Age of Consent
Sex Education Required by State
Sex Education Type
Medically Accurate Content Required
LGBTQ+ Inclusive
Consent Education Taught
Adult Entertainment
Maine's age of consent is 16. There is a close-in-age exemption: a person aged 14 or 15 may engage in sexual activity with a partner who is less than five years older without the conduct being a felony. Maine Revised Statutes Title 17-A, Section 254 governs sexual abuse of minors.
Maine requires comprehensive, medically accurate sex education. LGBTQ+ topics are included in the required curriculum. Consent education is a required component. The state's mandate is among the stronger ones in New England. The overall framework has been updated in recent years to reflect current standards on inclusive and medically grounded instruction.
Maine's adult entertainment environment is permissive. Portland, the state's largest city, has adult businesses operating under local licensing. The state does not impose unusual restrictions on adult content or businesses beyond standard zoning and age verification requirements. Maine's political culture leans libertarian on personal freedoms, and there has been no sustained campaign to restrict adult entertainment.
Comprehensive, medically accurate sex ed required. LGBTQ+ topics included.
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In the News
- Vermont Republican State Senator Worried That People Identifying As Animals May Skirt Proposed Bestiality Law - The Maine WireMay 19
- Act on the Evidence: Policy Solutions to Protect and Advance Abortion and Contraception Access in the United States - Guttmacher InstituteNov 11
- State High Courts Split on Laws Letting Survivors of Sexual Abuse Sue After Expiration of Statutes of Limitations - State Court ReportNov 24
- Minors’ Ability to Consent to Contraception and Abortion Services - KFFAug 7
- High Stakes, Silent Systems investigation, Part II - The ImprintMay 18
Full Maine profile
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Sources: NCSL, Guttmacher Institute, SIECUS State Profiles, Wikipedia "Ages of consent in the United States". Laws change — verify current status with official sources.