72-year-old reveals why and how she's dating men half her age
- Replies 15
Disclaimer: Names with an asterisk (*) beside them have been changed for privacy reasons.
When it comes to love, as people say, age is just a number! While it used to be considered odd or even scandalous to date someone much younger than you, in this day and age, people are open to finding companions outside of their age group.
Take Kelly Howard*, a 72-year-old who is not only embracing this idea wholeheartedly, she’s living it – and loving it!
It all began when the Californian-born woman made a bold move when she switched her life of sun and sea for city life in New Jersey. And although retirement is a welcome relief from the hustle and bustle of her daily life, she wanted more.
That's when she stumbled across a dating app called Cougar Life that promised to give her just that.
It is understood that the app helps younger people meet older women.
Little did Kelly* know that on her journey to ‘join the digital dating world’, she would be flooded with messages – up to 10 to 20 a day – most of them from younger men.
And while some of them have become her pen pals, others have become great dates. She also told reporters that a first date would typically just involve grabbing drinks. However, she said she would sneak up into their hotel rooms and stay overnight.
Speaking of her romantic escapades, the 72-year-old described how one particular man caught her eye. He was in his late 20s and lived in Vancouver.
At first, Kelly* doubted that he could be real – he was simply too ‘unbelievably handsome’ to be true until she asked him to video-call her and hold an orange balloon to prove that he was real.
‘We spent the night together,’ Kelly* said. She also revealed that she drove over an hour just to meet him.
Five years later, the pair have remained in contact and reportedly ‘tell each other everything’.
Kelly* has also come to some very wise conclusions about love in general – like why she prefers dating younger men than men her own age.
According to her, younger men are more ‘open to change’.
‘Younger men don't have that attitude,’ Kelly* said. ‘It's refreshing.’
She told reporters that, as a child, she was taught that women were supposed to ‘please the guy’. But this time, Kelly* found that she could put herself first and forget about having to live up to these expectations when she dates younger men.
And she isn’t the only older woman in search of younger men.
The Senior Director of Communications at Cougar Life, Isabella Mise, revealed to reporters that no less than 15 per cent of users on the app are fifty and up.
‘They're still looking for connection, love, physical intimacy, and I think online dating is perhaps a way for them to widen their dating pool,’ Mise said.
A survey conducted in 2003 found a whopping 34 per cent of women wanting to date younger men, with the conclusion that the energy of youth often won them over.
'I can't explain why... without even knowing someone's age, you can be sure I'm going to gravitate toward the younger guy,' a 60-year-old survey participant named Annette told researchers.
‘And I don't know if it's a function of I'm attracted to younger guys or younger guys are attracted to me. It's just their energy, their enthusiasm and [there’s] “less baggage”.’
So, members, if you're looking for a bit of excitement in your dating life, don't rule out the idea of getting back into the dating game with an open-minded attitude towards age.
And whatever you do, never ever be ashamed to look for love in unexpected places. Anything is possible, so why not let your heart be open to all possibilities?
So, members, what do you think? Would you sign up for a similar dating app? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
When it comes to love, as people say, age is just a number! While it used to be considered odd or even scandalous to date someone much younger than you, in this day and age, people are open to finding companions outside of their age group.
Take Kelly Howard*, a 72-year-old who is not only embracing this idea wholeheartedly, she’s living it – and loving it!
It all began when the Californian-born woman made a bold move when she switched her life of sun and sea for city life in New Jersey. And although retirement is a welcome relief from the hustle and bustle of her daily life, she wanted more.
That's when she stumbled across a dating app called Cougar Life that promised to give her just that.
Kelly* said she wanted more excitement in her life. Credit: cottonbro studio/Pexels
It is understood that the app helps younger people meet older women.
Little did Kelly* know that on her journey to ‘join the digital dating world’, she would be flooded with messages – up to 10 to 20 a day – most of them from younger men.
And while some of them have become her pen pals, others have become great dates. She also told reporters that a first date would typically just involve grabbing drinks. However, she said she would sneak up into their hotel rooms and stay overnight.
Speaking of her romantic escapades, the 72-year-old described how one particular man caught her eye. He was in his late 20s and lived in Vancouver.
At first, Kelly* doubted that he could be real – he was simply too ‘unbelievably handsome’ to be true until she asked him to video-call her and hold an orange balloon to prove that he was real.
‘We spent the night together,’ Kelly* said. She also revealed that she drove over an hour just to meet him.
Five years later, the pair have remained in contact and reportedly ‘tell each other everything’.
Kelly* revealed that she remains in contact with some of the people she’s met through the dating app. Credit: Pixabay/Pexels
Kelly* has also come to some very wise conclusions about love in general – like why she prefers dating younger men than men her own age.
According to her, younger men are more ‘open to change’.
‘Younger men don't have that attitude,’ Kelly* said. ‘It's refreshing.’
She told reporters that, as a child, she was taught that women were supposed to ‘please the guy’. But this time, Kelly* found that she could put herself first and forget about having to live up to these expectations when she dates younger men.
And she isn’t the only older woman in search of younger men.
The Senior Director of Communications at Cougar Life, Isabella Mise, revealed to reporters that no less than 15 per cent of users on the app are fifty and up.
‘They're still looking for connection, love, physical intimacy, and I think online dating is perhaps a way for them to widen their dating pool,’ Mise said.
A survey conducted in 2003 found a whopping 34 per cent of women wanting to date younger men, with the conclusion that the energy of youth often won them over.
'I can't explain why... without even knowing someone's age, you can be sure I'm going to gravitate toward the younger guy,' a 60-year-old survey participant named Annette told researchers.
‘And I don't know if it's a function of I'm attracted to younger guys or younger guys are attracted to me. It's just their energy, their enthusiasm and [there’s] “less baggage”.’
So, members, if you're looking for a bit of excitement in your dating life, don't rule out the idea of getting back into the dating game with an open-minded attitude towards age.
And whatever you do, never ever be ashamed to look for love in unexpected places. Anything is possible, so why not let your heart be open to all possibilities?
.png){kind=icon}
