35+ Year-Old-Women and the “C” Word

By Michelle Clower, Co-Owner/Creator, Sassy Shirtz

Depending on your preference, being called the “C” word or “Cougar” is not a compliment. The urban definition is: A 35-year-old female who is on the “hunt” for a much younger, energetic male. Cougars are non-committal, choosing to move from mate to mate without ever settling down. They are usually financially independent, and enjoy having total control.

When you consider the male to female ratio and the suggestion that a woman’s odds of getting married decreases significantly after age 35; quite a few women may be erroneously mislabeled with that term. Let’s briefly examine the nature of an actual cougar. The cougar, also known as the puma, mountain lion, mountain cat, catamount, or panther is an adaptable, solitary cat. A capable stalk-and-ambush predator, the cougar pursues a wide variety of prey. While it is a large predator, it is not always the dominant species in its range.

Many mature, financially independent women seeking love look for quality relationships. Forced to maintain control in the workplace, they welcome the opportunity to let their guard down at home. Although most women want a man who is energetic and young at heart, they don’t necessarily want a man young in age (or mind).

Maybe it’s just me, but making a real connection between definitions is a stretch. Besides the fact that the term is in poor taste in general, I think the word cougar should not have been chosen because it starts with the letter “c” and women already have another “C” word we can’t stand.

When I’m accused of “not having a sense of humor” or “taking a slang term too seriously”, I look the person squarely in the eye; consider one of Webster’s Dictionary definitions for the word “slang” which means: Slang (noun) – the special vocabulary of thieves, vagabonds, etc.; argot. and I laugh.