Female “Cougars”: The Benefits of Women Dating Younger Men

This is for the ladies, strictly for the ladies!  Ladies, could you see yourself with a younger man? We aren’t talking about mere age gaps, but more so significant age differences, like eight years plus or age gaps where the woman could be the mother of her significant other.

Recently, Draya Michele, 39, has been linked with 21-year-old NBA player Jalen Green, and the iconic singer Cher, 76, dates music executive Alexander “AE” Edwards, who is only 36. And Let’s not forget, Larsa Pippen, 48, who is currently dating Michael Jordan’s son, Marcus Jordan, 32, despite her ex-husband Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan being teammates at one point.

These women and many others have been bashed for their preference to date much younger men. People have pinned their internalized misogyny on Draya for dating Green, saying it’s wrong because her beau is close in age to her son and said AE was only with Cher for her money.

While some call it grooming others say it’s no different than what men have been doing, pointing out that Jay-Z is 11 years older than his wife Beyoncé, but their relationship doesn’t garner much attention, well, not when it comes to their age gap. Yet, women get called “cougars” and “aunties” when they “rob the cradle,” compared to men who typically get a shoulder shrug.

So why is it such a big deal when a woman dates a younger man? Especially when you look at some evidence that suggests it’s actually normal. According to a Singles in America survey, more than 80 percent of women say they’re interested in dating someone 10 years their junior. And nearly 90 percent of men are interested in dating someone 10 years their senior. 

Well, one reason may be women who date younger men fall out of society’s “standards”. For so long it’s been said men mature slower than women, so women have been encouraged to date older men who can provide security and stability to them.

Fortunately, women are dropping these old-fashioned ways of thinking and expanding their dating pool options by opting for men–in this case, younger men– who satisfy their quest for optimal genetic fitness, vitality, and fertility, Health Digest reported. The trend was a whole TikTok topic (#datingyongermen) that garnered 411.2M views, with women saying there are other factors to consider–values, respect, lifestyles, and beliefs, not just age.

Women dating younger men can be seen as a sign of empowerment and proof that gender roles are shifting. A 2022 study published in the European Journal of Population, found that people with egalitarian views about gender roles are more likely to have partners who are different from them in age or education. They are also more open to challenging traditional gender norms emphasizing the man being older and more educated than the woman.

“Younger men tend to have more energy, more diverse interests, are more open to trying new things, and are more flexible in their attitudes and views. I am also seeing a trend of younger men being more emotionally aware and more interested in being true partners, which is really appealing to women,” Dr. Kathy Nickerson, a licensed clinical psychologist and relationship expert said.

Regardless, it’s a woman’s prerogative on who she wants to date and what those reasons are, even if they fall outside the patriarchal “standards.” People, including women, have to do what makes them happy and be with who makes them happy.