we need to recognize that there’s this space between teenager and adult where, yeah, people are legal adults but are still developing. And that’s an important context. Like ok yes she’s 18 and an adult, but it is still predatory/hella creepy for a 50 year-old to come on to her. A black youth is 18, but when he’s shot by the police the headlines refer to him specifically as an adult in a way they wouldn’t to a white 18 yo. An 18 yo getting into a fight or making a crap decision is very different than my 50+ yo dad doing the same.
It justs feels like we regard the (arbitrary) legal age as this huge leap from minor to adult. When in fact an 18 yo has more in common with a 17 yo than a 30 yo. Being of legal age doesn’t automatically make you experienced or equipped for every aspect of adult life. (btw I am not saying 18 year olds should have fewer legal rights/participate less in government & society. That is not what this post is about.)
We need to acknowledge that young adults are vulnerable (and still maturing) in a way older adults are not. Our culture has a long history of emphasizing the ‘maturity’ of young victims to excuse older adults, while in other circumstance using youth to undermine and dismiss people of the same age.
