Large age differences in romantic relationships are often commented on in the social media; however, when a teenager or minor is involved, society reserves the right to become involved legally. Although some would argue that age differences may not matter that much for minors, research results have shown that teenage women involved with much older men are less likely to use contraceptives, and more likely become pregnant and give birth. This essay reviews the research findings and discusses the implications.
¶ … Age Matter?
Differences in age between romantic partners can elicit a number of reactions, depending on the age of the youngest partner. Hollywood celebrities, who marry much younger partners, are often made fun of in the entertainment media; however, if the younger partner is still a teenager, or worse yet, a minor, then the mainstream media may weigh in with their own brand of demonization directed at the older partner. Phrases like 'cradle robber' are bandied about, or in the case of an attractive younger individual becoming involved with a much older 'elderly' partner, the phrase 'gold digger' may be heard. There is thus a sense that power imbalances within relationships will result in the exploitation of the more vulnerable partner. The following essay attempts to show that age does matter in romantic relationships, but primarily when one of the partners is a minor.
Background
Men and women generally prefer romantic relationships with someone close to their own age, with men preferring someone about three-year younger and women the reverse (Lehmiller and Agnew 74-75). Openness to a wider age gap is also evident, but this openness is generally reserved for personal romantic attachments rather than those of their friends or strangers. This hypocritical bias is particularly evident when judging a relationship where the woman is significantly older than her partner.
The impact of other's opinions seems to play an influential role in determining both satisfaction with, and commitment to, romantic couples where the woman is significantly younger (> 10 yrs) (Lehmiller and Agnew 81). Younger women are therefore more vulnerable to social expectations, which probably undermines their ability to feel satisfied and committed to a relationship with an older male.
When the woman is a minor, there may be a benefit to the negative influence of social expectations. When the male partner is at least six years older, there is a 3.7-fold greater chance for pregnancy compared to similar aged relationships (Darroch, Landry, and Oslak 166). In 1994, 56% of the births by teenage mothers between the ages of 15 and 17 were the result of having sex with men three or more years older, representing a 1.4-fold increase in pregnancy rates compared to similar aged relationships. In addition, the prevalence of abortion among teenage women, who are involved with male partners at least six years older, is less than half the rate among relationships with similar aged males. A large age difference, when the woman is a teenage minor, therefore significantly increases pregnancy rates and births.
Body
Do negative social sanctions against a minor becoming romantically involved with a much older mate serve an important function? It has been suggested that teenage women may become involved with an older male because they were pressured into the relationship, felt a need to escape a bad home environment, or wanted to become an adult more quickly (Darroch, Landry, and Oslak 166). In addition to these forces, racial minorities, including Hispanics and African-Americans, are significantly less likely to use contraceptives. Contraceptive use was also lower for teenage women who dropped out of school. The driving forces behind teen pregnancy can therefore be diverse, complex, and related to membership in historically marginalized groups, such as the poverty stricken and ethnic minorities.
Social marginalization also tends to teach the afflicted minorities to ignore or resist mainstream expectations through a process called social disengagement (Major et al.). The message that teenage pregnancy can have a major negative impact on the future of a teenage mother (Hamilton and Ventura 1) may therefore be ignored, because it is perceived to come from the ethnic majority. For example, Amy Allen never mentions a concern over becoming pregnant in her essay, which describes meeting and becoming involved with a much older male at the age of 14. Neither does Lauren Smith in her essay on her views of age differences. However, with eight years of hindsight, Allen does admit that she was too young at 14 to become involved with an older male.
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