Britain: Cougar Country

We’re a nation of ‘Cougars’ with over half (52%) of women admitting to have dated a younger man, and of those who haven’t yet 70% are considering the option

Friendship, boosting self confidence, fun and knowing it would only be casual are the major attractions of younger men

Over 1 in 10 (12%) of British women actively hunt out younger men

Turning their backs on tradition, over a quarter (29%) would consider asking their man to marry them next leap year, 2012

 Young men of Gloucester are in luck  with the South West city coming out as the official cougar capital of the UK 

 23nd December 2011: A new survey commissioned by Badoo, the world’s largest social network for meeting new people, today reveals that British women are officially a nation of Cougars. Hot on the heels of the alleged relationship between thirty something Caroline Flack and fresh faced teen Harry from One Direction, the new survey shows that over half (52%) of British women have dated a younger man and over 1 in 10 (12%) would actively look for a partner younger than them. Even those who are yet to step into their cougar shoes are thinking about it, as 70% admit they’re considering dating a younger man.

It seems younger men offer a host of attractions over their older counterparts with relationships ‘stemming out of friendships’ being the number one reason for women seeking younger men (50%). ‘Boosting self confidence’ (16%), generally being more ‘fun’ (15%) and ‘knowing it would only be casual’ (15%) were other popular reasons that British women are turning to younger men. 

The poll of over 2,000 women showed that old fashioned values of men always being in control of a courtship are extremely outdated. Only 7% of women think it should always be the man who makes the first move and nearly three quarters (73%) think the view that a man should always start the conversation is old fashioned. Over a fifth (16%) would have no qualms in approaching a man they liked the look of, with 47% proudly stating that they have made the first move. Men can also put their wallets back in their pockets with only 13% of women expecting the man to pick up the bill. 

Virtual Courage 

Social networks have certainly helped this trend with women feeling even more confident to make the first move online. Over a third (35%) of women felt more self-assured to approach a man online rather than face to face.

And the Cougar Capital Is...

Gloucester, in the South West of Britain, takes the crown for the UK’s Cougar Capital with the highest percentage of women admitting to have dated a younger man. Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton follow closely behind. 

In contrast the most traditional women in the UK come from Aberystwyth with 60% believing the man should always make the first move. 

Amy Mills, a spokesperson for Badoo.com, which carried out the study, commented: “This is an interesting time for the women of Britain.  While Little Mix’ X Factor victory appeared to mark a Girl Power renaissance, poor Caroline Flack has taken a beating over her decision to date a younger man.  We felt sure that she wasn’t alone in that preference – and sure enough, our survey’s shown that we’re in fact a nation of cougars!

We’re delighted that Badoo’s empowering women around the country to make the first move – be that in approaching someone who takes their eye romantically (no matter how old they might be!), or in contacting other male or female users locally that share their interests and with whom they can meet up and socialise.  There’s something for everyone at Badoo.com!”