As An Aside…
Jun
29
2008

I hate the term cougar for a woman who likes younger men. I mean, hate it with a grand passion that stirs up all my feminine outrage. It’s not a nice term. It’s not sexy. It’s derogatory.

Everyone has preferences. I like dark men with dark or green eyes. I also tend toward men my own age (which to a younger woman would be older men, LOL) So a woman has a preference for a younger man. That automatically makes her a predator? Really? Why and who decided that? You tell me, is Ashton Kucher being taken advantage of by Demi Moore?

It’s not something I’d celebrate if that was my personal preference – to be referred to as a cougar. And seriously, if a book is marketed that way, I’d never buy it. Older woman/younger man book, fine! If it works for the story, I think it’s an interesting dynamic. But if it’s marketed like “oh she’s on the prowl for that young man meat!” I throw up in my mouth a little.

Your preferences may vary.

4 comments to “As An Aside…”

  1. Karen Erickson
    June 29th, 2008 at 11:17 am · Link

    I have an ow/ym book and had a great time writing it. I find the term cougar to be rather stupid and yes demeaning. It’s fine for an older man to be with a younger woman but an older woman with a younger man? So she’s on the prowl? Puh-leez.

    I agree with you McRantypants. :mrgreen:



  2. Portia Da Costa
    June 29th, 2008 at 12:16 pm · Link

    I enjoy writing – and reading – older woman/younger man stories and I think they make for a rich vein of complex emotion.

    But I too hate that ‘oh, she’s older she must be on the prowl’ vibe… and l hate, despise, loathe and detest the term ‘cougar’!!!



  3. Tina S.
    June 29th, 2008 at 5:41 pm · Link

    Well, that explains the titles with Cougar in them (never heard that turn until the last couple of months with all the books ELC has been putting out about May-Dec. Romances.

    I have read a few but frankly I don’t care for ow/ym books all that much unless it is only a few years different. I get tired of the whining angst about age by the heroine. But not to discriminate, I am not that much of a fan of books where the man is CONSIDERABLY older than the woman.



  4. Saskia
    June 29th, 2008 at 11:57 pm · Link

    I’ve never heard that term, but I have to say I’d find it rather crude. (I am in an ow/ym relationship myself, 8 years gap, 8 years in, and very happy thank you. Of course it helps that he is the most mature man i’ve ever met, ahem..) I wonder who these books are being marketed at? Not strictly women, is my guess.