Cougar Approval

Last week, I did a post called "Beauty Bias," which led to a discussion with JGR about the Cougar phenomenon and his assertion that reactions are also negative to mixed-age relationships when the older person is male. I don't doubt that negative reactions to both types of relationships exist, but our conversation reminded me of a funny event, and you know us bloggers--we're always looking for something to write about.

Before we moved to Searcy, my oldest son and I were both active in community theater. Leading up to one production, he and I would often stop in at a local sandwich shop before practices. Some time later, my husband and I stopped for lunch at the same sandwich shop, and the woman behind the counter just kept smiling at me. I mean really smiling. I smiled back, but I couldn't quite figure out her ear-to-ear grin. Then, when my husband left the counter to go get our drinks, the woman nodded and winked at me. And I got it. She could tell that this guy was probably my husband and thought she was in on the secret that I'd been cheating on him with a younger guy.

The real fun started when, a week or so later, I came in with both my husband and my son. Her eyes were big as saucers, then.

Women & Ageism

A Great Birthday Card

I know that a lot of people really like sentimental cards, but I've always been partial to the funny ones, myself. There's just nothing better than a big belly laugh.

Well, the other day I got one of the best birthday cards ever. (I know--my birthday is in April, but it's a long story.)

Outside of Card:

"Happy 29th Birthday . . ."

Inside of Card:

" . . . from your 110 pound friend!"

I know that I just wrote posts about both ageism and body image, but you've gotta admit. That's a great card.

The Trouble with Twilight--Part III: Ageism

Not only is Bella too average-looking, she's also too old. Talk about horrors! An eighteenth birthday is an event a girl just wants to ignore. And she might as well be dead as twenty-five. I know, I know, it's just a story. Bella will age because she's human, but Edward (a vampire) and Jacob (a werewolf) won't. But Meyer's choices illustrate (and promote) an attitude of ageism that hits women hardest. Aging women and aging men are not perceived equally in our society. Gray hair on a man is distinguished; gray hair on a woman looks old (Why doesn't she dye her hair?). A man's wrinkles give him character; a woman's wrinkles make her look old (Why doesn't she get a facelift?). He's a good catch--a bachelor with a good job, a big house, a great car, plenty of money, etc.; she's a spinster or a "Cougar"--and either way often the butt of jokes. Sigh.

To be continued . . .

[Oh, I'm about 2/3 through Eclipse now.]