James Charles Keeps Getting In Trouble For Allegedly Hitting on Minors
I watch a lot of videos on YouTube, but most of what I watch falls under the general categories of food, trivia or Good Mythical Morning. It seems like the vast majority of content outside those categories, especially the drama channels and vloggers are aimed squarely at children. So it’s kind of not surprising that most of the people who DM James Charles, a beauty vlogger and seemingly the center of endless drama, are children.
It would be a good idea not to flirt with his fans. I don’t buy into the idea that there’s something inherently abusive about a celebrity dating a non-celebrity or fan, that’s nonsense. It’s just that the average age of James Charles’ fans is probably 12.
James Charles was replaced as host of YouTube’s Instant Influencer, presumably because of accusations of him grooming a minor. So it’s probably not great for him that another underage teen says Charles was flirting with him.
Now, I don’t actually think this is such a big deal. James Charles wasn’t accused of hitting on like, a 12-year-old, just a few 16- and 17-year-olds. Charles is only 21 himself, he could have gone to high school with people who are currently 17. If James Charles didn’t live in California, they likely wouldn’t even be underage. If he was 38 and in Congress it would be a different story.
But Charles also claims he was unaware these people were under 18 and that he stopped talking to them when he found out. Twitter kind of had a field day with that.
James Charles: he said he was 18!!!
The child in question: pic.twitter.com/ZJCu13sB1L— peypey🏳️🌈 (@peypey_shea) March 30, 2021
James Charles:
“He lied about his age, said he was 18” pic.twitter.com/FQ0YhQ6fff
— KEEM 🍿 (@KEEMSTAR) March 30, 2021
James Charles: I swear he is lied he said he was 18!!
The kid: pic.twitter.com/8nXLB8ZuzK
— I Do Be Lazy Doe (@IDoBeLazyDoe1) March 30, 2021
Those are actually pretty funny.
Power dynamics in relationships are a difficult thing, and that’s why there are age of consent laws. James Charles lives in California, probably the single place in the entire world where those laws are the strictest.
But we’ve also been subject to endless recent thinkpieces about how women James Charles’ age are unable to make good decisions and how creepy it is that Leonard DiCaprio dates them. You can’t really have it both ways.
Now, obviously James Charles needs to obey the law, and the law in California is pretty clear cut. But you’re not going to convince me James Charles is a pedophile because he was flirting with someone four years younger than he is. That’s not at all out of the ordinary.