Voice

[foolishjustice]

I have...something of a strange dilemma. I came here six months after my birthday, and arrived six months ago...but my birthday is in June. Based on actual length of time I've been alive, I just turned nineteen...but my birthday isn't officially for another half a year.

Do you think I should just go ahead and start listing my age as 19, or would it be to confusing for the people who know what time of year I was born? I know I've already told a few people I'm a Gemini, so waiting would be simpler...but it feels a little weird, going an extra half a year between birthdays.

Comments

[foolishjustice]

I know, but enough people are here from some version of Earth that it's pretty likely that any given person would associate someone being a Gemini with a Summer birthday.

[zunge]

I'm aware. Maybe your first mistake was telling people your birthday, or that you're a Gemini. If they don't know in the first place, there's no reason to be concerned about how old people perceive you to be.

[foolishjustice]

I wouldn't say there's no reason. If nothing else, most people tend to care about the age of someone who's flirting with them, and young adulthood is a time where even half a year might make a difference in comfort with looking at someone as a potential partner.

[zunge]

Not the same thing, dumbass. I meant just say years only.

Also you missed out on the opportunity to claim your 19th when you arrived. Sucks to be you.

[foolishjustice]

There are people here from my world who would know better. And my birthday is a matter of public record back home.

And, besides that, I'd feel even more uncomfortable misrepresenting myself as older than I really am.

[zunge]

Then enjoy overthinking the matter to your heart's content. Your "concerns" are overcomplicating what ought to be a simple matter. If I'd arrived on a month analogous to my birth month, I'd have gone ahead and claimed my next birthday. But I also don't tell anyone my birthday, and no one has ever given two flying fucks how old I am.

[foolishjustice]

I'm nineteen and in multiple open relationships. If I told someone I was twenty, especially someone from my own country, they'd see me differently than they would if they knew how old I actually was.

I don't want to be responsible for someone having to deal with realizing someone they've been dating is a minor when they thought he was an adult.

[zunge]

You must be Japanese. I never understood why they set the "adult age" so high. So many other places have it at 18. Besides, you can buy porn and sex products in Japan at 18, so it's stupid.

[foolishjustice]

I am. And that's because 'age of consent' and 'age of majority' are different.

But there are people who make a distinction between 'older teen' and 'adult', especially when it comes to comfort levels with relationships. And, I'd be lying if I said I was personally against the kind of age gap that makes it more likely for the older party to care.

[zunge]

It's stupid that both of those are so high. Where I grew up, age of consent is 14 and age of majority is 18. Those make far more sense.

Sounds like this boils down to "lots of people get really weird about ages." I'm only just older than you, but the reasoning you keep laying out only boggles my mind. As long as they're not old enough to be my parents, I don't see a reason to care.

[He also once told a 23 year old from his world that 23 and 19, his own age, were practically the same thing. So uh, not surprising their views are so different.]

[foolishjustice]

14 is... really younger than I'm comfortable with. Someone at that age isn't likely to have the impulse control to be making decisions that can have such male consequences.

I'm not quite that lax on age differences, either. I'd feel pretty uncertain about someone more than ten years older than me, unless they were in the social position of someone younger for whatever reason.

[zunge]

The reasoning you're laying out is bizarre at best, but everyone's allowed to have their preferences. And that's all it ought to be. Personal preference. Enjoy.