Mature Woman – Younger Man Dating: What Makes it Work?

by Megan

Time has indeed changed. Or putting it in another perspective, society has changed. What was once considered taboo and deviant has now become the norm. What was unacceptable has now become exciting – something that people get fascinated with despite the cultural implications.

One noticeable change in our society is the dating scene. In traditional society, it has always been the male who took the reins in a relationship. The male has been and will always be the dominant partner in a male-female relationship.  The female was there to do the guy’s bidding – she is there to support and agree to the setup created by man. So, when man decreed that the man should be older and more senior than the woman, everyone applauded. Everyone, much less the woman, said aye.

Nowadays, change has set in. The age difference between man and woman has gotten blurred.  It is no longer necessary for a man to be older than the woman in order to have a happy and successful relationship. What was really unacceptable then – a female partner 10-20 years older than her male partner – has become quite a development in Western society.  It must have helped that famous personalities like Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher, Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins, and Halle Barry and Gabriel Aubry all have successful marriages.

Some studies can even support the claim that many male and females have broken free of the traditional notion of older man-younger woman pairing. In the field of online dating, sites now cater to the older woman-younger man coupling. In a study in 2007 conducted by an online dating site, with 50,000 women daters as respondents, more than one third revealed their interest in guys five years younger than them. In 2003, however, 3,500 women respondents admitted to dating guys 10 or more years younger than them.

What makes this attractive to younger guys? What makes them gravitate toward women who are very much their senior? And what is in that setup that makes older women bold enough to challenge conventions?

The answers given are simple but very true to the respondents. For the younger man, the mature woman’s assurance, self-confidence and basic honesty about what she wants from life serves as the magnet that keeps the younger man interested.  For him, the mature woman does not have the drama and insecurities of a younger woman. She is also very supportive of the younger man’s aspirations. On the other hand, the younger man’s drive to excel and prove himself makes the mature woman more interested in him. At the same time, it is the younger man’s caring and affections that make the older woman respect and value him as a partner. There is more support and affection in this kind of setup – none of the competitive streak that characterizes a pairing of mature guy –younger woman… or of two people of the same age

Ultimately, it is the caring and affection that tips the scale for this relationship. With real love and affections, who cares to think of age… or of conventions?