Nightowl
Registered
Mature single women falling for younger men have often been dubbed "cougars", but the term for their male counterparts - "rhino" - often escapes attention.
I think we should probe further:
"The rhino is usually found in warmer locales and can be spotted wearing either a flowered or pastel shirt (with 3 buttons opened to expose a mature mane of chest hair) tucked into khaki shorts and sporting boat shoes."
"Also look for horrendous dance moves, a white man's overbite, male pattern baldness and a penchant for picking up the bar tab."
But even if a term like the "rhino" exists, it is much less offensive then calling a woman a "cougar", say critics
"The thing about the term itself is that it's easy to suspect that it makes the connection between women who are looking for a certain kind of partner and a cougar which is looking for prey,"
"There's very much here a sense of men being thought of as defenceless, as being threatened, used up and discarded."
He also explains the societal attitude associated with the term: "Men think it's perfectly acceptable to go out with younger women and therefore those older men, like Rod Stewart , seem to be admired by other men - it's an achievement.
"It makes men anxious if women start doing the same things. Older men start feeling anxious that they won't find a partner."
"It makes men anxious if women start doing the same things. Older men start feeling anxious that they won't find a partner."
"I think when you talk about a male equivalent (of cougar) the thing is for men it's been perfectly acceptable to look for younger girlfriends so in a sense what we are seeing here is an equal opportunity action."
So, nice to hear that there truly is a word for them...well those
