A Kenyan X (formerly Twitter) user known as Kendi (@iam_kendiii) stirred a lively and at times divisive online debate after posing a seemingly simple yet provocative question:
“Can a 29-year-old man find a 19-year-old girl attractive?”
The question immediately went viral, prompting thousands of responses from users with a wide range of opinions — from those defending such attraction as natural and acceptable, to others who found the scenario uncomfortable or morally questionable.
A significant number of users argued that, legally and socially, there’s nothing inherently wrong with a 29-year-old man finding a 19-year-old woman attractive.
For instance, Mutahi Muriithi stated,
“18 years and above is fair game. Let people be. If you fall in love, be good to each other and enjoy the relationship.”
Some, like @PhilipKavingu, even claimed younger women are “more attractive” than their older counterparts, while @MrChef5773 controversially suggested that women “depreciate like second-hand cars,” prompting backlash for his sexist remarks.
Others tried to flip the question on its head. User @Fkay254 asked,
“The question should be, can a 50-year-old mumama find a 27-year-old boy attractive?”
This line of thinking highlighted potential double standards regarding age-gap relationships, depending on which gender is older.
There were also those who offered cultural context. @FonsiSkater noted,
“My mum was 16 when she married my dad, who was 28,”
suggesting that large age gaps were more accepted in past generations.
However, not everyone found the question as harmless. User @itsgivan_ was blunt in his response:
“As much as she’s an adult, huyo ni mtoto tu. A 29-year-old is likely just using her. It’s mostly pure lust.”
Others echoed concerns about emotional maturity, power dynamics, and the potential for exploitation.
@davis0352 added,
“Some of these relationships are exploitative, especially in terms of money or experience. There’s always a power dynamic at play, and it only balances out when both people are on the same level.”
Meanwhile, some users questioned the very need for such a debate, with @NaphtalkomboO bluntly replying,
“What kind of stupid question is this?”
while @Pkamau36485611 wondered if the question was bothering Kendi personally, noting it was not the first time she’d asked it.
Humour also found its place in the thread. @RadulCaleb commented,
“That math is mathing,” while others joked about being in similar relationships themselves.
In the end, what began as a curious question exploded into a wide-ranging discourse about age, love, attraction, and cultural norms in Kenyan society.
BY Geoffrey mbuthia
