Let me start by saying I'm 45 and I don't have much of a sexual history (that's a mostly unrelated story.) I was in my mid-20s when I lost my virginity, and I haven't been active much past then. I've been reading through this thread trying to figure out what I think. On the one hand, I had good friend once who was dating someone twenty years older than he is, and now they are happily married. As long as it's consensual that's fine.

But I remember being creeped on by older guys when I was younger, guys who are the same age I am currently. I remember how that made me feel and it was not good. I remember back in my twenties hooking up with someone who was probably just five years younger, while there was definite consent, there was also definite regret after. His reaction is forever seared into my memory. That made me reevaluate how I was behaving, it ended up being one of the last times I was with another guy. I'm fine with sex, but taking advantage of others is an absolute no as far as I'm concerned. And I didn't want to go down a path where I gradually convinced myself this or that manipulative behavior is ok.

Side note-- This reminds me of tv series that was considered revolutionary at the time, but I can't stand in retrospect, called Queer as Folk. The two main characters are in a relationship that would definitely be considered statutory rape. In the British version, one is 15 and the other in his late 20s iirc. Not only that, in one episode the younger guy sleeps with someone specifically to entrap him in statutory rape to extort what he really wants from him for his boyfriend (who had also slept with that guy.) At a time when there was no other LGBTQ media, this probably influenced a lot of people's moral compass. Now I wouldn't recommend it except as a historical artifact.