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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Is it acceptable to say another women is more attractive because she’s younger?

139 replies

Pluto5 · 08/03/2026 20:32

After a year and a bit of OLD after losing my husband of 20 years I’ve had enough. I’ve met one full on narc, one womaniser, one very socially introverted and the other still in love with his ex. Plus not to mention about 50 more that have wasted my time texting just to fizzle.

so I went on Chat GPT and it told me to detox from all men for minimum of 6 weeks. Block all ex’s and dating apps. Apps had been deleted since October anyway. I’d just started and an American man added me as a friend on Instagram he’s 32 I’m 41. We’d been commenting on the same post. He described himself as very chilled out and nonchalant. Texts every day for a month but at times it’s been a bit slow or long I In-between due to time difference. Lately we started phoning each other most days, he has talked about having a fair few ex’s but has never lived with anyone, he lives with his mum and brother as rent is expensive. He’s says it’s his fault all previous relationships have ended as he didn’t prioritise the women’s needs. This was so refreshing compared to men here. If there is a pause in text time he will explain where he’s been and apologise.

he mentioned a few of his ex’s were Asian . So to cut a massive long story short, I’ve tried to end it a few times as I keep thinking logically where would-it go? I have 4 kids here 3 teenagers, I’m in my last year of nursing school. He has twice said I wish you all the best if you don’t think it will work I’m not going to convince you if your mind is made up but I’ve expressed that I think it could.

he’s also said a few times that he hopes I’m attractive to him. Plus he gushes if I say I’m starting to miss it when we don’t speak. We have a lot of jokey banter.

last night after a 3 hour phone call I said he was very cute and he said “ my looks?” I said no your personality but yes obviously I do think you’re good looking. I don't think he’s anything special I’d say a 5/6 at most but I like his personality. Then I flipped it and said “do you think I’m cute as you’ve never said”. So he phones me and said “ do I think you’re cute?” Then he said let me think about it, then he said mmmmm yes for a 41 year old but not compared to a 27 year old. I was gobsmacked, I asked what he meant and said I get loads of attention and he said yes what do men say? You’re attractive or you’re attractive for your age? He said everyone knows a women’s prime is in her 20s you can’t expect to compete. I didn’t try to compete. He said my body and long blonde hair would bump me up when I’m out that’s why I’d get attention. But he said if you looked at the face of a 24 year old and yours hers would be bette. He said if he was out with me, people would say I was attractive for my age but would say she’s 9 years older. He said if he was out with a 27 year old they would just say he was out with a 10 🤦‍♀️

every conversation is pretty much a debate. He said to me the other day that all parents have a favourite kid. When I said I don’t he said I was lying. He hasn’t got kids so he can’t know. He said from what other people have told him and what he sees he believes it’s true.

I messaged him this morning to say I was deeply offended and he said he understood and he was sorry he made me feel like that. I said that doesn’t really help to put my mind at rest. I said you could have just said I’m attractive but why the comparison and I said I just worry that he thinks I’m too old for him and every year I’d have an expiry date. He said he never said that ever but will let me think what I like.

I then left him a voice note saying I know he is a bit emotionally guarded and doesn’t like showing vunerabikity but sometimes I need reassurance especially when you’ve insulted me. I said if you message or ring me I’ll take it you want to build something still if you don’t then it’s a no. He’s had me on read for 4 hours. I’m really upset how that all turned so fast.

that was not a normal response from him was it? The more I think about it the weirder it goes. He’s also said he has no trouble cutting people off as he doesn’t feel stuff or even if he does he can still just walk away. Is this avoident behaviour? .

OP posts:
mondaytosunday · 08/03/2026 23:38

This is why you don’t keep texting but meet in real life after a couple days! Lots of people seem to be happy texting forever .
Anyway he’s not for you so move on.

ComedyGuns · 08/03/2026 23:48

Well he’s obviously a twat.

Move on, and quickly.

MmeWorthington · 09/03/2026 04:22

Plus I look early 30s so not as if I’m a typical looking 49 year old., I’m baby faced.

