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Complexities of relationships [message #25515]

Fri, 22 July 2005 17:50

timmy

Has no life at all

Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13828

I have been posed a question, and the people who have posed it are willing and happy to see your answers to it. They recognise that the relationship they have is unusual in terms of age difference. The questions are being posed by the younger in the couple. Make no mistake, this is a couple.

First the scenario. The age of consent in the UK where they live is 16. This is full consent, nothing limited by parents' wishes nor anything else.

Our young friend is 16, and is certain that he is in the relationship without any form of coercion. In fact it was he who initiated the relationship. While one might argue that he may not know his own mind fully, I am sure that he, too, is aware of that. His partner is 32. Twice his age.

Immediately I can hear a sharp intake of breath. And, to be fair, anyone woudl have the self same sharp intake of breath. The age difference is not small, though next tyear the older will not be twice te younger's age. Oh yes, they are a gay couple, and happy in each other's company. This is not "just"(?) about sex.

So we have a happy, legal and unusually age differenced couple. Whetehr the realtionship remains a success of not is down to the two in the relationship. The question is really asked in the preamble, but it is this:

Both men are still in the closet. They want an open (I do not mean multi-partner I mean 'not hiding') relationship, with the ability to show affection and be a couple in all senses of the word with their social circles. How do they deal with the varied reactions their friends and family will have, solely because of the age difference?

In answering this it does no harm at all to show your own reaction to it. I simply ask that if you express disapproval you do it knowing that your words may hurt, and so to do it with empathy.

[Updated on: Fri, 22 July 2005 17:51]

Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School

		Complexities of relationships By: timmy on Fri, 22 July 2005 17:50
		Re: Complexities of relationships By: timmy on Fri, 22 July 2005 17:58
		Re: Complexities of relationships By: marc on Fri, 22 July 2005 19:02
		Re: Complexities of relationships By: timmy on Fri, 22 July 2005 19:03
		Re: Complexities of relationships By: marc on Fri, 22 July 2005 19:05
		Re: Complexities of relationships By: timmy on Fri, 22 July 2005 19:10
		Re: Complexities of relationships By: marc on Fri, 22 July 2005 19:37
		Re: Complexities of relationships By: marc on Fri, 22 July 2005 21:27
		Re: Complexities of relationships By: timmy on Fri, 22 July 2005 23:15
		Re: Complexities of relationships By: marc on Fri, 22 July 2005 23:56
		Thanks, Marc... By: yourbestgayfriend on Tue, 26 July 2005 19:16
		Re: Thanks, Marc... By: marc on Tue, 26 July 2005 20:07
		Re: Complexities of relationships By: NW on Fri, 22 July 2005 20:29

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