Younger

as in

"She’s younger than me."

Variations: "She’s a lot younger than me ... I wish she was younger / a lot younger than me ... Younger girls are more fun / sensitive / intelligent / whatever."

Not much chance of equality here, is there? And no use quoting exceptions to the rule either. Of course, there are some blokes who prefer older women. But somehow this only compounds the inequality - they are still getting to choose / use what they want.

Interestingly, the age difference need only be very slight in the beginning. A couple for years, even a few months can be enough. Indeed, there are cases on record of just a few days mattering. And if you think this is unbelievable, check out how your man would react if you were even five minutes older than him. The fact that there is a difference - in his favour - matters more than the size of the difference.

But what’s with the emphasis on age? He may be happy that you are shorter, thinner, paler, less hairy than him, but he doesn’t go around broadcasting the fact.

One reason is the difference means he will always hold an advantage. One day you may be taller, fatter, darker, or even more hairy but you will never be older. He will always be able to claim superior experience.

This means that he has de facto the authority to be the master, to be in control. No matter to him that girls mature faster and earlier than boys (if boys mature at all - something worth discussing another time!).

The flaw in their argument that their affection for girls younger than themselves is somehow salutary is exposed by the fact that they like them ever younger as they get older - a kind of Dorian Gray system where the sum total of his and her ages must never exceed a certain ideal total, like 60 years.

The truth is that as they weather, men need ever younger girls in the hope of keeping control of the relationship - which is invariably a futile pursuit since in most cases they never had anything but the vestige of it in the first place.