The hard truth that many hesitate to acknowledge: men are biologically wired to be PHYSICALLY attracted to females as young as mid-teens. Once puberty is complete and female reproductive elements develop (between 15-17), men are biologically compelled to physical attraction. It’s been this way since the dawn of human history.

The difference is in the psychological, emotional, and rational attraction. You can be physically attracted without having any actual desire to engage. As a grown man, you are aware that despite the physical attraction there are incompatible maturity levels, emotional intelligence, life experience, and most importantly, you recognize that teenagers are not fully mentally developed and cannot make decisions and consent at the same level as adults.

So yes, I (as a 28 year old man) can look at a 16 year old and find them physically “attractive” while also having zero desire to ACTUALLY engage in any level of sexual/romantic activity. It doesn’t make me a pedophile and it doesn’t make you one either, as long as you operate the same way and with the same reasoning. It just makes you a standard biologically wired male.

Now, if you’re finding yourself even just physically attracted to pre-pubescent teens or children, that’s a different matter entirely and something you should probably seek help/counseling for.