“If our grades don’t touch neither do we.” The saying that I’m sure many of you have heard but don’t seem to want to listen to. Before any of you get all up in arms and are trying to burn down my house, I just want to say that honey, you aren’t mature. You’re being groomed. 

     I know some of you are probably thinking, “Kensi, aren’t you dating a senior?” Yes, I sure am and yes, I am a hypocrite but let me explain. Our age difference is exactly two years apart. Therefore legal. I’m talking about the 19-year-old guys and the 15-year-old girls. 

     “The legal age of consent in Maryland is 16,” according to Maryland criminal lawyer Seth Okin. Thus, anyone under this age is not “legally” allowed to give consent regardless of what they say or how old they look. 

     Another big point that comes up is the, “Romeo and Juliet law.” This law protects, “consensual sex between a minor and someone who may be a certain age older than the minor. As long as the age difference between the couple is within three years of each other and the minor is over the age of 14.” This is also stated by Okin. 

     This doesn’t make it okay. A man should not be “hooking up” with a 14-year-old. I don’t care if you are “mature for your age” and “he loves you.” News flash, he doesn’t. You are just an easy target to manipulate to get what he wants out of you. In most cases, sex.

     If my friend came up to me and told me she was dating a 20-year-old I would, respectfully, slap them across the face and say that they are the “dumbest person I have ever met, OMG why.” Now this can go both ways. If I was a 20-year-old and my friend came up to me saying they are dating a 15-year-old, I would also, respectfully, slap them across the face and call them disgusting. 

     I know it may seem all sunshine and rainbows because they can drive you around and you feel like a cool teenager but trust me, IT ISN’T WORTH IT. They are just manipulating you for easy sex. There is a reason they don’t go for people their own age. It doesn’t mean you’re mature but that they aren’t.

     Many people have the same argument for this situation and say, “but my parents are five years apart and they are fine.” Like cool so they met when they were probably 23 and 27, both adults, which makes a massive difference. They have had many of the same core experiences and are old enough to understand the age gap. At this point it isn’t the difference between an adult and a child. 

     Your 45 and 50-year-old parents are both physically the same maturity but a 10-year-old and a 15-year-old are not. It’s the same age difference, but it doesn’t make it okay.

     So get as mad at me as you want and call me hypocritical. But you better not come crying to me when they break your heart after you hook up a few times and he finds someone else to replace you.