Raging Romantics

#6: On the Prowl With Cougars

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"...[D]ear reader, everyone knows that romance for women ends at 30. Doesn’t it?”(Jones, 2017)

Be warned y'all, JACKIE GETS VERY RAGEY IN THIS EPISODE. Why, you may ask? Because herein Jen and Jackie take on the patriarchy that is rife in western culture with a discussion of cougars in romance novels. We review the history of the term "cougar," and ponder why older women in romance novels simply isn't a "thing."

TW: Teacher-student “relationships,” age gaps, discussion of the porn industry’s influence on romance, divorce, miscarriage, Abusive relationships; talk about BDSM


Terms:

  • Cougar- "A "cougar" is typically defined as an older woman who is primarily attracted to younger men, often involving a sexual relationship. Although there are no precise ages, the woman is usually 35 years or older with the man more than eight years her junior" (Lowen, 2020)
  • Wife Husbandry- "A story where (usually) a man falls in love with a woman, having raised her from childhood." (tvtropes.org, 2020)
  • Chick Lit- also known as "women's literature," refers to books that feature women characters and usually a plot of self-discovery; isn't necessarily a romance although it may feature a love story
  • Independent/Indie Publishing- "Smaller publishing company which, like the big conglomerates, commissions books from authors and publish at the company’s expense, not the author’s. If very small, they are called micro-publishers." (Alliance of Independent Authors, 2020)
  • BBW- "Big, Bold Woman," referring to a woman of a larger size; also called a "curvy" romance
  • BDSM- "bondage and discipline, domination and submission, sadism and masochism" (Cosmopolitan.com, 2020)
  • Boomer- Generation born between 1946-1964

    • Books read/mentioned:

    • Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner

    • King’s Spinster Bride by Ruby Dixon

    • Madness of Lord Ian McKenzie by Jennifer Ashley

    • Anyone but You by Jennifer Crusie

    • The Forbidden Man by Karina Halle

    • Sinners on Tour series by Olivia Cunning

      • Book 1, Backstage Pass

      • To the Max by Elle Aycart

      • Melt for You by JT Geissinger

      • Toy Boy by Lily Harlem

      • On the Island by Tracey Garves Graves

      • One Summer by Karen Robards

        Articles:

        • "May-December Romance-- Avoiding the Cougar Gap" (L.G. O'Conner, 2016)
        • "Where are the Midlife Heroines in Romance Novels?" (Kathleen Jones, 2017)
        • "#ViveLaDifference: Older Heroines" (Ernst et al., 2017)
        • "15 Reasons Why Cougars Are So Appealing to Men" (Riordan, 2015) 
          • (Jen and Jackie do NOT agree with this article!!!)
          • "Cougars: hot or reheated?" (Berry, 2012)
          • "A 'Cougar' State of Mind" (Schwartz, 2010)
          • "What does it mean when a woman is called a cougar?" (Lowen, 2020)
          • "Changing the Scripts: Midlife Women's Sexuality in Contemporary US Film" (Weitz, 2010)
          • "The Cougar Conundrum" (Shpancer, 2012)
          • "Spreading the Word (and Pictures) on 'Real' Sex" (Buckley, 2012)
            • ...more
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            Raging RomanticsBy Northern Onondaga Public Library
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