Comment: Do not confuse ability to consent with ability to function.

You advanced data points about the functional ability of children to engage in sex.

One of those points may well be the physiological drive to engage as a result of the onset of puberty.

But the physical ability, and the physiological drive to commit an act, is not the same thing as the ability to rationally determine that is the best course of action for you.

Certainly, the Age of Reason comes into play. This is where you are first cognizant of consequences and the ability to think things through. This can vary, but is historically held to be approximately age 7.

But that doesn't mean any 7 year old can rationally think through any or most of life's most difficult decisions. It simply means they are having the first inklings of how to think through something at all.

There is simply not enough practice with reasoning, not enough information, and not enough experience in a child over 7 or under even 17 or 18 to be able to make rational decisions concerning sexual relations.

Hell, there are legal adults that don't make such rational decisions in that arena.

The difference legally here is that legal adulthood means there is no longer going to be interference with your lack of rational decision making in order to protect YOU. (but actions may certainly be taken to protect other FROM you.)

That is the entire purpose of legal adulthood.

Therefore, it matters not at what age you can physically perform an act, or even what age you can rationally think through the consequences of performing it, or what age you can handle the psychological effects, but rather at what age for ALL issues, is it accepted that you will not be interfered with as long as you aren't harming others.

17-21 is that general range for legal adulthood. It varies by State. And unfortunately right now, it varies by issue. It should not vary by issue at all within the same State.

We should no more consider you an adult at 18 for the purpose of signing contracts, entering legal agreements, prosecuting you for crimes, allowing you to hold title to property, being able to smoke tobacco, join the military, and vote, and then not consider you an adult for purposes of alcohol consumption until you are 21, then we should consider making a special exception for sexual relations and consider you an adult at an age between puberty and 18.