Legal, but… Influencer defends age gap with 16-year-old boyfriend

After receiving backlash over her relationship with a 16-year-old boy, influencer Tasha Newcombe tried to defend herself.

Despite saying she doesn’t care about the outrage, Newcombe explained how the “very new” relationship came to be on The Blue Tick Show, a popular YouTube podcast.

“I am in a relationship with someone who’s five years younger than me and I know a lot of people are gonna have their opinions on that and quite rightly so, you’re allowed to have your opinions, that’s your free will,” she began.

“Although my relationship is very new, I just have to say that this boy is genuinely the most mature, kind, loving person I’ve ever been in a relationship with. I will not stand for hate, directed at me, my friends or family,” she continued.

At first, she had no intentions of dating the teen but agreed to get food with him anyway.

“I was also unsure of meeting him because I’ve actually never dated someone younger than me in my life,” she said.

“I didn’t know what kind of challenges that was gonna bring forward for me but regardless, I’m in a relationship with him now,” Newcombe stated. “It’s my life, I’m going to live my life how I want to live my life. If I decide I want to be in a relationship with him, I can because it is legal. Whether you think it’s morally right or not, it is legal.”

While it may be “legal,” with the age of consent in the UK being 16, and varying between 16-and 17 across Australian territories, it did nothing to make the situation better for commenters online.

Sierra Marlee

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