#5: Silver foxes and romance heroes, oh my!

<p dir="ltr">"Mr. Rochester was about forty, and this governess not twenty; and you see, when gentlemen of his age fall in love with girls, they are often like as if they were bewitched." (<i>Jane Eyre</i>, chapter XXXVI)</p> <p dir="ltr">In this episode, Jackie and Jen explore how older men (aka, "silver foxes") are portrayed in romance novels; why are they so popular, and why does it seem like no one cares that these older men are engaging in relationships with much younger women? What's the psychology behind this? And why are women authors continuing to play into this trope with their plots? Sound off in the comments after listening; do you think that we should get rid of age gaps in romance?</p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <p dir="ltr">TW: Discussions of rape and domestic violence; cheating, questionable consent, age of consent, "daddy issues," divorce, teacher-student "relationships"</p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <p dir="ltr">Terms and definitions:</p> <ul> <li><i>Age-gap romance</i>: a romance where there is a big difference in age between two (or more) lovers</li> <li><i>Daddy issues</i>: "A father complex develops when a person has a poor relationship with his or her father. The need for approval, support, love and understanding progresses into adulthood, and it may result in bad decisions with relationships." (Perspectives Counseling, 2019)</li> <li><i>BDSM</i>- "sexual preferences and behaviors involving physical restraints, an unequal power relationship, or pain, including the practice of bondage, discipline, dominance, submission, sadomasochism, etc." (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/bdsm">dictionary.com</a>, 2020)</li> <li><i>Insta-love</i>: When two characters instantly fall in love with each other (<a target="_blank" href="https://thanetwriters.com/essay/authenticity/storytelling-tropes-insta-love/">Thanet writers</a>, 2020)</li> <li><i>Insta</i>-<i>lust</i>: Similar to insta-love, however with this the characters fall instantly in lust with each other</li> <li><i>HEA</i>: