w00t w00t booyah

Teenagers aren't small adults--most of them are bigger than me. They are teenagers. That time period between childhood and adulthood.

If you think a 17 yr old is at the same level of mental development as a 7 yr old, I'm sorry, but they're not. In most societies a 17 yr old is almost fully independent, if not considered a complete adult. They can drive, hold a job, get married, etc.

The only relevant definitions in this case are those set by the DSM IV, which sets the definition of pedophilia:

"The paraphilic focus of Pedophilia involves sexual activity with a prepubescent child (generally age 13 years or younger). The individual with Pedophilia must be age 16 years or older and at least 5 years older than the child."


Attraction to a 16 or 17 year old is not pedophilia in even the remotest sense of the word's actual definition. Pretending that 16 or 17 yr olds are at the same mental and physical development level of 6 or 7 year olds is infantilizing and offensive.