April 25, 2025
by Talia Renee Whitmore

I’ve kept this thought in the back of my mind for years, never really saying it out loud because… well, people don’t take kindly to women admitting they notice certain things. Especially this kind of thing.

I always hear people asking, “Why would a grown woman ever be into a teenage boy?” Usually in the context of some scandal—like a teacher and her student—and everyone acts like it’s the most unthinkable thing ever. And I’m not saying it’s okay to cross those lines, obviously. But I think people pretend not to understand something that, if they were being honest, isn’t that hard to get.

Here’s my take: when I was a teenager, I crushed hard on boys my age. And honestly? They looked amazing. Clear skin, full heads of hair, lean but strong builds, the kind of reckless confidence that hadn’t yet been replaced by bitterness or dad jokes. They were just… radiant in that youthful, careless way.

But now? Most of those same guys have aged like unrefrigerated milk.

It’s not even just about physical stuff—though, yeah, a lot of them got sloppy. Beer bellies, patchy beards, receding hairlines, and some of them dress like they gave up years ago. But beyond that, it’s like something died in their spirit. They just kind of go through the motions now. No charm, no fire, no light in the eyes.

Of course, not all of them. Some grew up into truly good-looking, well-rounded men. But in my experience? That’s been the minority.

So when people act shocked that a woman might be drawn to someone younger, I just kind of shrug. Because maybe it’s not that complicated. Maybe it’s just that youth still has an energy to it—an unfiltered, unjaded glow that a lot of older guys seem to lose along the way. And maybe some women notice that more than they admit.

Do I think it excuses inappropriate relationships? No. But do I understand the attraction part? Yeah. Probably more than I’m supposed to say out loud.