OK, lets address that issue.
Let's!
Do you believe a 17 year old can consent to sex?
In jurisdictions where the age of consent is 17, yes. In states where the age of consent is 18, no.
I am not talking legally here.
Too bad, because that's the
only context which matters in this instance.
I'm talking real life.
You realize that laws exist in "real life" right?
Can a 17 decide for himself whether he wants to have sex or not?
I'll venture to say that the average 17-year old can. But that's the wrong question. The question is whether that choice implies consent. In states where the age of consent is 18, the decision doesn't imply consent.