunner · 27/08/2012 22:56

So young people shouldn't be allowed to work and earn any money till they are 18?

OutragedAtThePriceOfFreddos · 27/08/2012 22:59

No, they just shouldn't be taxed.

But then I think we should have one rate of tax with a generous personal allowance anyway.

WorraLiberty · 27/08/2012 23:01

I don't think it's a good idea either Exit but whilst the law allows marriage at 16, I do think 16yr olds should get a vote.

LineRunner · 27/08/2012 23:02

If young people work, then they have stake in society, eg the rules that govern theit conditions of emplyment.

In fact I think that from 13, young people should vote and give the politicians a kick up the arse about schools, skills, local environments, facilities, health, budgets and their futures.

LineRunner · 27/08/2012 23:03

Sorry about the typos - I hope you get my drift!

Sastra · 27/08/2012 23:05

I don't think of the age of consent as being their to prevent (or otherwise) 15 year olds from having sex - I see it more as a protection of vulnerable people from older people with poor intentions. So a 15 year old (or younger) will never be in the situation that they have to prove their they consented to sex with an older person. The law automatically protects children from abuse (yes, I know that it's a grey area when the older person is under 17).

Sastra · 27/08/2012 23:05

Wow: * there.

Think I should go to bed!

FreudianSlipper · 27/08/2012 23:06

i would rather the age of being able to get married and go in the armed forces be 18, not 16 with parents consent

agree we need to change our attitude towards sex and sex education

PatFenis · 27/08/2012 23:09

The age of consent for most things is all arse about face to be fair. I was able to marry at 17 yrs old without my parents consent but would have been breaking the law by quaffing champagne to celebrate my marriage (which of course I did)

You can legally smoke cigarettes at 16 but cannot legally purchase them til you are 18.

You can legally drink alcohol at 18 but in many pubs you have to be 21 to buy an alcoholic drink.

You can legally have sex and produce children from the age of 16 but can't have a say in how this countrys government is run til you are 18 .... I wish they would make their fricking collective minds up!!

ExitStencilist · 27/08/2012 23:12

Don't you need parental permission to get married in the UK? Surely then you would need parental input to vote......

what do 16 year olds know about anything? I don't see why we should give them the vote, I would have voted for anyone who talked about legalising pot at 16.

Margerykemp · 27/08/2012 23:14

I think they should all be 18. Would stop those rapists saying "I thought she (13yo) was 16" boo hoo.

Original poster
McHappyPants2012 · 27/08/2012 23:16

Under 18 year olds need parental consent

OP posts: