I've just been reading a magazine article where
the film actor Richard Gere, 65, and his girlfriend
have been happily in love for a year.

According to the article, the actor who set women's
hearts racing in the '80s and '90s with his roles in
"An Officer and a Gentleman," and "Pretty Woman," is dating
Spanish socialite, Alejandra Silva, 32.

Then there's Chris Martin (Coldplay's frontman), 38, and
Kylie Minogue, 47.

And I thought it might be interesting to see what the posters
on OLO thought of older women marrying (or even dating)
younger men?

Does age matter in any serious relationship?

Your thoughts please.

Well, Foxy, I can speak on this with some insight; when I was born my mother was 41 and my father was 31, they had married in 1931, and my elder brother was born a year later.
They were a loving couple and there was never a cross word in our home, except those directed at me (with justification!!).
Only once did Dad come home a bit under the weather and Mum said to me "That's the first time in 40 years that your father has come home like that"
She was upset, so I said that it was cause for congratulation as to some that we knew well it was a weekly happening.
She died at 85 and he died a year later, he told me not long before that he didn't want to live without her; so he gradually faded away.

Their's was a love match that lasted.

Now the Dad was no saint before he married and as a child I was always fascinated by a depression in his right hand that I could put my finger in.
Years later when I was a man myself, he told me that it was a bullet wound. He was working mates with a chap on the North Coast, and this bloke was always trying to get him to come and meet some of his 'girlfriends'.
When he found out that the father was having it off with his sister, he came at dad with a short barreled revolver and dad pushed it aside as he fired, hence the 'dimple' in the hand.

I've known a number of couples where the woman was older and they all seemed successful, so I'd have to vote in favour.

//Does age matter in any serious relationship?//

I guess it depends on how you define a serious relationship.

Anna Nicole Smith married J. Howard Marshall when she was 26 and he was 89. Gabbi Grecko married Geoffrey Edelsten when she was 25 and he was 71.

I am 30, and quite attracted to one of the bar staff at my local club. Let's call her 'Anne'. She's at least 10 years my elder, and I'd have her in a heartbeat if she'd have me but she doesn't seem interested :(

Can't win 'em all.

So I quite like the thought of older women dating younger men; marriage is a more difficult question.

Of course, it could just be lust and not and not love. Is my wanting to get into Anne's pants any better than Anna Nicole Smith wanting to get into her husband's bank account?

Dear Foxy,

1. "Should older women be allowed to marry younger men?"

Absolutely! Nobody should be forcibly prevented from marrying anyone(s) and/or anything(s) of their choosing.

2. "Does age matter in any serious relationship?"

Only superficially: as age is a property of our human bodies, only the superficial human aspect of the relationship can be affected by age.
Given that the relationship is indeed serious, it is not based on the bodies we currently happen to have, so age doesn't matter significantly.

Dear Foxy,
I am five years older than my husband, and we have been married 27 years, so I would have to say it is fine for younger men to marry older women!
I don't think a really large age gap of 30 or more years difference in age either way is a good idea though. One always ends up as a carer at a young age it seems.

Personally, even a huge amount of money would not get me to agree to marry/sleep with a man hugely older than me though....just thinking about the Geoffrey Edelsten saga makes me shudder.

"Should older women be allowed to marry younger men?"

What a very odd question. What is preventing them? -Apart from not receiving the offers that is.

It is the role-reversal fantasy of the feminists of the previous millenium that predatory Cougars might take advantage of young men. Not happening in any significant numbers though, despite the odd speculative Hollywood movie.

On the other hand, mature men are embarrassed by choice and not limited by any means to women approaching their age.

It is all down to Mother Nature. Thanks, Dear :)