News, Older women and younger men: Can it Work? (dating, wife, boyfriend)

[John1960]

LifeWire) -- Older woman seduces younger man. Sound familiar? It's a scene from the 1967 coming-of-age classic "The Graduate."

But high-profile Hollywood couples like Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins (12 years her junior) -- who met and began dating while filming an on-screen romance in the 1988 movie "Bull Durham" -- have proven that life can indeed imitate art when it comes to matters of the heart.

Theirs, however, is a real-life love story of an older woman and younger man -- something that is not so uncommon nowadays. A 2003 study by AARP revealed that 34 percent of all women over 40 in the survey were dating younger men, and 35 percent preferred it to dating older men.

"Societal attitudes have definitely changed," says Susan Winter, 52, co-author of "Older Women, Younger Men: New Options for Love and Romance" -- and she would know. At age 40, she was dating a 19-year-old. "We had to break it off. Quite frankly, his mother made it so impossible," Winter says of the six-year relationship, which inspired her book. "But (that kind of discrimination) would not be allowable now."

Older women and younger men: Can it Work? - CNN.com

[songinthewind7]

Anything can work if you want it to.

[bluegrassgirl]

I don't think that age should define any relationship and if both parties are committed to making work, then can do just that. I just don't necessarily understand why a 40 something year old woman would want that... but that's what makes the world a wonderful place... we're all very different.

[Roaddog]

i think maturity and common interests make the biggest differance.

[I LOVE PA!]

Sometimes I think I'd love to trade my 48 yr old hubbie for two 24 yr olds!!
Only Kidding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He's a great guy....that said, I do think that young guys are better looking right now than they have been in decades. Thank goodness the 'Brady bunch days' are over!! If I was in the market again for some reason, I would not be comfortable with a man younger than me. I don't think I'd be comfortable with ANY man other than my husband for that matter

[AQUEMINI331]

I'm 23 and dating a 28 year old. Does that count?



But no seriously - a 19-year-old dude with a 40-year-old woman? For sex, OK that's one thing. But she actually tried an actual relationship? That's straight out of "How Stella Got Her Groove Back".

[Laura707]

I know of a woman that was 35 and ran off with a 19 year old, many, many years ago and they have been happy together and it has worked out beautifully for them. (I am talking 20-30 years ago!)

[AQUEMINI331]

I still can't imagine a teenager or someone in their early 20s being with someone in their 40s or even their 30s. Maybe if the guy was like 22 or 23 and the woman was like 32 or 33. Maybe. Even then, 10 years is a significant difference.

[Scribbler]

Originally Posted by AQUEMINI331

I'm 23 and dating a 28 year old. Does that count?



But no seriously - a 19-year-old dude with a 40-year-old woman? For sex, OK that's one thing. But she actually tried an actual relationship? That's straight out of "How Stella Got Her Groove Back".

Which was all hot and stuff, until it came out that Terry McMillan's real-life younger man boytoy, about whom the novel was written, was gay, and dumped her after he got citizenship, which was all he was after.

I'm two years older than my boyfriend, but I wouldn't be comfortable with much more of an age spread, personally. While a hot 40-ish woman may give attention that flatters a 20 year old boy for a time, when he's 40 and she's 60, he's going to be eying 20-year olds himself.

[LoveBoating]

I love the age bracket difference that my wife and I have.....1 year! We come from the same generation and basically the same area of the country, me/Indiana- her/Michigan. IMO, when there is to much of an age difference or even "status" difference (finance/family) there can be/is some real problems that can happen. The "young fellow" may love to "party" with his friends (Boys Night Out) while the older woman like things in life slower and calmer. She has friends her age and his friends can seem like "kids" to her.
Older dating or married to younger can (possibly) work out, but soon or later will problems with the age difference start?????