Saturday, August 21, 2010

Confessions of a Cougar



My husband is three years younger than me.
My college boyfriend is two years younger than me.
My high school boyfriend is one year younger than me.

I must confess, I love young boys, I mean guys. As a kid, my celebrity crushes were typically on guys my own age or a year or two older than me such as Corey Feldman, Jason Bateman and Kirk Cameron. As an adult,  I began to develop crushes on younger celebrity guys like Leonardo DiCaprio (he's kinda jerky, I know) and the one I felt most guilty about, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and my secret crush, Nick Carter from the Backstreet Boys.

Now that he's in his 20s, I feel my crush is much more socially acceptable. However, as a 26-year-old editor at SuperTeen, writing about and crushing on a teenage Ten Things I Hate About You and Third Rock From The Sun star Joey Gordon-Levitt ... well, it felt wrong. Very wrong.

Hey, at least I didn't say "Angels in the Outfield Joey"...
Acceptable Joseph Gordon-Levitt adult crush.
I once dated a guy who was four years older than me, that felt very wrong as well. It was kept a secret. My family didn't really know. It didn't feel right. I didn't feel as in control, even though he wasn't exactly controlling. It was a fleeting fling and my one and only older guy affair.

What about you? Do you prefer dating younger guys/girls? Did you marry an older woman or man? Fess up!

23 comments:

1950s Atomic Ranch House said...

Compared to you, I dated grandpa-aged guys! Yikes lol...

Men 10-20 years older. They always had their "stuff" together. =) Still do. =D

A man is not fully cooked until he is at least 40, imho.

Ally said...

@1950s - I totally get that. Looking back now, it might be nice to have married an older guy with a house and decent 401k, but I think it's my own immaturity that kept me from accepting older guys.

reprise vintage said...

i dated both older and younger during my dating days. oh, and 'the graduate' is one of my fav movies!

Morgan said...

I'm more into older guys. Like John Cusack-age guys, haha. Any guy who is younger than me, it just feels awkward. I'm creepy, I know.

Anonymous said...

JGL looks a little Heath Ledger-ish (RIP dude) in that last photo, so your crush can't be that odd. That first picture of him on the other hand.... - G
PS. And now for my one and only OMG! outburst of the day... "OMG!!! You were an editor at SuperTeen???!!! (I ration my OMG outbursts so consider yourself truly honoured.)

TS Hendrik said...

Age doesn't really strike me as that big an issue. Though I generally find younger members of the female persuasion annoy the beegees out of me. So I guess I prefer closer to my age or slightly older.

Anyways I wouldn't feel too bad about oggling him. It's not really any different from men going slack jawed over some new teenage idol.

1950s Atomic Ranch House said...

Hmm Ally, you have a personal insight that's refreshing. =)

Most would not admit that.

I tried a couple guys my age in my 20's, and found them to be. well, too immature.

The older guys, it's not about the wealth, but yeah, beats having some guys Mom drive you to the movies lolol...

Pat Tillett said...

You like who you like! Not much you can do about it. Admiring a younger person from afar is pretty natural and not too cougrarish, me thinks...It's when you have to talk to them that the differences in age comes to bear...

mamahasspoken said...

Most guys that I dated were older than me. Hubby is 4 1/2 years older than me. Like 1950s, I tried men my age (but not younger) and just didn't like them. Of course I married at the ripe age of 21...

EmcogNEATO! said...

My boyfriend is 12 years older than I am.

I have never been able to tolerate guys my own age. :)

Anonymous said...

It's funny but I was always attracted to men at least 10 (usually more) years older than I was, but I looked younger than my age, so it never worked out in my favor. No man wants to be accused of dating jail bait! :-)

Anyway, I ended up dating younger guys and my husband is 4 years younger than me.

Cheeseboy said...

My wife is one year younger than me, which is fine. I'm not sure if I have a preference though. I think generally men don't care if they are younger or older as long as they are HOT.

Riot Kitty said...

Mr. RK is six years older than me, and he is among the younger guys I've dated. You do the math!

pika23 said...

Dated 2 younger guys 2 years younger and 3 years younger. Then dated a guy a whole 6 years older and thats my hubby.

Macey said...

Okay, it's not funny, but then it IS funny.
I have a crush on a young actor. I know the pain.
My hubs is 6 months younger.
I know. I'm a chester the molester.

m. said...

mhmh, yes.
a very acceptable crush indeed.


i'm not old enough to be a cougar.
my boyfriend is seven years older than me.

maybe when i'm older things will change :)

Copyboy said...

Crazy how the world works. Meanwhile it was socially acceptable for older men to pine after young britney. Just saying.

Nat said...

I married a younger man.....just by five weeks but boy (!) does he remind me about it :-)

LaraAnn said...

Now I don't feel so bad about liking younger men. I do get teased about it alot by my brother though - oh, but it's okay for him to have a crush on someone much younger. I'm 40 and some of my crushes are early 30s. A few are late 20s and I do feel a little weird about that.

Marlene said...

Both. I married someone three years younger and that didn't work out.

Now I'm married to someone almost THIRTEEN years older....and it works just great!

Brandy@YDK said...

I totally called out Joseoh Gordon-Levitt as a celeb crush friday. we are inside each other's heads! lol

Powdered Toast Man said...

I don't think I do it on purpose but all my relationships have been with a girl 3-5 years younger than me.

I had a crush on Joseph Gordon-Levitt when he was on 3rd Rock too. That's so weird.

Heather Taylor said...

I have a big thing for older guys. Like, fortysomethings. They're just distinguished and accomplished which I love. I still think I'm totally destined to marry or at least long-term commit to Ralph Fiennes.

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