Celebrity dating quickly becomes everyone’s business, even more-so when there’s the opportunity to brand an older woman a ‘cougar’. Is the absence of the ‘c’ word in this latest celebrity offering proof that people are becoming more tolerant of older woman younger man relationships? Let’s see…

It’s been reported recently in the Evening Standard that photographer and film-maker, Sam Taylor Wood, 42, ex wife of Jay Jopling owner of The White Cube gallery, is to marry 19 year old Aaron Johnson who stars in her film about the early life of John Lennon. But this time, less “cougar” labeling is visible. This is a subject that is close to my heart, because I founded this dating community for women and younger men. The more successful role-model relationships we see of women with younger boyfriends or husbands, the more it’ll become socially acceptable therefore as mainstream as it always has been the other way round.

What I’m delighted with in this particular case is that the word cougar hasn’t been flung around left, right and centre by the label-addicted media. To those of you who haven’t heard, the media use the word cougar for any woman who dates a younger man. Most women can’t stand this label as they don’t feel predatory and don’t stalk their poor victims as the name would suggest.

According to The Mail in this case: It is understood Miss Taylor-Wood was initially reluctant to get involved with the teenager, who is from Buckinghamshire, but sources claimed he pursued her relentlessly. And so it is the case with most cougar couples I know where the woman is older. Men chase and men like to chase, whether they are 19 or 59, and while they may like it if the woman makes it clear their advances won’t be rejected, they do like to be the one moving in on their target, not the other way around.

Where this story has been reported quite a few men (one presumes older) have posted derogatory comments along the lines of:

Money aside, the reason far more men than women take much younger partners is that far more men are immature emotionally.

Wrong – It’s because they can, men get better with age and women sadly do not.

Yeah, right so pot bellies and bald is in fashion now, is it?

The comment I liked best was this:

Didn’t Oscar say something about the ideal couple being a man with a future and a woman with a past?

By Julia

Related posts:

Aaron Johnson & Sam Taylor Wood Wed One in three women in their 40s wants a toyboy! Give the gal a break… The Allure of The Cougar