I think that we are often labelled by our relationships to others, so & so's wife, A & B's mother etc, rather than just being seen as a complete being.

On the surface, it sounds very nice. But there would be physical drawbacks with an ageing body, especially if you had had a late vaginal birth. Might not be fair to put the poor young man through all the biological stuff involved with later life sex. Could put him off for life be a shock to him.

I don't think I would feel the need to announce it in a newspaper. Worrying about the neighbours behind net curtains would be bad enough.

Personally, I will just drool admire from a distance. (72 might be pushing it a bit)

What sort of a "generian" are you in your seventies?

Septa, jings (no, not septic, and certainly not contra-ceptic)

I have to say that as a mere 52 year old I find the idea of sex with a 20 or 30 year old quite disgusting. Not because I am ashamed of my body (I am not) or because I would not be attracted to a younger man (we can all admire from afar) but simply because (as a mother of a son) I would be horrified to think that some woman in her sixties (older than his mother) was taking advantage of him and using him for sexual gratification. Also like jingl said Why the need to announce it to the world? I am sorry Monica but I do consider you as a Cougar and I bet your family were just thrilled to read about your exploits (not). Having said that I suppose as a journalist you need to have some crap to write about don't you? so it might aswell be your own sex life.
.........and for the record many grandmas do enjoy sex, WE JUST DON'T WRITE ABOUT IT !!

Gross.

If there is an attraction, I don't think it matters what the age is. Why should it? I know what gillybob means with her son, mine is only just 19, but in France there is/was a tradition amongst ladies to 'borrow' their friends' sons, to initiate them into how to please a woman without any strings attached, and let them down gently when it is time to move on. I can't say I fancy that either, but my French aunt told me about it with a very wistful look in her eye...

I am in my 50s, DBH is ten years younger, I find I am not attracted to men under their mid 30s, basically because I like people who have experienced the world a bit and can have an informed conversation. I suspect we all vary. I don't like the cougar label - after all, it takes two to tango and it's good to think that women in their later years are still considered sexy.

And also, unless someone is brave enough to write about it, how will we ever know it happens? If something were to happen to DBH, I would be horrified to think that my sex life would be over. I like to hear that there is still a glimmer of hope!

Chance would be a fine thing

I don't know galen - look at all those nursing home romances! My friend's mother has just entered one, was dreading it, and already has a boyfriend after only a month!

But probably not a 20-year-old!

Well no....

I would love to hear the 20 yr-old's side of it!

Not in the nursing home I was incarcerated for 3 days following my shoulder dislocation! The only male was a visitor to the old lady with senile dementia opposite me!

There was a woman on TV this morning who organises sex parties for the under 45s. She has now started organising them for older people and said that, as long as they meet the criteria, people of any age can go along. She recently held the first one for older people and it was, she said, very successful. My tiny mind is boggling!

Mine too! In fact I'd rather not now have the images in my mind that that brought up! Handcuffed to the zimmer frame?

Yuck, 20 year olds nowadays are still children. Give me an old romantic any day

www.ablxboston.com/national/45553-she-was-60-i-was-23-we-had-the-best-sex-i-d-ever-had-and-then-we-watched-the-graduate-after-marvelling-at-monica-porter-s-adventures-with-younger-men-now-hear-what-one-of-her-lovers-has-to-say.html

Well, you did ask, jane!

Each to their own, I guess, but I must admit I would have been seriously worried about a 20 year old son who either couldn't find a partner his own age or actually found a 60 year old, however well preserved, more sexually attractive.

I think it's the Mrs Robinson thing. Some young lads are just curious perhaps. Maybe they see it as a feather in their cap. I've seen it over the years in places where I've worked, young men fancying women in their 40s/50s etc.

Actually, on thinking about this far too much I think, if the occasion ever did arise, I might grab it with both hands.

don't be rude

Think of all that extreme waxing they'd expect!!!

Can't see it ever happening to me. For starters, how would I explain to a nice young man that I actually leave more of myself in the bathroom at night than gets into bed

Any young man who is drawn to a relationship with someone his Mothers age is a bit odd [actually more than a bit.]if the man was say 45 then that's different, still an age gap of 15 years but not too bad.
Were these relationships undertaken from a journalistic view, or did the author temporarily just go a bit mad?I imagine she found it great to be desired and it did her ego a world of good. However, how would we view 60 year old men chasing after 20 something women?

I'm not good at long term relationships so age doesn't bother me. I have had to refrain from the desire to pat them on the head!

DS glanced at that article and said 'Yuck'. He is in his late 30s.