I think I'm an Ephebophile.

[billia]

Hi, I'm seventeen and I find myself still attracted to guys much younger than me. Like anywhere in the age range of 12-19. And it concerns me because I thought my attractions would age with me. But they aren't. I still like them.

I'm not really sure what I expect from VT, but I just had to tell someone...

[Magus]

Well, I am 20 and feel attracted to those who are 15.

I don't think it's a problem or anything.

It's just that we are attracted to youths more than we are to adults, or maybe both, as in my case.

It's pretty natural to like those of your age group.

[cosdoxop96]

Well their ages are close to yours so I don't see anything wrong.
Don't worry you're not an ephebophile!

[billia]

Just to be clear, I've never done anything with younger people. I would never. But it's the simple fact that I'm attracted to them still...

[Alliegator]

Ephebophillia is when teens 13-19 like adults kinda the opposite of what you're talking about.

[billia]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephebophilia

Oh, I got my info from wikipedia. I guess it's even less reliable than it already was, lol.

Anyway, whatever it's called is still annoying me.

[Brice]

Nahh. You're totally fine. If grandma's can like Taylor Lautner from Twilight, a 17 year old can like a 12 year old.

[Alliegator]

the last post made me nearly choke from laughing but they're right. totally normal i would think.

[LatinaVivit]

You're 17? What's the problem with being attracted to other teens? I'll tell you: nothing!

[billia]

I know it seems a little ridiculous...

What I'm worried about, is what will happen if it doesn't change. I mean, what happens when I turn twenty. Or Thirty. I'm worried that I won't stop being attracted to boys anywhere from 12-19...

[phenol]

The only problem is if you start acting on that. Otherwise there's really nothing wrong with it.

[December]

I would agree with what everyone is saying. 12-19 I would consider to be apart of your age group so whats wrong with that? And if it doesn't change, which there is no way can know that it won't, you could always talk to someone about it. As for right not it seems pretty normal to me, so I wouldn't worry too much about it if I was you :) . But if it is truly something that is really bothering you, then it never hurts to talk to someone (like a professional/counselor) about it and just ask.

[Aubrie]

Your ages are close enough that you are not considered one. Depending on where you live, it could be illegal if you engaged in any type of sexual activity, though. You would be considered an ephebophile if you were significantly older. Don't fret :)

[NotASpyingRent]

I may be jumping the gun here, but you might want to consider seeing a therapist to discuss this.

[Mortal Coil]

Your tastes will change. It won't be a "problem" until you have significantly outgrown the age group that you are attracted to. Which you haven't. There's no need to be alarmed.

[billia]

I may be jumping the gun here, but you might want to consider seeing a therapist to discuss this.

Unfortunately, therapists are required by law to report anything of this nature to the authorities. Despite confidentiality.

But yeah, I never want to actually do anything about it. It's just like I'm noticing they're attractive and that's it.

[canadaski]

Hi, I'm seventeen and I find myself still attracted to guys much younger than me. Like anywhere in the age range of 12-19. And it concerns me because I thought my attractions would age with me. But they aren't. I still like them.

I'm not really sure what I expect from VT, but I just had to tell someone...

Man, I'm the same way. The gay/bi bit, my age, their age and all. The only thing that would suggest that it's wrong are the stigmas that exist today in western cultures. In ancient times, before christianity destroyed the world and set us back thousands of years, grown men in rome and greece would routinely have sex with boys/teenagers. Those are the ages where the body develops and prepares for sex/parenthood so biologically it is natural.

A therapist may not discuss anything of this nature with anybody. They are only obligated to do something if you openly discuss harming yourself or others, even then they'll probably keep you under watch rather than hand you over the police. It's not the business of the police to monitor your thoughts, they step in when a crime has been committed. Also, I don't know where you live but It's likely that having sex with a 13 year old is fully legal anyway, as long as both parties are consensual.

[TigerBoy]

Canadaski hit some good points I think.

Modern law expects us to ignore thousands of years of culture of accepting and praising such things, in favour of the extreme homophobia preached by one particularly hypocritical religion in recent centuries.

What is 'wrong' changes over time and by stepping over a country's border. This tells me that these things are not black and white issues.

I can see nothing wrong with appreciating beauty of any age or any gender, and bad things result when people think they should dictate the nature of acceptable art and literature (Nazi Germany ultimately).

I'm sure you know you aren't going to have a very fulfilling relationship with a really young guy which is why you say you have no intention of going there.

In case it helps, I've just started dating my boyfriend who's 2 years younger, and his parents are ok with it. We've talked a lot with both our parents about us, and what all the advice comes to is that everyone seems to agree is we are just about ok for overlapping "life stages". So in other words, our school, uni, job changes will all happen fairly close to each other (especially if I take a gap year to work before uni and he doesn't). If the gap was too big, we'd be stressing about different things, and maybe he wouldn't understand what I was dealing with etc. Its obvious we're going to have to be careful about the age of consent laws etc but once he's 16 in march we'll be fine.

So don't stress it.