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May 28, 2007
In Praise of The Older Woman
Let's talk Fall - Spring relationships. For anybody who doesn't know, this means a relationship between an older person and a younger paramour. You could say that any of Jack Nicholson's more recent flings would fall under this category (ditto Michael Douglas/Catherine Zeta-Jones), but what about an older woman dating a strapping young dude? Of course, if you want to stick to your own generation, that's fine and dandy (senior dating sites are almost as popular as their typically younger equivalents). But why should Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher have all the fun? Celebrities and financial magnates shouldn't be the only people dabbling in mixed age dating.
Dating someone younger has some obvious advantages and disadvantages. If we really wanted to be lurid, we could on for a loooong time discussing the sexual possibilities of a younger gentleman dating an older woman. If you've ever seen The Graduate or How Stella got her Groove Back (or sat through any given Gray's Anatomy episode), young guys almost always seem like friskier, livelier versions of whatever males are available ten years down the line. The intelligence and worldly older woman is also pretty attractive for a lot of younger men, men who are looking for an intelligent partner as well as an attractive one. When you're taking your chances on love, it's always refreshing to meet someone who's a real equal, or someone who can at least teach you a trick or two about life.
On the other hand, there's just as many romance advice books which rail against older/younger relationships as there are people who champion the cause. A lot of people can have a great time and enjoy the company of an older partner, but really basic generational differences can drive a thick wedge between couples. There's nothing quite as irritating as feeling like babysitter when you're with someone. Actually, there is one irritation that's on par with that babysitter feeling - the feeling like someone is being condescending towards you. Acting like a baby is bad enough, but being treated like one is just as annoying.
Not that these sharp differences are guaranteed to break up any relationship. I've said it once, and I'll say it again - hard and fast rules dictating dating behaviour are frequently massive generalizations that do a lot of harm (not that I don't generalize, but hey, it's my column). Let people mix and match the ages - it keeps things exciting and it's always great to see a young man and an older woman happily in love.
Posted by Glen at May 28, 2007 2:25 AM
