It's one of those things that bugs me. Women, who are judged far more on looks than men are, are generally thought to have a 'best before' date. Rare is the woman who is thought sexually attractive, or indeed attractive, beyond un age certain. If they're actresses, they become 'past-it' or become character actresses. Female news readers tend to get the sack when they have passed the stage of pulchritude . Men are allowed to remain as their eye bags droop, and their pates become shinier. It is absolutely symptomatic of the double-standards inherent in a society where a woman's worth is measured by her ability to adorn.
Various conversations with women of maturity (ie over 35...!) and my own tastes have made it quite clear to me that very many women are attracted to the older man. Off the top of my head I can only think of one man under forty who sends me weak at the knees.
There are some men who I barely looked twice at when they graced the TV twenty five years ago, but today I go quite swoony when I see them. Admittedly, twenty or so years ago there were men maybe already in their forties who sent me quivery then and still do now. A quick list of men that I think are somewhat gorgeous is:
- Plácido Domingo - 62
- Paul McCartney - 61
- Michael Palin - 60
- Martin Shaw - 58
- Trevor Eve - 52
I'm sure I have forgotten some really obvious ones and will kick myself later...
