He said

If a man dates or even marries a woman five, 10 or 15 years younger than he is, trouble is around the corner, ready to run into him full throttle.

Although this is not always the case, why are men the victims of severe gossip and malicious criticism when they date women substantially younger?

Some women who have dated, or still date younger men, usually never catch heat from anyone. It is one of many double standards that exist in American society, but this should not be.

I’ve often heard the saying, “Age ain’t nothing but a number,” and I believe it is true. But when men date younger women, we are viewed as perverts, taking advantage of young women.

A nationwide survey conducted in 2003 for AARP Magazine by Knowledge Networks Inc., showed 66 percent of the 1,407 random men surveyed dated and preferred to date younger women. Thirty-four percent of the 2,094 random women surveyed dated younger men. There was a 2.4 percent margin of error.

The survey also found that as women get older, they prefer to date younger men.

Why should men get criticized for loving, liking or showing interest in a woman who is younger?

The truth of the matter is that dating lines of do’s and don’ts between adults cannot be codified in an imaginary dating rulebook.

This may be a pipe dream of mine, but men and women should be treated equally about dating their younger, other sex.

So, the next time you see an older man dating a younger woman, or vice versa, don’t criticize.

It is just not right.

She said

Shortly after I had graduated high school, when I was only 17, I began dating a guy who was about to turn 21.

To me, there weren’t any problems with our age difference, but I quickly realized that there was a problem for my new guy.

When I went to a party with him, one of his friends asked how old I was. Before I could even open my mouth, he spoke for me and said I was 18.

I didn’t think much of it until I asked him about it, and he stated he was worried about people knowing he was dating someone who wasn’t yet 18.

As a girl, I never had to worry about getting in trouble for statutory rape, which is the main reason guys worry about dating minors. But girls are hardly ever threatened with something like this, unless of course there is a huge difference, such as Mary Kay Laterno.

I think there are two reasons for this double standard. The first is a double standard in itself. Many girls are not comfortable dating a guy who is younger than them, especially if it’s by a couple years. A girl who is 19 or 20 is not as likely as a guy to date a 17 year-old, because it is not as accepted by society.

The second reason for this double standard is because while an older man can seduce a younger girl, a girl hardly ever seduces an unsuspecting male. A 16 or 17 year-old boy is “allowed” to be sexually active, so when he has sex with an older woman, it is cool and it’s something he can brag about.

The older woman has nothing to worry about. But the older man in the same situation is said to have seduced and taken advantage of a girl who was not yet old enough to decide that she wants to be sexually active. The underage girl was afraid to say no, but the underage boy of course wanted to have sex.

This double standard, like all others needs an adjustment.