To be shocked that my good friend, 37, is seeing a 66 year old lady?

You’re conflating two things. You seem to think women who have zero interest in sex personally think all women should follow suit and that older sexual women are odd.
That’s entirely your invention. I am in my 40s with zero interest in a sex life but don’t find it weird or odd in the slightest that women who are not me, even older ones, may feel differently.

I think most people do this now. At least men do anyway.

It’s odd but so are your comments too, to be honest. What relevance is him not being shy of female attention? I find an age gap of this size, weird on both sides but at least they’re both very much adults.

If she's beautiful, fit and active and he clearly enjoys spending time with her... whats the problem?
Are you jealous?

There's been a spate of these 'shocked' threads.

'Surprised' would be a more apt word.

Can I share some real hard truths on this thread @darksideofthetoon ?

There are a lot of people on here, and potentially even the OP, who seem to be automatically putting down any woman in their 60s who has sexual allure and who is enjoying their life in an active way.

It's like there's something about the age bracket which automatically de-selects them from being "possible" for a person in their 30s.

I find this, quite frankly staggering, BUT I also find it not so unusual for Mumsnet.

On this site, there are so many women who on any thread relating to sex, are lining up to tell us how once they've reached their 40s (or sometimes even earlier) they have given up completely on sex. And of course their DP is ''fine with it".

I could open a healthy ISA if I had a £ for every time I heard someone on here say "Ugh, I have no time for all that huffing and puffing" or "I would rather have a choccie digestive and a good book" etc.

That's fine, and I'm not here to tell those people that they're wrong, that's their view.

However if you've been around this site as long as I have, you'll know this is te prevailing view on Mumsnet and no other view is tolerated by those people, who will line up to subtly attack this 60-something year old and claim she's a sugar momma (turns out she isn't), or that there's nothing sexual going on (turns out it's all very passionate and healthy).

It's clear anyone over 45 who is enjoying sex on Mumsnet and talks about it, is a threat to those militants who want everyone to enjoy books and biccies instead, in case their DH hears that it is possible to enjoy oneself in later years.

I’ve just watched Madonna with Graham Norton. She looks awful. I can’t imagine how anyone would be interested in her!

I was just wondering if there has ever been any love interest between the two of you over the years at all?

Blonde is amazing as is Madonna. We saw her show a few years ago & the energy throughout by all concerned was fantastic💃

It's a bit weird but they're both well old enough to know their own minds so I don't see why it's a problem.

Exactly this. People under 40 forget those in their 60s & 70s today lived their life in their teens, 20s & 30s in much the same way as they do nowadays. . When you've lived through punk rock music, Bowie, not forgetting goth culture which began in the late 70s you don't suddenly become twinsets & pearls people when you reach your 60s & 70s 😂

Thank you for doing a favour for that poor man.

Blimey OP what do you reckon to this lot then?
Are you shocked?
And these are celebrities, or are they the only ones where it is acceptable.
Be happy for your friend and his lovely lady.
I know I am.

Barbara Windsor
Kate Beckinsdale
Kim Kardashian
Cher (40 year age gap)
Sandra Bullock
Jada Pinkett Smith
Kylie Minogue
Kris Jenner
Jennifer Lopez
Demi Moore
Geena Davis
Heidi Klum
Tilda Swinton
Vivienne Westwood
Madonnna

As long as they get on, I don't see the issue. Brigette Macron is 24 years older than President Macron 🙈

Good luck to them both.

He's a cub and she's a cougar.

They enjoy no strings relationship and perhaps it's a friends with benefits situation.

Its actually quite common..lots of men are going for older women as some of them find women of their same age are not to their liking for whatever reason...

Yep - as long as it’s consensual and no exploitation involved, then good for them.

Other people’s disapproval/approval is meaningless.

Wanting laws about consenting adult relationships is absolutely wild.

Someone was arguing on another thread recently that it should be a law.

There's laws around the age of consent, and for those in authority over young adults, but besides that, the state has no business regulating people's relationships. The only countries that do this are not ones we should emulate.

Someone 66 was in their 30s in the nineties, so it’s not that surprising really. I just don’t think we have adjusted to what older people in their 60s are really like. Are they slowing down? Or much the same and going to tick a large age range on a dating site to see what happens because why not?