The Perks of Being a Cougar
Remember our investigation into the dangerous lives of cougars from last week? Well, yesterday the Washington Post reported that on dating websites like eHarmony and Match.com, so-called cougars abound:
Online dating services say women of a certain age want the white-haired gent, as long as he’s not too old. Women age 50 and older almost always tell eHarmony.com that they want a younger man — 10, 15 years younger, sometimes more. And on Match.com, a 50-year-old woman is typically seeking a man who is 48.
The problem?
Gender equality in the search for younger partners is creating a mating gap in gray love. A 70-year-old woman is looking for a 66-year-old man. The 65-year-old man is looking for the 54-year-old woman. And a 56-year-old woman is looking for a man who is 46! How does anybody hook up in later life with these wide differences in what men and women want?
But hook up people do. (As we know from past posts, boomers enjoy sex!) It seems like age equity is just one more hurtle on the path to finding a spouse…or a dinner date. At times like these, we should remember The Marriage Benefit author Mark O’Connell’s advice, and ask ourselves, WWMOD? On The Today Show this week, Mark cautioned against going into relationships with unrealistic expectations. Takeaway for cougars? Maybe staying married is a better option than running off with a 19-year-old.
