“It seems more similar-age relationships -> more equal, less power-imbalance, simple right? (and happier society, dismantling patriarchy etc...) It is not that simple of course. Age gap acceptance is actually a societal mechanism to embrace diversity in the paths of life, and reduces inequality (in free societies, that's why I use "acceptance", see post-script).

The slime balls who have not gotten their shxt together from teenage to early 20s are more likely to come from poor, disadvantaged background. The charming, confident chad early boomers in prime dating years likely have wealthy parents and pleasant childhood opportunities to begin with. So, the promotion of same-age relationship actually rewards these guys disproportionately (hence the rising single-hood across the board because they are a minority). It is no secret young women considered most men the same age as incompetent (thinking they are "boys"), hence, only the few chads with good upbringings get the fruit.

Many struggling men with poor upbringing through hardwork only managed to lift themselves up in their late 20s to 30s to a standard that the average women would accept. Only now that they are greeted with another (inclusive, equality) narrative that tells them they don't deserve to date who they want to date. (the narrative also tells women that they should despise older men by default). Guess what, a mind dominated by narratives make a shallow mind, and shallow minds get treated more shallowly, a vicious cycle.

Not to mention lots of complications arise from baby face, older than average face, biological age vs. chronological age vs. mental age (Yes, it is really not that simple). But regardless, it was pushed as a simplistic ideological meme that infect people’s minds and encourage prejudice.

This so-called "feminist" narrative is most likely engineered and approved by wealthy, powerful men, or those who control social algorithms, because it reinforces the power concentration to a few. Humans falling for simplistic reasoning and propaganda has been happening since the dawn of age and that's not a novelty. We are largely slaves to made-up "feel-good" buzzwords, minds dominated by fictitious scenarios and expectations of something we have never even experienced yet complained about.

P.S. "Age-gap acceptance" is not the same as "age-gap coercion", as in "age-gap avoidance" is not the same as "outlawing forced child marriage" (which an average western feminist would righteously conflate as an equal win).