simple question, what are the reasons why women date much older guys?

[EvaGina]

I saw that table, but grades werent in discussion... (I assume those are grades?)

dating age at 16?

I suppose it depends on what circles you mix in... the whole boy/girl interest thing starts far before that, even if they arent acting on it.

[musicguy]

Dr. Music has a theory...some girls can be more mature than a lot of guys and some guys can be more mature than some girls. *bows*

[Superfreak]

Nope, not grades, they were exact age in terms of years and months. I'll just summarize the relevant part. Essentialy on the table the average age for white girls was 13 years 8 months, for the first onset of puberty, and 14 years and 1 month for boys for there first onset of puberty. Definitely a difference but not too significant (unfortunately the table didn't break boys up in to "white" and "black" as it had for girls, so the comparison doesn't work exactly). However, only when it comes to boys comparison with "black" girls theres a 2 year difference. I'm not sure why but just putting it out there that other factors influence puberty perhaps just as much or moreso than gender.

 

Anyways, 16 was an arbitrary age I picked mostly because, 16 is the age in which girls often become involved with *much* older guys i.e 20 and above etc. which is what this thread was originally takling about. So if you'll accept that girls usually don't start dating guys that are much older than themselves until they're at least 16, then I'm not sure how the slightly quicker onset of puberty in girls during the ages of 12 and 13 as opposed to 13 and 14 for boys gives them an advantage in the maturity department when boys have matured physically just as much by that time.

[EvaGina]

Yeah, thats totally fair

I think it probably originates as a status symbol thing.. if you are 13 and dating a 16 yr old, it shows (in a primate sort of way) that you are womanly...

[SexySadie7]

Yes, girls do mature early than guys. Perhaps that is part of it.

If you were a 14 year old girl who could only date guys who hadn't reached puberty yet, but you had, would you?

Probably not. But it used to be long long time ago, if you were old enough to have chidren, you did! Cuz you didn't really know how long you were going to live and lots of people didn't live much past 30 way back when.

Now things are different, and I wonder too, if the chemicals in our food play an influence on just when someone matures.

I read a study that said that kids were reaching sexual maturity much earlier than previous generations. I know that pesticides and lots of growth hormones are put into the milk supply and food source and such. I wonder if that plays a factor in that aspect of things.

[musicguy]

hmmm, never thought of food being a factor in all of this

[agent1607307371]

We do live longer now though, so that is going to play a part.

 

 

Personally, my feelings on this are that it lies somewhere between biology and the way girls are socialised.

 

Of course some males mature faster than others and some females mature faster than others and it's highyl unlikely that it's down to just one factor. Nature and nurture I think.

[rocio]

Wow, I'm quite shocked at some of the responses in this thread. People can be so closed-minded and judgemental.

 

If there's a 16 or 18 year old girl who will only look at guys twice her age, I might think she has a daddy issue. And in any relationship where the girl is like a parasite feeding off the guy, I'm going to think she's a bit of a gold digger, regardless of the age difference.

 

But in general anyone can fall for anyone else at any time. Please don't look at a young woman who's with an older guy and assume that you know a single think about who she is. I have a friend who is 24 and dating a 48 year old man. She is confident, strong, successful, genuine, independent, and simply a sweet and loving girl with everything in the world to give. She has a terrific relationship with her father, as well as the other men in her life. Her boyfriend is not rich. When they walk around holding hands people give them the dirtiest looks. People can be so lame.

 

Personally I only date younger guys. Part of it is tradition (my mother, both of my grandmothers, and my sister all married younger men). Part of it is just the fact that I'm a bit of a kid myself and get along with younger people. But I've had some close friendships with men quite alot older than me and I get irritated when I hear ignorant stereotypes about women who date older men.

[ghost69]

how did this thread go from being about the OP to textbooks? lame

[musicguy]

I've dated 17, 18 and 19 year olds and I get called a pedophile, but that's everyone's judgemental thoughts coming into play

[ghost69]

i don't go below 22