So… because you look younger than a ‘typical 49 yo’ you think you look better?

So you’re saying that younger is better looking?

He shouldn’t have said it. And his behaviour is horrible. But your messages to yourself are very mixed. And mixed up.

MaggieBsBoat · 09/03/2026 04:30

YABUBto give him any more time. Block and move on.

Obviously younger women are generally more sexually attractive to men. That’s how nature works. Saying it shouldn’t be how relationships work.

pilates · 09/03/2026 04:55

He’s making you feel insecure and shit about yourself. For that reason I would end talking to him. He’s not a catch anyway still living with mummy.

JMSA · 09/03/2026 05:20

Block and delete. And next time don’t engage with random weirdos on the internet.

Nevermind17 · 09/03/2026 05:48

I just can’t get my head around how sweet and lovely he’s been and very consistent for 4 weeks. All day every day, him chasing; him adding me, him constantly engaging.

That is not ‘lovely’. He isn’t ‘chasing’ you. He’s sat on his arse using you to relieve his boredom. He has done nothing for you. You really need to look hard at why you feel he’s been good for you and why you’re so hung up on an actual stranger and his opinion of you? This is exactly how romance scammers work. Before you know it he’ll be throwing you a sob story and asking for money for a flight to come and see you.

101Alsatians · 09/03/2026 06:03

Baby faced or baby minded? 🤣

MyTrivia · 09/03/2026 06:11

Nasty piece of misogynistic work. There are some men out there who think that we want to hear an essay on how we look.

Honestly, cut him out of your life. It’s interesting to me that you say he’s not physically attractive - there, you have the answer to why he’s negging you.

Negging has a psychological reasoning behind it which aims to make a woman feel ‘not that special’ so that you don’t realise you can do better than him.

NoYourNameChanged · 09/03/2026 06:22

He was red flag central even before you got to his shallow age related comments, I don’t really understand why you bothered at all. Well, I kind of do, you seem absolutely desperate for male validation, I guess your confidence isn’t the best since your marriage? I don’t know, I do know it’s a shame to hang your worth on men finding you attractive or otherwise.

Openroady · 09/03/2026 06:26

ForAmusedHazelQuoter · 08/03/2026 20:38

It all sounds like a complete waste of time and energy.

This

it’s not real OP and he sounds like a total idiot even if it were

Tarkadaaaahling · 09/03/2026 06:33

NoYourNameChanged · 09/03/2026 06:22

He was red flag central even before you got to his shallow age related comments, I don’t really understand why you bothered at all. Well, I kind of do, you seem absolutely desperate for male validation, I guess your confidence isn’t the best since your marriage? I don’t know, I do know it’s a shame to hang your worth on men finding you attractive or otherwise.

This OP. It's really obvious you find it flattering that a load of weirdos message you on Facebook, and a sign that you are quite attractive - the reality is they probably message you because you've left your profile open to people doing this (most of us locked down our privacy settings years ago to say people we don't know can't message us) so weirdos out there actively seek out the profiles like yours as targets to scam.

I really don't know why you wasted so much time on a bloke who sounds a bit of a loser really, living at home with his mum at 32 and in America so no point pursuing it? The whole thing is weird and does really sound like a bit of a romance scam. They aren't always amazing looking - I think sometimes they deliberately go for 'normal looking' to make the whole thing more realistic to you

Jlom · 09/03/2026 06:41

He is a 32 year old single man(unless he is lying which is very possible), chatting to a woman in her 40's with four kids. That isn't a relationship many men in their early 30s get themselves into in real life. If he was looking to improve his UK immigration status, you might have a future but as he is American that is unlikely. He is doing it for fun and attention but that is it. Presumably the same reasons you are doing it. It is a bit of a waste of time if you actually want to meet someone.

ISpyNoPlumPie · 09/03/2026 06:51

“So I went on ChatGPT” - not sure why you need this kind of basic advice from ChatGPT.

“he mentioned a few of his ex’s were Asian” “the fact all his ex’s were Asian annoyed me too” - not sure what’s going on for you here.

