Age-hypogamy defines a relationship where the woman is the older partner, the opposite of this being age-hypergamy. Marriage between partners of roughly similar age is known as "age homogamy". Older female–younger male relationships are increasingly researched by social scientists.
Age should not be a barrier to love and companionship. There is no reason why a relationship between an older woman and younger man cannot work long term, provided both partners are committed and willing to put in the work.
A person with such a sexual preference is a gerontophile or gerontosexual. The word gerontophilia was coined in 1901 by psychiatrist Richard von Krafft-Ebing. It derives from Greek: geron, meaning "old person" and philia, meaning "friendship".
Younger guys who date older women are often called “cubs,” whereas the older woman is referred to as a “cougar.” These terms can be problematic because it implies that the older woman is “praying on” or “mothering,” the younger man, which isn't usually true.
All that matters is that they love each other. A lady can marry a man who's older or younger than her. A man can also marry a woman who's older or younger than him. What really matters is that they love and understand each other.
A relationship age gap bigger than 10 years often comes with its own set of issues. “While there are always exceptions to rules, a good rule to remember is that dating someone more than 10 years older will present challenges now or later that add to the preexisting challenges any relationship has,” he says.
Falling in love with a woman 10, 15, 20 years older, or more can be exhilarating. These so-called age-gap relationships with the woman as the senior partner are more accepted now than in previous times, some observers say. Even so, making the relationship last involves tackling some thorny -- and sensitive -- issues.
For those who'd like to put a number to things, usually, a gap of 1-7 years can be considered an acceptable age difference between adults. People whose ages are within 1-3 years typically do not see much of an age difference, while years 4-7 might begin to feel a little bit more pronounced.
Some conveyed that the attention of an older woman boosted their own level of confidence and self-esteem. Others recognized that older women have more life experience, emotionally stability, grounding, and can offer both honesty and different perspectives.
Be genuine and make her feel good about herself.
Talk about something that she does really well and give her props for it. If you want to compliment her appearance or something physical about her, go with something specific so it feels more genuine.
It is basically the individual's perspective on whether or not they want to be with someone older than them. The rapport people share is more important. How old they are is not a defining factor. Men marrying older women is not unheard of.
The word cougar is also a slang term for an older woman who dates much younger men. Even when it is meant to be a compliment, like any stereotype, cougar has the potential to offend — best to avoid.
You are both adults you can date who you want. So it's not weird, just someone you've fallen in love with.
However, there are many ways older women can be the perfect relationship partners. A few years older, a woman has life experience, knows what she wants, and is often independent and mature. You can learn a lot and gain valuable perspectives from dating older women as well.
Older women have had more time to learn about themselves throughout their life than younger individuals, potentially giving them a higher probability of understanding their boundaries, needs, and desires. They may be more direct in communicating their needs, which could be beneficial if you like a direct partner.
Despite the double standard, older women dating younger men are more satisfied than other women. When a woman is older than her male partner, this may shift power dynamics toward greater equality. Older women may also feel more empowered to get what they want in their relationships, sexually and otherwise.
Cons Of Dating An Older Woman:
When you're dating an older woman, she might always give you unwanted advice and attempt to do things her way. She might get very protective of you at times, attempting to persuade you that what she is saying is correct.
Is it socially acceptable for a 20 year old to date a 30 year old? Not wrong as long as it's an equal relationship. It isn't rare for a woman to date a man 10 years younger than her. It isn't even rare for a woman to date a man 20 years younger than her.
Originally Answered: Could a 20 year old guy date a 40 year old woman? Sure, assuming you're of legal age and she's interested. Depends on what you mean by a future. If you mean a lifetime together, probably not, but very few relationships end in a lifetime together so take what's there and run with it.
The truth is, there is no ideal or appropriate age gap in a relationship. Whether it's a 20 year age gap relationship or a 5 year age gap relationship, there will be both challenges and benefits to your situation.
Regardless of the age gap, marrying an older woman can bring you many benefits, not least because old women tend to be more self-aware, confident, clearer about what they want and more emotionally stable.
I married a woman 6 years older than me and I think I made the best decision ever! She is understanding, and very mature and the way she takes charge of different situations turns me on. We have been married for 2 years now and things just get better like fine wine.
The “creepiness rule” states that the youngest you should date is “half your age plus seven.” The less commonly used corollary is that the oldest you should date is “subtract seven from your age and double it.” According to this rule, society should accept a 50 year old man dating a 32 year old woman.
Couples with an age gap of 1 to 3 years (with the man older than the woman) were the most common and had the greatest levels of satisfaction. Relationship satisfaction decreased slightly for couples with age gaps of 4 to 6 years and continued to decrease for couples with an age gap of 7 or more years.