I graduated high school in 1973. Back then the vast majority of kids dated others in the same grade/same age. Rarely did we have someone dating someone from a grade lower. Had a senior been dating a freshman, it would have been the scandal of the school. Had the senior dating a freshman been girl on girl, it would caused such a scandal that quite possibly the school would have put an end to it had the parents not.
Just goes to show how things have changed. Back then girls valued their virginity and homos were mentally ill. Abstinence was the rule, not promiscuity and free condoms. There were no pregnant girls walking the school halls either. Every girl in my class of '73 graduated without child, and it's my guess most of them virgins, at EIGHTEEN. Now, you need to sign to get an ASPIRIN if you're under 18, but can walk in and get THE DAY AFTER BIRTH CONTROL PILL NO QUESTIONS ASKED if you're FIFTEEN! Things change yes, but not always for the better. I can see PROGRESSIVES that helped CHAMPION the HOMO CAUSE making a big deal out of this as a baby step in the fight to NORMALIZE PEDOPHILIA, just as they did HOMOSEXUALITY. Since the ages are close, this is their golden opportunity. But in the eyes of the law, 14 is a minor and 18 is an adult. So just change it to an 11 year old and a 65 year old, in the eyes of the law, it's the SAME THING, SAME CHARGE, but the PROGRESSIVES can't use a case like that to push for more LENIENT penalties for pedophiles. They have to use cases like THIS one, and they will.
If there's a sexual deviancy, something disgusting, something perverted... PROGRESSIVES/LIBERALS/DEMOCRATS are in FAVOR of it.