'New Trends'

There seems to be a new trend amongst women and men; at least, this is what the media is portraying. In the last week, I have been contacted by both a newspaper journalist and a documentary team for Channel Four about the subject of women paying for escorts. The poor, male, documentary researcher, only having the perspective of a poor, male, documentary researcher, was convinced that older women only pay for sex because they don't have the ability to 'pick-up' at bars anymore. Little did he realize, that other issues might be involved. Such as, why should she sit in a smelly old pub, when she can just 'dial-a-man' and one can come to her doorstep?

There was also the 'new trend' of older women, perhaps recently divorced, having relations with younger 'toy boys'. The shock, the horror, the fun!!! What these two trends have in common is a recent shift in economics for women. Unlike previous generations, where a woman was more likely to work in the home and therefore have less access to hard currency, she is now aspiring to a similar economic freedom as men.

Another factor is societies shifting attitudes towards what constitutes a relationship. As we move furthur away from the stifling, yet traditional model of male/female, monogamous relationships and more towards an openness about different types of relationships, ones which are less stringent, we will see things such as gay marriages becoming more accepted, and older women choosing to buy their buff, younger men, Armani suits and Gucci watches.