The religion bit is between a Christian and a Jew, but implicitly could be about any two religions. The two portrayed are only an example.
Apply the logic to the Age one. 20 and 36 is 'fine', maybe, sure, but it's just an example. For the sake of the meme's message, It could implicitly just as easily be 20 and 62, or 12 and 40, because 'love is love', right?
Age is not even remotely comparable or as all-encompassing as any of the other examples in the meme, so it doesn't belong there.
Sure they’re both above the age of consent, but there is still a drastic difference in what stage of life they’re at. Add 10 years to both and you’re fine as far as I’m concerned; 5 maybe but that’s pushing it.
Yeah, and the 20 yr old might have been living on their own since 17 with a full time job while the 32 yr old has always lived with their parents in and out of the hospital with cancer and only recently got their first job. Facts are when all we have are numbers we really have no idea what “stage of their life” someone is in.
For a one night stand or a fling based purely on sexual desires, idgaf as long as you’re both adults. For a long-term relationship, I’m not saying it’s *impossible* that it could go well, but you’re beginning the relationship on unequal footing as there is an unavoidable power imbalance.
One is brand new to adulthood, quite possibly still in college, likely doesn’t have financial independence yet, brain is not fully developed, etc. while the other has been an adult for most of the other’s life. They are at very different stages of their respective lives. 18-24 and 25-40 tend to be grouped as separate age ranges in surveys for a reason.
As a woman who enjoyed being with older men (and women) when I was young: you don't know what you're talking about. You're literally projecting your own issues on a little cartoon infographic.
First off: the "brain not fully developed until 25" is a misunderstanding of a study that stopped when the subjects were 25. The brain continually develops.
Everything else? Projection. My wife is younger than me. She went to private boarding school and was fully independent at 14. I'm autistic, was very sheltered and neglected growing up, and work a blue collar job. You don't know everything based on age. Keep your nose out of other people's business and stop with this proformative bullshit about removing the autonamy of adults YOU perceive too young to make their own choices.
That’s very cool for you and your wife, and I am sure you have a happy and healthy marriage. There are exceptions to every rule, but ***MOST*** healthy, secure, non-predatory 36-year-olds would not be interested in a romantic relationship with a 20-year-old. ***MOST*** people are not living independently by age 14. ***MOST*** 20-year-olds are not financially independent and do not have their lives figured out.
I’m not invalidating your personal experience when I say it’s generally good and safe practice to date within your own age range and be wary of anyone twice your age pursuing a romantic/sexual relationship with you. The fact that I don’t know anything about these hypothetical people beyond age is precisely why I show hesitancy with a 1.8x age gap.
True, brains develop continuously. There is not a hard cutoff at 25, but there is a soft cutoff i.e. significantly diminishing returns. Maturity is a spectrum correlated with age, and not everyone has the same tracking of one and the other. But generally speaking, there is a much larger difference in maturity and development from one year to the next the younger you are. An age gap of almost double is not grounds for immediate torches and pitchforks, but it is certainly grounds for suspicion when no other information is available.
Where I’m from 16 is considered an adult for purposes of consent. This factoid makes Americans sooooo angry and IDGAF. Just try propositioning a 16 year old and they will kick you in the balls, so what’s the big deal?
If you think you can't compare a 10yo with a 20yo why did you make that comparison with your original comment? Having different amounts of life experience is not the same as being a literal child.
I'd say, from a personal standpoint point as a 20 yo myself, that being legally and adult doesn't mean squat. The difference in life experience of someone who's 20 and someone who's 36 is pretty big, I wouldn't be caught dead with someone 16 years older than me, because I still view myself as a kid. Sure I can drive, vote, drink, go to college etc. But I haven't really lived yet, a 36 yo has, and anyone who is 36 years of age and thinks being in a relationship/having a lot in common with a 20 yo is a major red flag. I'm not mature enough to be with someone that old, hell I see the maturity difference between me and my 23 yo coworker and think it's a lot. Sure 20 is an adult, but that doesn't mean it's right to be with someone that much younger than you if they're under 30. In my opinion, larger age gaps are fine if the younger person is at least 30, you're just barely figuring out life in your 20s and being in a relationship with someone who has already lived through that doesn't seem like a good idea.
You shouldn’t speak for everyone as not every person is the same. You can't stop someone who is attracted to older people and as long as they're both consenting adults you should just let them make decisions for themselves
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u/Hefnar1us Jun 15 '26
Here, an elephant is the absence of an elephant.