#6: On the Prowl With Cougars

<p>"...[D]ear reader, everyone knows that romance for women ends at 30. Doesn’t it?”(Jones, <a href="https://romancejunkies.com/where-are-the-midlife-heroines-in-romance-novels-kathleen-jones/" target="_blank">2017</a>)</p> <p>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."</p> <p>TW: Teacher-student “relationships,” age gaps, discussion of the porn industry’s influence on romance, divorce, miscarriage, Abusive relationships; talk about BDSM</p> <p></p> <p>Terms:</p> <ul> <li>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" (<a href="https://www.liveabout.com/what-is-a-cougar-3534236#:~:text=Cougars%20are%20defined%20as%20older,years%20older%20than%20their%20husbands" target="_blank">Lowen, 2020)</a></li> <li>Wife Husbandry- "A story where (usually) a man falls in love with a woman, having raised her from childhood." (<a href="https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WifeHusbandry#:~:text=A%20story%20where%20(usually)%20a,having%20raised%20her%20from%20childhood." target="_blank">tvtropes.org, 2020</a>)</li> <li>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</li> <li>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." (<a href="https://www.allianceindependentauthors.org/independent-indie-author/#:~:text