To start this episode, Suzanna talks about the negative connotations surrounding the title “cougar.” There are considerable allusions to predatory behavior when the term is brought up. Of course, Suzanna was well aware of this and after much deliberation, she decided to still include the oft-controversial “cougar” in the subtitle of her book, Revising Mrs. Robinson: Navigating Cougar-Cub Dating and Relationships. To find out the reason why tune into this very ... See More fascinating episode.
In addition to the aforementioned elements that Mathews researched for her book, she talks about evolutionary psychology in a way that is as informative as it is enlightening. Talking about the female perspective, in particular, women have developed neurophysiological behaviors that can offer up insights into what Suzanna calls a “hyper-analysis” in relationships--one which often acts as a barrier for most women. For more on this crucial idea, listen to Suzanna further explain the concept from an evolutionary perspective.
Without a doubt, the things that Suzanna says about ageism and sexism in this episode are the crux of the whole topic. Because of the considerable age gap (often 15-20 years difference) between a cub and a cougar, issues of age are omnipresent--from a cultural perspective, as well as an internal, personal perspective in the minds of the women involved. Suzanna also makes some cogent points about the sexism that pervades the cougar-cub dating culture.