Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner Split; Should a 20-Year-Old Date a 17-Year-Old?

Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner have split, as reported at Us Magazine, after dating for three months. According to a source close to Swift, "There was no chemistry." The source also states, "He liked her more than she liked him."

Is it a torch song for Taylor Lautner?

Fans of Saturday Night Live remember when Taylor Lautner hosted a show. In his opening monologue, he strongly alluded to the fact that he was dating Taylor Swift. One could argue that a person will not make that type of announcement to the public unless he is confident in his feelings. Celebrities tend to guard their privacy closely. Often the public doesn't learn of a celebrity couple until the paparazzi spills the beans.

Now Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner have split and after only three months. At 17, did Taylor rush into the relationship and fall too hard for Swift? If so, is that unreasonable to expect from a teenager?

As one 18-year-old wrote, "Teens feel that they need to fall in love because of a need to belong to someone/thing...A desire to feel 'grown up'...Society looks at men without a girl as 'wimps', some going as far as to question their sexuality. Women are called frigid, boring and also have their sexuality questioned."

Should a 20-year-old date a 17-year-old?

Although there is just a few years difference between Taylor Lautner and Taylor Swift, the difference may be significant. There is a common assumption that girls mature earlier than boys. As reported at Healthy Children, "Puberty is the time in your life when your body starts changing from that of a child to that of an adult. While there's no "right" time for puberty to begin, girls usually start a little earlier than boys-usually between 8 and 13 years of age. Puberty for boys usually starts at about 10 to 14 years of age."

Both Swift and Lautner are young, but Swift has a few years on Lautner in maturity which could play a role in how well they got along and if there was any chemistry. If age was a factor, it may not be if Lautner were 22 and Taylor were 25.

Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner have split, but some fans will miss the couple

Celebrity couples come and go, but the Swift/Lautner combo will be missed by some. They are two people who have managed to stay out of trouble and have been a bright light in the world of young celebrity stars.

Sources:

Exclusive: Taylor Swift, Taylor Lautner Split!, Us Magazine

Why do teenagers wanna fall in love so early?, Yahoo Answers

What's Happening to my Body?, Healthy Children