Are May December Relationships a Taboo?

Although there has been a gradual change in the perceptions of people on the relationship between an older man and a younger woman, it still does raise a lot of eyebrows. May December relationships still have not gained the level of acceptance as is given to a relationship between contemporaries.

People who support May December relationships are of the opinion that age is just a case of mind over matter. They believe that it is unfair to castigate relationships in which there is a substantial age difference between the partners. They opine that if two people are in love with each other, and enjoy each other’s company, discussions about their age are meaningless.

However, there is more to May December relationships than just good ol’ love, and this is the reason why many look at these relationships with belligerence. It is well-known that rich, successful men, who are on the wrong side of age, don’t mind splurging some dough to have a sexy young woman by their side. Young women, on the other hand, don’t mind dating older men. The relationship is based on the mutual needs wherein the young woman depends on his older partner for sustenance.

Over the years, relationships based on mutual needs of an older man and his younger partner have come to symbolize the May December relationships. Both the individuals in this sort of relationship know that they are in it for their own gains. The older man wants to continue enjoying his sex life while the younger woman wants to live an extravagant lifestyle that a 9-5 job won’t provide. This mutual arrangement leads people to question the morality about May December relationships. Why do people want to impose their perceived set of beliefs on others? Well, some might argue that nobody goes out and gives a sermon to age difference couples, but making it a taboo is another way of coercive intimidation.

Couples who have a substantial age difference are asked about the futility of their relationship. They are the opposite ends of spectrum as far as their age is considered; none of the partners wants to have a kid; the emotional connect that is so essential in a relationship is missing – these are some of the common perceptions that the society has about these relationships.

Looking at the bigger picture, it can be said that while there has been a significant shift in the society’s outlook towards May December relationships, there is a long way to go before it ceases to be a taboo.