“I then left him a long voice note [saying] sometimes I need reassurance especially when you’ve insulted me” - really???

“not to blow my own trumpet I’m very attractive and get so much male attention” - how is that working out for you?

“he’s not that fit, I said a 5/6 max” - rating his attractiveness, nice, so manosphere-y.

“I look early 30s so not as if i’m a typical looking 49 year old. I’m baby faced.” - 41 or 49?

So many “plot” holes. So much nonsense.

ApplebyArrows · 09/03/2026 08:28

27 isn't even that far off 41 really; plenty of 41-year-olds are more attractive than lots of 27-year-olds!

To be fair I wouldn't describe anyone in their 40s as "cute" no matter how pretty or beautiful they were, but maybe that's just me.

Owly11 · 09/03/2026 08:33

What the fuck? What a waste of time and energy. Why are you even engaging in this bullshit?

Pokko · 09/03/2026 08:39

Unbelievable OP.
He's barely more than a decade older than your eldest and lives with his mum.
Are you looking for another dependent?
Wasting your time with an idiot.

janietreemore · 09/03/2026 08:45

Now way is this going to turn into a real relationship even without the comments which offended you. Just stop!

Swiftie1878 · 09/03/2026 08:49

Pluto5 · 08/03/2026 22:30

i didn’t bring up the attractive issue it’s because he was always fishing for compliments. So I was fed up of saying he was nice looking. He’s not ugly but I couldn’t really say you’re average.

the issue is this preference it’s the fact that I asked a straight forward question do you think I’m cute and he said yes for my age. No
nedd to say for my age. Plus I look early 30s so not as if I’m a typical looking 49 year old., I’m baby faced.

You really have a very high opinion of yourself, don’t you? 😂

I don’t know what you think this ‘relationship’ was/is, but you are wrong. It’s nothing.

What happened to your detox? ChatGTP got that one right.

Wishimaywishimight · 09/03/2026 09:01

He sounds awful but I would find you quite off-putting too with all the boasting about how much attention and compliments you get from men - that's rather immature!

Pluto5 · 09/03/2026 09:25

Sorry a few typos last night, I was tired, I am 41 not 49 so 9 year gap

OP posts:
Pluto5 · 09/03/2026 09:27

ApplebyArrows · 09/03/2026 08:28

27 isn't even that far off 41 really; plenty of 41-year-olds are more attractive than lots of 27-year-olds!

To be fair I wouldn't describe anyone in their 40s as "cute" no matter how pretty or beautiful they were, but maybe that's just me.

And he says cute I think because he’s American, I’d say pretty or beautiful

OP posts:
Swiftie1878 · 09/03/2026 09:27

Pluto5 · 09/03/2026 09:25

Sorry a few typos last night, I was tired, I am 41 not 49 so 9 year gap

Don’t worry. That’s old age for you. 😂😉

fatphalange · 09/03/2026 09:30

I mean even if this is for validation purposes (getting talking to randoms online), it’s not really hitting the mark, is it? He’s unpleasant and the dynamic is combative.

Pluto5 · 09/03/2026 09:35

Jlom · 09/03/2026 06:41

He is a 32 year old single man(unless he is lying which is very possible), chatting to a woman in her 40's with four kids. That isn't a relationship many men in their early 30s get themselves into in real life. If he was looking to improve his UK immigration status, you might have a future but as he is American that is unlikely. He is doing it for fun and attention but that is it. Presumably the same reasons you are doing it. It is a bit of a waste of time if you actually want to meet someone.

He left me a voice note last night saying he never said I was unattractive and said if he wasn’t into me he wouldn’t have been the one saying it could work. He said if I wanted to come to England so bad I’d have found someone in London not someone who lives miles away in the country as he hate the country.

he actually wanted me to go there rather than him come here. It is a headfry really as I can’t just leave and go live in America. I’ve never had like an American dream or anything. It’s just annoying as apart from this everything else was good. I just feel like he ruined it.

OP posts:
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