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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think some people are SUCH hypocrites about historical age of consent

86 replies

RestlessSoul · 09/09/2013 18:49

Today I was reading about age of consent in the past out of curiosity after a remark from an American friend of a friend about Prophet Mohamed's relationship with his wife Aisha and how simply awful & barbaric it was that she was only 9, accusations of pedophilia etc.

After googling and reading about historical ages of consent around the world, I am Confused with this person. What an idiot. They don't even know their own history.

In 1880 in the US just 133 years ago the age of consent in Delaware was 7 Shock. In most other states it was 10 and in a few 12.

I don't understand what he is pontificating about when his home state Georgia allowed grown adult men to freely sleep with 10 year old girls in 1880. And he is condemning something that happened 1400+ years ago.

Source: chnm.gmu.edu/cyh/primary-sources/24

OP posts:
KatyTheCleaningLady · 09/09/2013 18:52

Ignorant., not hypocritical.

MrsDeVere · 09/09/2013 18:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WestieMamma · 09/09/2013 18:53

I would hazzard a guess that he wasn't around in 1880 and didn't have any say in the age of consent back then. YABU.

MrsTerryPratchett · 09/09/2013 18:55

A grown man having sex with a 9 year old is barbaric and awful. Whether it is Georgia or somewhere else and whenever it was in time. Just because it was legal at some point, doesn't make it OK at any point.

complexnumber · 09/09/2013 18:56

Isn't the truth that an 'Age of Consent' is just what any particular culture decides upon.

Wouldn't nature suggest that a female is ready for intercourse as soon as she is ready to ovulate?

(Not an opinion I particularly share, given the ages of my DD's. But any other age is surely arbitrary)

IThinkOfHappyWhenIThinkOfYou · 09/09/2013 18:57

I read a story today about an 8yo Kuwaity girl dying from internal injuries on her 'wedding night' in Yemen.

needaholidaynow · 09/09/2013 18:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

complexnumber · 09/09/2013 18:57

Please don't think I am condoning sex with a 9 y/o!

FrankelInFoal · 09/09/2013 18:57

Margaret Beaufort was married off at 12 and gave birth to Henry VII aged 13. She was so badly damaged by the birth she never carried another child.

MrsMangoBiscuit · 09/09/2013 18:57

I wonder how old Mary and Joseph were when Jesus turned up. Weren't Romeo and Juliet supposed to be about 12?

Just saying. :)

FrankelInFoal · 09/09/2013 19:00

I think Juliet was 13 and Romeo about 17 IIRC

RhondaJean · 09/09/2013 19:00

Juliet was 15.

Not that it matters!

nickelbabe · 09/09/2013 19:00

but did they actually have sex?

even in this country, girls were martied way before puberty, but the expectation was that there wouldn't be relations until the girl was old enough.

it was almost purely a guarantee that she wouldn't be married off to anyone else.

(old enough being puberty though)

RhondaJean · 09/09/2013 19:02

I think even then they were shocked about Margaret Beaufort btw, I think the general expectation was the marraige wouldn't be consummated until she was older but that whichever Tudor she married wasn't beating about the bush in terms of producing an heir. Which from his point of view was probably the right thing to do as he was dead before Henry was born.

MrsTerryPratchett · 09/09/2013 19:05

Even if you go by puberty, we forget that children are going through puberty much earlier than they used to. You were probably looking at 15 ish for girls in the olden days.

FrankelInFoal · 09/09/2013 19:07

I think you're right Rhonda, I seem to remember Philippa Gregory (that font of stud or knowledge Wink) saying people were shocked at the time, particularly as Margaret was a small girl and looked younger she was.

FrankelInFoal · 09/09/2013 19:07

Oops, "stud or" = Tudor Blush

ClaraOswald · 09/09/2013 19:18

The age of consent is technically the age which a person can consent to marry.

Or have marriage consented for them, if they are still a minor.

Which makes absolutely no sense as if you are old enough to marry, then you should be considered a full adult, which most people are not classed as being until they reach 18 in this country.

IThinkOfHappyWhenIThinkOfYou · 09/09/2013 19:24

Mary was traditionally 16

ivykaty44 · 09/09/2013 19:27

Up until 1929 the age of consent for a female in the UK was 14 years old

grumpyoldbat · 09/09/2013 19:30

Yabu because a person would only be a hypocrite if they they willingly engaged in intercourse at the age they complain about. What's described in the OP is ignorance.

garlicbaguette · 09/09/2013 19:30

YANBU to be shocked that sex with children is still encouraged in some countries & cultures, and has been encouraged in all countries' histories. Next time somebody wheels out the Mohammed story, how about sharing your knowledge and dismay? It might start an interesting discussion :)

skylerwhite · 09/09/2013 19:31

Didn't Jerry Lee Lewis marry his 13 year old cousin in the 1950s?

DeepPurple · 09/09/2013 19:34

In biblical times people only lived to around 30. They married so young and had kids so young as there wasn't any other option! There is a story in the bible of a woman giving birth so old that it was a miracle etc etc. she was 40 Hmm

ivykaty44 · 09/09/2013 19:37

there are stories in the bible of people reaching there 110's I wouldn't be to sure about any of the stories Grin