Women Cougars, Not As Scary As You May Think.

Why a post on Cougars you ask? (in southern drawl)  Well Whyyyy Not!  Just the word Cougar makes me giggle.  We have discussed age related topics lately and dating so why not mix the two to explore the possibilities.

What is a cougar?
The short answer: A cougar is an older woman who is primarily attracted to and has sex with significantly younger men.  I have to ask …”and this is wrong and unacceptable, why?”  (giggle)

The long answer: The most commonly accepted definition of a cougar is a woman 40 years of age or older who exclusively pursues very young men. “Define very” (insert giggle and cougarish grin here)  The onset of the cougar years is hotly debated.  The ten year age difference seems to be an unspoken but accepted minimum between participants.

Typically, cougars prey upon men almost young enough to be their sons.  Fortysomething cougars would be attracted to men in their 20’s, and fiftysomething cougars would pursue men in their 30’s and so on.  Some cougars are less interested in a relationship than a sexual conquest, perhaps enjoying the fact that they are physically appealing to men who are considered to be in the prime of their virility.  Again I ask …”and this is wrong and unacceptable, why?” and I’m giggling…What I didn’t know was that a cougar can be married or unmarried.

Although the term ‘cougar’ comes from the big game predatory cat of the same name, the cougar connection also may allude to the wearing of animal print clothing by older and more sexually aggressive women.  How many of you just stopped to think if they have been sighted wearing animal print lately?  I know I just mentally scanned my closet,  phew I’m good.

An early example of the cougar phenomenon was seen in the groundbreaking film The Graduate, in which middle-aged Mrs. Robinson (Ann Bancroft) seduces fresh out of  college Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman).  I recently watched ‘Flirting with Forty’ starring Heather Locklear and Robert Buckley.  It made me laugh for so many different reasons.

In my opinion we are hearing more about older women with younger men because people in general have become more accepting and desensitized with just about everything in life.  Women are financially independent and are looking for fun with no complications or expectations.  Not to say that dating a younger man doesn’t come with complications.

Over the last few year there have been younger men entering my circle and I enjoy what they bring to the friendship.  I think for me it would completely depend on the person.  Age doesn’t mean anything if you have a connection and are honest, up front and just let the relationship develop naturally.  Never say never!

Real-life celebrity cougar relationships include Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher (15 years), Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins (12 years), and Barbara Hershey and Naveen Andrews (21 years) to name just a few!  Each one of these men look like they have a secret when you really look into their eyes, ahh the eyes, the window to our souls.  And the women look confident, strong and very happy don’t you think?

If you have a cougar sighting  under no circumstance turn and run away, maintain eye contact, make yourself look much bigger than you are and back away slowly!  They love the chase!

So to conclude I ask myself, could I be a Cougar?  Never say Never!   Don’t knock it til ya try it right?