Over-Age Sex
The huge outcry over 66-year old Janice Langley’s sex education DVD for the Women’s Institute has made us all question our assumptions about the age at which we might stop enjoying a fulfilling sex life.
Langley – a retired sex therapist – sought to enlighten fellow Institute members about how to keep a lively sex life going into old age; how to explore the pleasures of masturbation and the role of porn and sex toys in increasing sexual excitement. For this – surprise, surprise – she was ridiculed and told by the Daily Mail to stick to jam making.
Sex and the over 70's
Why? A recent study by Swedish researchers confirmed that 68% of married men in their 70’s were still having regular sex and 56% of married women in their 70’s. Around a third said they were having sex once a week. Other studies have shown that it’s the over 50’s who have the fastest growing numbers of sexually transmitted diseases. Over the last two years there’s been a worrying acceleration of the numbers of over 60’s contracting chlamydia.
Sex and Beauty
It’s clear that seniors are continuing to heat the sheets well into their dotage. So why then do so many younger people cringe at the idea of the over 60’s having a fulfilling sex life?
On our television screens and in the cinema we’re bombarded by images of couples with perfect bodies rolling around with abandon. From this we may well conclude that only ‘beautiful’ people really enjoy carefree sex. A pity, since few of us – whatever our age – consider our bodies to be perfect.
Still Lovable
Equally, few of us would consider our grandparents to be unlovable just because they’re elderly. And most would agree that sex is simply a natural physical expression of the love between two people. So why should the physical expression of that love end at 60?
Have YOUR Say
Do YOU feel uncomfortable at the idea of ‘over-age’ sex? Do you welcome Janice Langley’s attempt to tackle this taboo subject? Should the over 60’s just keep quiet about their sex lives? Tell us what you think. Join in our forums or post a comment below…..
Further Reading
Article: 'A Surprise? Only for the Younger Reader' Times Online 23/8/07
Article - 'Why Age is no Barrier to Sex for the Passionate Pensioners' (Daily Mail 24/8/07)
Dear Guest
You are an inspiration to all of us and your wife is one very lucky lady! I hope you stay just as you are!
well this is a new forum for me, however we have been married fourty five years, and our sex life is as good if not better,(it is better), than when we where in our twenties. Why? fortunately we have always had a great sexual relationship, a great family, some people make it and some dont. I truly feel sorry for a break up in marriage, especially when children are involved. Too much want this now, attitude. Get off my rostrum. Have we been lucky, I don,t think so,probably old fashioned, I am not perfect, but if I had met Miss World, would I have swopped my wife and children for her, no way. We have had our upsets, and hard times, but we always kicked back, never give in. And now the family is flown, and even the grandkids are grown now. What a wonderful life, I have had, you must ask the wife for her contribution, as for me , do I care what the young people think about old peoples sex, its great sorry
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