Actual source of 'trauma' IMhO:
I have personally seen the hymen of a 30 year old virgo intacta. It was an extremely 'strong' hymen -- possibly such that best of all would have been for her to get a small bit of surgical help. (Other details are irrelevant here, except to say that: any male "forcing" an entry in the usual ignorant way - would have caused, you fucking well Would call it - trauma !)
I know of a couple similar cases - and in one, about the rather lengthy er 'preparatory phases' - this male was not an unfeeling jerk, in that case.
So - biology is quite clearly a Significant Difference. Obviously there is the other extreme - little or no hymen at all. Or earlier tampon use, masturbation, may have obviated any concern. (And masturbation damn well Does begin in the single-digit years, for many)
That having been said, I concur that 'trauma' is Not about the question of "being ready", nor is the First Time guaranteed to be traumatic "at some age." All above comments noted. Agree also that "ready" is as evanescent an idea as was suggested. Consent OTOH connotes, at least a modicum of awareness of what is likely to follow, including dehymen -ating -izing whatever!
Despite the widespread scourge of Puritan Anti-sex - always under the guise of Guilt: there are indeed! parties of both sexes, entirely capable of a pleasant experience of intercourse, sometimes at a quite young age! That there is the usual Gaussian.. distribution, should hardly surprise anyone here.
So then - society always makes Rules re the LCD. And we are stuck with them.. and I agree that some Rules are inescapable. (Some are even, occasionally Wise Rules - despite the norm). Sex rules re kids always err on the conservative side. Prolly fine - given the percentage of real Adult Assholes hovering about.
8 years old has got to be about 4-SDs from the Mean, I suspect all here would agree. THAT event - surely qualified as 'traumatic' unless of course - the pregnancy was not from the First fuck -?- (if she was an abandoned Street Arab -- guess! whether the male gave the slightest shit ?!) We Muricans may expect our own Street Arabs to increase.. as present wealth concentration continues to create the Two-Class society: Very Rich + degrees of Poor.
I'll go with Imric on the argument against automatically presuming trauma -- no matter WHAT the age. 'Consent' may indeed be debatable - but when a homo-sap WANTS to find out about getting laid (never mind vicissitudes of hymen elasticity) - S/He is likely to find a Way. That hymen may, as with another factoid I know of - yield to a quite artificial penis, and that act was bloody-well by Consent of the Self-operator!
YMMV - let's just not assign trauma where.. dumbth? horniness? curiosity? ____ are more accurate.
Ashton
who naturally blames embedded anti-body Puritanism for most of our troubles in simply behaving like Natural animals (and yes, also with a conscience - which Can be developed without the need for scary stories about Eternal Punishments\ufffd or promises of post-death Disneyland Shopping Malls in the Sky). Maybe in the next.. yuga, we can get it right.
