Big age differences Gender Assymetry

[meredith101]

Why does society look differently at the older person in say a 35-year-old-with-16-year-old relationship if the older person is a man, compared with one where the older person is a woman?

[ludwig]

I'm not sure it does. Either way it's equally frowned upon.

[Octavius]

I agree with Ludwig, I think it doesn�t.

People tend to look and frown at the �gap� more than who is the older/younger of the sexes.

[Ethel]

18 years between me and my husband. The age gap was never ever a problem.

[ruby27]

I think society generally does view this very differently.

A feminist perspective is that the patriarchal system that is in place, wants to control female sexuality. Ideally women are pure and at best virgin mothers at worst they are ******** temptresses. So if women only have sex for reproduction, once they reach a certain age they become sexless, therefore they do not need, nor should they be with young men.

However men are capable of reproduction for a much longer time and therefore it is 'natural' for them to search for partners that can still reproduce, so age difference is to be applauded.

Its all socially constructed and people once adult and able to make informed decisions should be with who they want without others having the right to criticize.

[ruby27]

edited word for the over sensitive is

who reish - lovely word that, though not as enjoyable to say as cu*t which is my favourite word.

[mibn2cweus]

. . . and one of my favorite things.

From the perspective of the younger party there is an advantage in being a 16yo boy. You won't get pregnant.
There might be a problem if the boy was put up for adoption as a baby and his partner just happens to be the one who put him up for adoption. Either way this could get ugly.

[ruby27]

Mine also

mibn2cweus, your are sounding horribly like some Greek story of Oedipus and Electra

[mibn2cweus]

Could get worse as in the case where one of the partners has succumbed completely to old age . . . Fortunately there are mortuaries to shield us from the witnessing of such unscrupulous behaviors. Here as in many other circumstances gender is not necessarily an issue.

[Robb Phoenix]

Male with female or female with male, I abhor such marriages.Its not because of the age gap but i believe one must reach at least 22 to get the mental maturity to chose a partner of life.

[meredith101]

thanks all.
I do agree with the last comment, two of my 21 yr old friends have just got married, eek!

[Romeo]

Well, I think two ppeople over the age of puberty should be free to go out together if they like, no matter if there is a big age difference. It's nobody else's business . Society (English society anyway) has too many hang ups.

[Robb Phoenix]

Just over puberty!? One must finish education and at least work for an year before getting into serious relationships.This is when one has the mental maturity and is financialy capable to support a family.This would also help reduce the divorce rate.(I say this despite me being well below my stated age limit of 20-22!)