Despite all of our differences, it seems like people from all over the world have at least one thing in common. Surprisingly enough, it’s the fact that, on average, husbands are somewhat older than their wives everywhere, according to a big study. But if we look past the average numbers, we’ll see that there are all sorts of couples, including some with a significant age gap.
We at Bright Side believe that in love, there’s no place for stereotypes. So we decided to see how, according to psychologists, age-gap relationships can be successful.
As soon as the public learns about a new celebrity couple with a considerable age difference, it immediately becomes big news, which is quite telling of the fact that there’s still a stigma in our society surrounding these relationships. This was proven by a study where the participants rated diverse couples: it found that May-December romances got significantly lower scores.
When the woman is older in a relationship, she typically receives more criticism, unlike partnerships where the man is older. At the same time, the former type of couples tends to be perceived as more equal. Still, psychologists note that only women get referred to with derogatory terms (like “cougar” or “gold digger”), while men are typically praised, which is an obvious double standard.
The most important thing to consider here is if people get what they want from the relationships they are in. According to this research, both men and women are more satisfied with younger partners, at least, at the beginning of their relationship. Also, specialists claim that women who specifically date younger men feel more self-confident and active.
The correct answer here will be that each couple is unique and there’s no universal truth. However, some regular rules still apply: your partner and you should have common interests, relationship goals, and supportive people around you. It’s interesting that some researchers think that it’s not your actual age that matters, but rather your perceived age, so this also has to be taken into consideration.
Studies suggest that in homosexual marriages, the age difference between people is often greater compared to heterosexual ones, even though intergenerational gay couples face even more criticism. They still feel like one unit, enjoy the mutual benefits that the age discrepancy brings, and appreciate the support of people around them.
What is the perfect age difference between romantic partners, in your opinion?
l am 9 years older than my husband. We have been together for 12 years. Married for two of those. l am nearly 60 and he is about to turn 50. l am worried that my activity levels will decline and it will hold him back and l am worried about the fact l am looking older than him now...Bless him, he says l worry too much, but l can't help it.
