'A woman's prime is between 18-26'

[lough]

AIBU to be annoyed at DP saying this? He's arguing it not from an opinion, but from a 'biological' viewpoint and when a woman is most appealing to men from a biological standpoint.

I am in this age range but bordering on the end of it and having such a crisis about aging anyway (which I HATE because I can't understand why women have this pressure that MEN do not and believe that it is predominantly a societal thing). He disagrees and says it's not a societal influence at all and solely biological and that 'most men' would agree that this is the age a female is 'in her prime'.

(To add, I'd like to think I'm not in my prime now before 25 as I'd be sorely disappointed 🤣).
Surely his black/white perspective of this is wrong? It just annoys me but possibly because I'm so into feminism.

This is so so true and something I witnessed when younger too. Hence the saying "dick is abundant and low in value". Its true lol

Commitment isn’t though hence all the threads about being ghosted after sex.

This reminds me of an infamous Reddit thread that went viral but it perfectly sums the above theory up.

A young guy went on Reddit complaining that he was bored of sleeping with only his girlfriend and so had asked (read that as pressured) his girlfriend to open up their relationship so he could also sleep with other women but keep her too. To keep it "fair", and probably to get her to agree to it, he also suggested that she too could sleep with other men. She reluctantly agreed.

He came on Reddit complaining because his girlfriend had since been out every night with a different man and seem to having a bloody fantastic time whilst HE hadnt managed to get a single woman to sleep with him or even go on a date with him. He was asking for advice about how to backtrack and ask her to end the arrangement because he didnt feel it was fair that she was going on dates with all these different guys, and he didnt like it, whilst he hadnt managed to get a single one. Cue lots of hilarious responses like: "tough shit mate- you made your bed, you lie in it", "dick is abundant and low in value and now you realise it", "good for her!" etc

The post went viral and he was made a laughing stock but I think it perfectly illustrates the above. When it comes to sex- men dont have as many abundant options as they like to think they do.

Sorry I agree with him, that was definitely my prime. Not sure why he'd tell you that and if it annoys you that much you can reply back with what a man's prime is ... probably about 25-30! I'm guessing he's past his use by date too.

Agree with this 100% 😆
This is why you always marry a man who knows he's punching and lucky to be with you!

So a woman’s prime is all about when she’s most fuckable to men, not when she feels best and is most happy etc? I love how men think they get to dictate when women’s prime is as well as their own. They’re the type that claim men age like fine wine, ignoring the balding, beer gut, lower quality sperm, hairy back etc.

I think physically for both sexes the prime is before thirty.

It isn’t about ‘fuckability’ it’s about biology, although of course that involves sex. I think a lot of posters are deliberately interpreting this wrong to give it a ‘misogynistic’ spin. Biologically speaking both men and women are in their prime in late teens/twenties. The decline for women after that is much faster than for men though, thats just how it is.

Socially however I would say men and women both peak in their 40s-50s. Basically the decade following their kids leaving home.

Physically I was in my prime in my 20s, my first pregnancy then was miles easier and better than the one I’ve just had in my early 30s. I really felt the difference this time and it’s taking me longer to bounce back and lose the weight.

In other ways though I feel like my 30s is my prime - feeling less insecure, more confidence, a clearer sense of what I want from life and who I want in it.

Anyway, everyone is different. We've all been attracted to men we probably 'shouldn't' be , biologically.

Strongly disagree with this.

yes, that might be when they are thinnest and most fertile

in terms of confidence and being comfortable in their own bodies, I would say 40s.

Being considered attractive by men who find women under 25 in their prime is irrelevant to women's ability to find long term relationships. For one thing who would want a relationship with a man who thought you past it at 26? So their absence from an older womans dating pool is irrelevant. Difficulties in finding relationships rather than simply sex for women arise from the generally low standards of male behaviour, which is as much of an issue for 20s women as older ones.

If this were the case, I genuinely believe we'd rule the world because we'd hold all the cards and and know it

I mean, he's right that from a biological, reproductive perspective women are in their prime during that time. However, where he is completely wrong and purposefully blind is that it applies to men too. He's delusional if he thinks men are in their prime until their 40s. After age 30, testosterone declines in men and if you are judging people's value purely in terms of their biological makeup, that means all men over 30 are physically declining. Therefore, by his own standards, if women want a virile man at the peak of their physical fitness and biological capability they should only date men under age 30. But somehow, I suspect he wont like that when its also applied to him.

😂 so his definition of prime is the age when a woman will most easily conceive? Or when they're most attractive to him? What a knob.

From a biological perspective peak fertility for women is 25, dropping off fairly rapidly after 35.

From a sociological perspective he sounds like he's negging you. I'd move on

Thats very reductive and chooses to ignore the fact that human beings are more sophisticated than their biology. If that were not the case the plainest least attractive 25 year old would have more interest than a beautiful 35 year old, which is frankly absurd.
The misogyny arises from the partner of a woman concerned about aging cherry picking one theory in order to fuel her insecurity.

In my early twenties I was with a man who thought the same (to be fair, he also seemed to think men started going off after their 30th birthday). I am really glad we split, getting old with someone who is so insecure about ageing can't be much fun.

It isn’t about ‘fuckability’ it’s about biology, although of course that involves sex. I think a lot of posters are deliberately interpreting this wrong to give it a ‘misogynistic’ spin. Biologically speaking both men and women are in their prime in late teens/twenties. The decline for women after that is much faster than for men though, thats just how it is

In terms of reproduction, women have a much smaller window than men. However, mick jagger fathered a child at age 73 as did charlie chaplin. Noone in their right mind would therefore argue that men are in their prime at age 73 though would they? thats laughable.

in terms of confidence and being comfortable in their own bodies, I would say 40s.

Absolutely this!!

My ex used to say things like the OPs partner and I wasted my 20's trying to be 'perfect' for him. It's one of the reasons he's an ex.

I'm in my 40's now and have never felt so confident and attractive.
My DH agrees and says it's because I clearly don't care what people think.

I think your DP should ditch his Leonardo DiCaprio mindset and give more headspace to Miss Jean Brodie.

Your issue is you’re having two different discussions and are then both being a dick (or whatever our equivalent is 😂) about the entire discussion.

Biologically speaking both men and women are in their prime in late teens/twenties. The decline for women after that is much faster than for men though, thats just how it is.

When you say 'decline' are you referring only to fertility? Because that is obviously true.

However, if by 'biologically speaking' you mean in more of a general sense, then I disagree. An average 40 year old man is certainly not more fit, attractive or healthy than an average 40 year old woman. If anything, the opposite is true.

I've always found that a man's prime is when he is not being a misogynistic wank stain.

Yes, fertility-wise.

Health wise I’m not sure, menopause has a huge effect on women’s health and sense of well-being, obviously men don’t experience this.

Women tend to take better care of their health though - I guess we have to because we are used to living in a complex and ever changing body. We can also do more with our appearance - all men can do is hit the gym and get a hair cut really.

Mentally I think women age better than men, men tend to get grumpy and angry as they get older whereas women tend to see it as a release from domestic duties and thrive!

He is trying to undermine your confidence, why is he trying to make you feel bad? Confident women with good self esteem put up with far less shit. If he can undermine your confidence then he can have you at his beck and call.

Have you recently talked about wanting to make any changes in your life or taken up a new hobby or job or made any new friends?