To find it horrible being referred to as 'jailbait'.

[abitweirdIthink]

I am 26 years old but I do look young, as in if I told you I was 15-16 you'd probably believe me. I am cursed (or blessed) with being 5'0 and babyfaced to match it.

However, my boyfriend and I were talking before and he said his friend had told him that a local man our age had been caught in a sting (i.e. thought they were speaking to a 12 year old but it was in fact someone catching them out).
Boyfriend said he told his friend how disgusting that person was and his friend made a comment basically saying: "Well your technically a pervet going out with (insert my name)". Boyfriend was confused and asked him what he meant to which his friend replied how young I look.

Boyfriend always tells me I look my age or at least 20 as it is something I am insecure about and this comment his friend made has got to me a bit.

In the past, I have had comments made to me by men about being 'jailbait' as I look so young or a comment about how I am the type of girl men are attracted to but think they shouldn't be.

But I am a 26 year old woman and I find these comment revolting! I never know how to respond to them but I am getting sick of it.

Has anyone else had similar experiences?

You're an adult though, so not sure why it matters? You're not a child.

It’s not the men who want to make sure you are an adult that you need to be worried about. Which is what the jailbait comments reflect. They find you attractive, but worry you may be underage and so they either avoid you or get up the courage to make sure you are an adult.

It’s the men who are looking for underage girls who don’t use the term jailbait. They’re the revolting ones.

I think it was more boyfriend's friend's comments about boyfriend technically being a pervert that got me - I'd hate it if other people thought the same

They don't actually believe it though, because they know you're an adult.

Yes I know I'm an adult and obviously boyfriend's friend knows I am an adult so I don't get why he had to make that comment which I found quite offensive - maybe I'm being touchy though

It must be a strange feeling, but they know you’re an adult woman so don’t really think your boyfriend is a pervert.

"Jailbait"?! I haven't hear that term for decades. It's highly offensive and misogynistic. It's tantamount to saying men can't control themselves and schoolgirls should be locked up until they reach the age of consent, at which point they become "legal" and "fair game".

Those attitudes want burying.

Surely "jailbait" would be applied to an underage girl who looks older? No man is at risk of being jailed for chatting up an adult woman, no matter how young she looks. Your bf 's pal is daft.

'Fuck off' should cover most situations.

It's a gross term and your boyfriends friend is ridiculous for thinking dating a young looking 26yr old is comparable to being a paedophile.

I'm also young looking, it's better than being old looking I guess

Awful expression- I assume your boyfriend is of a similar age?

I get you, its the insinuation that your boyfriend likes you because you could pass for younger. The guys a dick, but its up to your bf to make that clear to him the next time they speak

@RealLifeHotWaterBottle that is exactly the reason why I found it really offensive - that his friend basically joked that my boyfriend only likes me because I could pass as a teenager. I find that thought revolting and I know anything can be fetishised hence why I have always stayed clear of men who made a big deal about how young I look.

Like I said, I wish I looked my age and i hate comments about how young I look and it's one of my main insecurities so I may have taken more offence than other people would

@nosswith Yes, boyfriend is in fact 3 months younger than me haha (but he looks older than me)