> It instead says no one under 16 can legally consent to sex. Again, perhaps nitpicking but the law doesn't actually say you can consent if you are 16+.

That’s actually not what the law in MA says for this. It’s possible that some other states word it that way, but usually they don’t talk about consent. They just say it’s illegal to have sex with someone below a given age and it’s illegal to forcibly have sex with anyone. In MA, curiously, it does mention consent with regard to indecent assault on a child under 14, and courts will often say that the minor can’t consent or the consent isn’t a defense.

Here’s what the law in MA actually says: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-law-about-sex#child-under-16- . Don’t get confused by the quotes from courts nor by the law for indecent assault on someone under 14.