An older woman dating a much younger man has lost some of its stigma in modern society, do you think this is a good or bad thing?

I used to only date men who were older than me--some a lot older, some just a bit--until I dated a guy 11 years younger than I am. I will NEVER do that again! While I can't blame everything on the 'age difference', a big part of what caused problems for us was being at different places in the life cycle - I had a daughter just 6 years younger than he, and I was into buying a house, settling down, raising my kids... he still wasn't there yet, so he spent money, I tried to save, etc.Maybe if we'd been at the same 'place' in our lives it would have been better.

Of course, I never was one to sit around and playing PlayStation all day either. I also dated a man 14 years old than me. Wasn't a big deal when I was early 30s and he was early 40s.

But when I got a little older, and I'm in my later 30s now and he's in his mid-50s, the age difference is beginning to be more evident. He's had a hard life, and it shows and wears on him and in many ways, I feel like I'm just revving up. Again, different places in our lives.

Finally, I settled with a man who is right at two years older than me. We mesh together well and want the same things in life -- both because we're in the same place and we're about the same age.So I guess there shouldn't be a 'stigma' as long as people are of legal age, consenting, and both parties to the relationship are in the same 'place'. Sadly, more often than not, age does make a difference to what place you are in life.

But if both of you are on the same page about kids, money, settling down or not -- age is just a number.

I think it's a good thing that it's losing some of the stigma. I'm sure there are a lot of women that didn't date someone younger than themselves because of it and have wondered about it years later. I think it has to do with your expectations and what you want from your significant other.

Being in different phases of life can be a pain if you need someone to be on your level. I have dated younger and older and I still prefer older because of the things that I want out of life. I have dated younger men that were very mature and I barely noticed they were younger.

I've also dated some immature older men, so I guess it depends. I am glad it's becoming more acceptable though for women to date younger guys. It seems to work out for a lot of couples.

I suppose it's a good thing, especially since you're just talking about dating. Going out to a play or a dinner, maybe bowling or on a boat ride, I sure can't come up with any good reasons people of different ages should be looked down on for enjoying those things together, and if they want to become romantically involved, I guess that's their business. If it makes them happy maybe they should go for it.

There are few enough couples in the world who treat each other well that we should probably not criticize one that is successfully relating as a couple. Now mind you, I'm assuming they are both adults. I don't particularly go for thirty-something women going after 18 year old boys, but I have to tell you I felt differently when I was the 18 year old boy.

I'm thinking more of a man in mid twenties to mid thirties dating and marrying mid-forties to 60 or more. Even if they are contemplating marriage, I still think it's a good thing to get away from any stigma of her being too old for him, but especially the young man should think what the relationship might be like in 10 or twenty years, when he is mid 40's and she is nearing 70. He may spend his 40's and 50's caring for an elderly wife as well as elderly parents.It could be quite a burden.

NOT like this: youtube.com/watch?v=aGpelMWzs6k.

It depends on whether that woman is dating that person for mutual attractions or mental problems. IF it's mutual attraction without the mental issues and they don't really want to have children together, then I don't think it's a bad thing at all. I am am married to a man I for almost 17 years.

He is 3.5 years younger than I am. When he brought me home to meet his mother and told her that I was older than he was, she asked him, "Exactly how much older is she? " I think it doesn't matter what your physical age, unless you think you MIGHT want to have children and the other party is unable to do that in future.

Mostly, it matters what your emotional and spiritual age is. If you have aged slowly emotionally and still feel about 19 at age 40, then that, I believe is the reason for attractions of this type in many cases. Other than that, it might be some kind of 'mother/father' fixations (Oedipus Rex Complex) that some people have.

That kind of problem is a whole other ball of wax and it needs a therapist help!

I know I don't fall under "older" women. But at just a few weeks shy of 27 Im dating an as-of-last-week 22 year-old. Something I never thought I would do.

However he is more mature than the 28 year-old I left earlier this year. And while I know 5 years age difference isnt much I believe thats between 22 and 27 there is. Just as a 11 year-old and a 16 year-old are very different.So really it is just a matter of where the two are at in life.

Same as an older man and woman. Whats wrong with it if youre happy? I watched my sister pass up the best guy she had known JUST because he was a year or two younger.

Shame. Stupid stigmas!

I think if they are happy together then good for them. People should not have to worry about what society thinks about them.

I hate sitting on the fence, so I'm going to say that I view it as a negative. However, it can be a good or bad thing depending on the reasons behind the relationship. It seems that Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore are together for the right reasons, so I can't really go against that.

However, I can't help but feel that many older women who go after younger men are doing it to fill a void in their own lives, and I don't think dating to fill a void ever ends well.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.