Are Desperate Housewives Really That Desperate?

For anyone of us with eyes it’s hard to believe that the lovely Teri Hatcher could ever possibly consider herself a “has been” but that’s exactly the way she felt right before she landed the gig as Desperate Housewives’ beautiful-but-clutzy Susan.

And that’s how many women over forty still feel about themselves in this great country of ours.


Desperate Housewives And Women Over Forty

How could this be? Unfortunately for quite some time both our youth obsessed media and society have viewed single women over forty (as well as women over forty in general) as less than desirable, and have therefore acted as if they barely exist, and if they do, well, they’re desperate.

Of course there have been always been exceptions – such as the ever evolving Madonna (who will not be ignored), and Kim Cattral (whose character Samantha in Sex and the City started the revolution of looking at women over forty in a new light) – but these women have been seen as examples of amazing genetics rather than the rule, along with the likes of Susan Sarandon (now in her 50’s), Lauren Hutton (now 60), and who could forget Sophia Lauren?

But as someone who’s carefully scrutinized the society around me, the media, and a myriad of online dating sites (almost too many to count) I can honestly say that sexy, fantastic looking women over forty are everywhere – and I’m thrilled to see that the media is slowly taking notice that we might want to rethink our old adage that men age better than women. Just this month high fashion magazine Harper’s Bazaar put Goldie Hawn (now 58), not her daughter Kate Hudson, on their cover.


`Desperate Housewives` Aging Much Better Than Men

Guys, I have to be honest with you, on the whole women these days are aging much better than men. Take a look at any Internet dating site and compare the men to the women in their mid thirties and up and you’ll see what I’m talking about. If you’re brave enough to venture out of your younger woman comfort zone and broaden your age requirements you’ll see profile after profile of attractive, fit, interesting women on sites like Match.com and Salon.com personals. Looking for something on the spice channel? Sites like Adult Friend Finder may be more up your alley.

I’m not saying this to gang up on men, or hurt your feelings. I’m just pointing out a fact. Sure, there are men who look fantastic into their forties, fifties, and sixties but men aging as well as the Tom Cruise types, the Keeanu Reeves (yep, the righteous dude is going to be forty-one this year) and Pierce Brosnans of the world are far more the exception than the rule.

There’s a good reason for all this (so take a hint here): The truth is most women take better care of themselves than men, and by the time you hit your mid thirties (for both sexes), if you haven’t been exercising regularly, wearing sunscreen, and eating the right diet, life starts to take its toll on your appearance – especially if you smoke and drink regularly and heavily.

Frankly there’s a very good reasons why women like Demi Moore and Madonna have gone for considerably younger men: They can.


Put The Eighties Behind You

I’ve also found that far more men than women are caught in a time warp, hung up on the era of their youth. Personally I put the eighties behind me a long time ago, but not so with many of my male peers – both in dress and taste the eighties are still alive and well and not just for a music night. Think about it, isn’t that a bit desperate? Living in the past will freeze you in the past, and age you before your time.

It’s quite possible you’ve already found out that trying to hold on to the era of your youth isn’t a great way to attract younger women either. Michael Douglas may be able to marry the stunning Catherine Zeta-Jones, but many middle-aged men are now finding that our obsession with youth is now cutting both ways.

So men I’m inviting those of you in your mid thirties and up to consider moving your age requirements for the women you’re interested in dating up several notches. Of course if you still want to have children this may not be possible, it’s all up to you to decide, but if you open to giving it a try I’m sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised. After all, would you kick Sandra Bullock, Heather Locklear or Sharon Stone out of bed?

I didn’t think so. And yes, they are all over 40.


Are `Desperate Housewives` Lying About Their Age?

Which brings up another good point. In all honesty, some of the younger women who’ve been turning your head may not be as young as you think after all. Women in their late thirties and up, who’ve kept fit and fashionable, who know they stack up well against both their male and female peers, have simply taken to lying about their age both in person and online in a desperate attempt to get a fair chance at the sort of men they desire to date.

In fact, Evan Katz author and creator of Ecyrano.com himself recommends that women in their late thirties and up fib a bit about their age so that they’ll fit into the more popular age searches and have the opportunity to meet more dates.

So what could be the harm in just looking, in just considering dating women your own age, and well, even older? Open your mind, open your eyes and look around. The only wildly hot women over forty aren’t just on your television set, or at your local movies theater. There may be some very beautiful, sexy forty plus women right under your nose – either right across the street, at the grocery store, at the bookstore, or of course right on the Internet – who are desperate to meet you.

Need another reason to rethink the age requirements in the women you date? Do I really need to remind you that women don’t even start to come into their own sexually until their mid thirties? Watch the next episode of Desperate Housewives and you`ll know what I`m talking about.