A statement in a recent Financial Times article about data mined and analyzed from Match.com took me a little by surprise:
“Women are less likely to e-mail with men who live far away, men who are older than they are, and men who are short.”
Running counter to the “known fact” (as proclaimed by this Askmen.com author) that women are attracted to older men, more and more, we’re seeing the opposite: women going for younger men. Recent examples include:
- Susan Sarandon, 63, and ping pong entrepreneur Jonathan Bricklin, 31
- Mariah Carey, 41, and Nick Cannon, 30
- Heather Graham, 41, and hottie futurist, Jason Silva, 29
- Demi Moore, 48, and Ashton Kutcher, 33
- Local DC “Real Housewife” Lynda Erkiletian, 52, and 30-something Ebong Eka
Even the great and powerful Hugh Hefner is not immune to this trend. The 83-year old mogul was stood up on his wedding day by his 25-year old fiancée, Chrystal Harris (for 25-year old Jordan McGraw).
As someone who went from dating the older, more financially established man to one who is younger but more of my peer and best friend, my reasons for being with the former versus the latter are a lot different. At the end of the day, I wanted someone I could talk to, as opposed to a “father figure” who could financially take care of me.
You’ve got to wonder what the dating and relationship landscape will look like once procreation isn’t the driving factor behind coupling and as women grow in their financial and social status. And in our “youth obsessed” culture, are older men immune?
*Interestingly enough, one of the fastest growing areas of plastic surgery in the United States is facelifts for men.
I definitely think this is true but at the same time, I need a man a little older so I don’t feel like I’m talking to a 12yo but even then, still a problem. haha
I guess if they are on the same mental and emotional level, age doesn’t matter. I still find I am attracted to men my age or slightly older.