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This info was all out in the open two decades ago… but society has changed a lot since then. And today’s fans are way more cognizant of grooming, imbalance in power dynamics, and predatory sexual behavior. They’re also way more judgmental! But which is it here??
Folks online are getting the major ICK from a 2006 Us Weekly magazine feature about which female stars were still virgins. Yeah, sounds weird, right? But it was considered so normal back then! Funny…
The article talked about several prominent young women. It included a Britney Spears quote in which she regretted declaring her virginity early in her career — and declared herself “not so innocent anymore” as she was pregnant with her second child. There was also a Jessica Simpson section in which her father was quoted as saying his kid could “do it ’til she’s blue in the face” once she was married. Ew. And strict Catholic supermodel Adriana Lima, then 26, declaring she believed sex was “for after marriage.”
Related: Keke Palmer’s ‘Inappropriate’ Relationship With Older Man When She Was On Nickelodeon!
But the real issue for fans reading now is the part about Hilary Duff. See if you can spot it in the feature, which was posted over the weekend on X:
us weekly (july 10, 2006) pic.twitter.com/UkmdAtErCm
— popculturediedin2009 (@pcd2009) November 16, 2024
See it?
Not the part where she asserts her V-card being intact. It’s how they casually dropped that she was 18… but had “a boyfriend of two years” who was 27. Yeah, do the math and you get… Joel Madden was 25, and she was 16! See what we mean?? That’s not just an eyebrow-raiser, that’s a potential crime!
Hilary Duff and Joel Madden in 2005. / (c) Nikki Nelson/WENNSeen by fresh eyes, with modern sensibilities, the public relationship has taken on a whole new tone for fans, who went OFF!
“hilary being 18 and her boyfriend of 2 years being 27 [sick face emoji]”
“The age gap between 
”
“’18, boyfriend of two years, 27′ ?????”
“I didn’t realize the age gap between Joel Madden and Hilary Duff.”
“that’s pretty weird??? it was even released in a magazine. didn’t they find it weird like a whole grown ass man is dating a minor”
“16 and 25 ? That’s a mortal sin”
“Hilary Duff, you are a VICTIM”
“Why tf was a 25 year old dating a SIXTEEN YEAR OLD Hilary Duff”
“Not good charlotte being a good pedo”
“crazy when i get reminded what was normalized back then :(”
“Hilary’s PR people made her say that so people wouldn’t think she was banging a 27 year old man.”
That last one is… probably spot on?
Hilary may have been playing into the chastity trend at the time, but in an April 2015 issue of Cosmopolitan, she implied that was all BS, saying about her teen years:
“I had a 26-year-old boyfriend. So everyone can make their own assumptions about what I was doing. I’ve enjoyed myself. I think everyone should have something where you know it’s not exactly what you’re looking for but you just have a wicked good time. That was freeing for me and a bit of an awakening.”
An awakening. Uh huh.
Innerestingly, over on Reddit, one fan pointed out Joel’s daughter with Nicole Richie is now 16 years old — the same age as Hilary when he started dating her. They wondered how he’d feel if Harlow Madden started dating some 25-year-old tatted up musician! Hmm…
What do YOU think, Perezcious readers? Are modern folks being too sensitive about a “freeing” coming-of-age relationship? Or are they just far more clear-eyed about adults taking advantage of kids?? Let us know your thoughts in the comments (below)!
[Image via WENN.]
English (US) ·