The importance of age differences in romantic relationships have been a topic of debate for a long time in American society. It is not uncommon to see older men with much younger women and it is becoming more and more common to see older women with younger men. Still, many people wonder about whether or not it is a good thing to be in a relationship with a large age gap. The issues that are involved in the subject of age gaps in relationships range from social stigmas, interests, family, time, and more. These potential problems are being discussed by sociologists and the results are being written about in magazines across the country, all trying to answer the question of whether or not age really matters when it comes down to picking your husband or wife.
Most people would agree that age gaps do make a difference in relationships, whether you mean for them to or not. As one writer Arbraham Lloyd explains, "Age is the vehicle by which we experience common milestones in life. These milestones give us the ability to relate to one another"(Lloyd 1). He goes on to say that it is hard to have things in common if you have not experienced as much as your partner, "Age itself isn't a factor in compatibility — it's elements like maturity and life experience, which tend to correlate with age, that can make or break a relationship's long-term potential" (Lloyd 1). This is one concern people have when making choices about a relationship, but there are also many other important factors such as goals, careers, and of course personality that are even more important than being the same age.
A very important part of any relationship is physical attraction, something that can become an issue when you are with someone who is much older than you. For women who are in a relationship where they are much older than their partner this is especially a concern because a woman's ability to feel beautiful is so important. One woman who was interviewed