Guest blogger Allison Castillo -- a stand-up comic and connoisseur of younger men -- speaks out against the term cougar.Courtney Cox regards herself in the mirror. "What the hell is that?" she asks, poking a perfectly cut arm. "It's like a farm animal!" Which is baffling, considering she is ridiculously thin, and gazelles do not live on farms.
So begins the actual trailer for her new show, "Cougar Town." And thanks to Cox's portrayal of a woman so clueless that her plan to "bag a young stud" (their words) involves flashing her underwear at a boy on a bike, I can't fathom anyone wanting to move there.
I've always hated the term cougar and would like to vote it off the island of Manhattan -- and everywhere else for that matter.
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When I was young, I was interested in guys my own age, and then something unexpected happened. I got older. And then one day I woke up and everyone was part of a couple (just like our parents!), and guys thought I was 10 years younger than I was, and (excuse me for not wanting to never have sex again) I started dating younger men. No crazy plot twists. No Cougar Union dues. Just life.
Why 'Cougar'? Why Not 'Sea Lion'?
What really bothers me about the name is the judgment inherent in it. It makes me think of a giant cat making her way stealthily down a hill and pouncing on a bunny. I can't help it. I think of a white, pink-eyed bunny, chewing grass, totally oblivious that it's about to get a $20-dollar scotch bought for it by a well-manicured paw.

In reality, younger men are anything but helpless, and in my experience, seek out older women. So why can't women just enjoy it? Why the creepy portrayal on TV? Why in Cosmo did someone recently go so far as to pit The Cougar (40s) against the newly minted Puma (30s), declaring the Puma more fun because she isn't needy like the Cougar, she's just dating younger men to have a good time? Do women really need another way to crap on each other?
The Double Cougar Standard
Where is the hilarious TV show about men who date women younger than their daughters? Men who have been blithely skipping around, committing to no one because the world tells them that it's their oyster, until they suddenly decide they want to date women half their age? Do we move these men into a town named Viagra Balls? No, we nominate them for Oscars for writing "Match Point."
The women I know in New York who date younger men are smart, funny, attractive and adventurous. And far from being needy and clueless, they see the obvious advantages. They have dated men of all ages and concluded that, for the most part, they all suck equally. So. If I have the choice to date a 45-year-old guy who sucks or
a 25-year-old guy who sucks, but can have sex more than once a night and several times in the morning, I'll opt for the latter, thanks.Allison Castillo is a stand-up comic and author of the dating book, "The Score: The Ultimate Quiz to Test Who He Is." She lives in Chelsea, N.Y., among the men who truly love her.












Comments:
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Monday 10 August
By Suzie
Great article! If Donald Trump can pick out a new 20-year-old every few days, why can't women have a younger model?
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Monday 10 August
By Jenn
Here here!
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Tuesday 11 August
By Amanda
I'm so glad you wrote this!
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Wednesday 12 August
By Casey
I wholeheartedly agree - the term cougar is so negative, but that just follows suit. If a woman loves sex she's a sl?t, if a man loves sex he's a "playa"...we always get the bad rap and I hate to say it is is usually women who perpetuate it.
Great article...from one cougar to another.
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Thursday 13 August
By Brian
The term cougar or puma implies that the older woman is predatory. She goes out with her friends with the intent to bag the young stud. If she was just a hot older woman who dates around and happened to date someone younger than herself, then she is not a cougar.
I would have appreciated a cougar when I was younger to teach me a few things. Saves a lot of stumbling around in the dark your first couple times.
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Saturday 15 August
By Bren
I was a young woman who was married to a guy who could have lived in the town of Viagra Balls. So, what is the difference? None. Now that women are being stalked by younger men and trust me, they are, what is wrong with the tables turning and older women dating younger guys?
I will tell you. NOTHING. Older men can just sit with a drink and grieve.
Cheers Ladies.
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Friday 04 September
By claire montrose
It is only that traditionally, women were molested by the older men who had access to them. RREOW! Hence the tradition of older men with younger women. Oh, I really don't know, except that there is no logical reason why women can't be with younger men, I always have, and I think it works better.
Sunday 23 August
By claire montrose
My BGF and I believe that Viagra was the biggest setback for women ever. Now we have to have these inadequate guys with a hard-on, once again. [she cries]
Sunday 23 August
By claire montrose
I also hate the term Cougar. Let me propose the term Oldar for the guys who are older than the women they are with.
We live longer, we're more active, and in my case I'm much better-looking than the men my age. So, too bad.
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Sunday 25 October
By Bitten
It's great to see women date younger men, Cougar or not, however it's only good for everyone involved if the women and the younger man are not married. And the same goes for the older man chasing after younger women.
Hollywood, News media, Politian’s, people of influence and popularity have all too often romanticized the fact they are all too often committing adultery, and at that point you are no longer a chic and hip Cougar or the sly Fox, you are now just another morally corrupt piece of human garbage.
Forgive me while I fall off my moral high horse.
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Sunday 25 October
By Lover
My boyfriend is 17.5 years older than I am. I love him more than anything and it is the absolute best relationship I have ever been in
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Monday 14 December
By sandra
What's your point?
Monday 26 October
By Ron Neuhaus
I personally think the poor Cougar has gotten a bad label hear.
Why are all these women so bitter?
Is it because they have never really had a strong relationship with their men, so they are out looking for this younger guy to fulfill these unsatisfied needs?
I believe the men in this circumstance are labeled jerks, so maybe Cougar is not the right name. Maybe b-tches works better.
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Monday 26 October
By Taylor
Im 19 dating a 44 year old woman we have been together for almost 2 years now. We have a great relationship we have so much fun together when we go out.
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Monday 26 October
By andre
well ladies and gents we should all just get along sex is great and its apart of our lifes day and night, i believe a women who feels the need for a younger man should go for it and if she does not like the fact older men cant last long or is boring well they will need a younger guy to fill in the gap. i had sex with young and old both the same vagina in the middle and they haller your name lmfao, but the whole magic is with older women. older women crave sex like no other and i enjoy pleasing them :-), i believe its safe to say older or younger it doesnt matter women will crave for more but there will be a time when they will settle down and be around there age group... ps older women are great i love all u older women out there who love younger guys keep doin ur thing... o yeh hit me up as well my AIM is smithdre06 yehhhh u kno it... and i also do graphic art so if u need logos or posters all that good stuff give me a holla love all u people in da world sex is great so dont hate ;-)
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Tuesday 17 November
By CoolHandMe
ok, quick response to andre (the creeper right above me):
who makes a personal add on here ya weird bastard ha youre giving graphic artists a bad name now and im offended.
anyway, now to the article. id just like to say, who cares? a lot of you it would seem but why? im sure many of you if asked directly if you really care what someone thinks about you would reply by saying 'no, no i dont' (thats a lie ive found in most cases). so then, if its true, why do you care about a label like 'cougar'? its just a word to describe an older woman seeking out a younger man. yes, in many cases its just used as a blanketing label for all older woman who happen to be with younger men but really in most cases its said as joke. i know thats how i use it when i say it. also, im way down for someone making up a nickname for old dudes who seek out younger women. i propose creepy SOBs (depending on the age difference of course)(id say about 20 years would qualify). so yeah, its not that big of a deal and its not going away anytime soon. thats all i got. word up
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