We find that men remain active in the dating and sexual marketplace longer than women

Dating and sexualities across the life course: The interactive effects of aging and gender. Lisa R. Miller, Justin R. Garcia, Amanda N. Gesselman. Journal of Aging Studies, Volume 57, June 2021, 100921. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaging.2021.100921

Highlights

• The authors investigate whether aging differentially impacts single women's and men's dating and sexual attitudes and behaviors

• The authors find that aging has greater effects on women's than men's dating and sexual attitudes and behaviors

• Gender differences in dating and sexuality are only found in specific stages of the life course

• Age is central to understandings of gendered heterosexuality

Abstract: Research on aging and sexuality has proliferated in recent years. However, little is known about the gender-specific effects of aging on dating and sexuality. Using survey data from the 2014 wave of Singles in America (SIA), a comprehensive survey on adult singles' experiences with dating and sexuality, we examine whether age differentially affects heterosexual women's and men's dating and sexual attitudes and behaviors and whether gender differences persist across the life course. We find that men remain active in the dating and sexual marketplace longer than women. Although main effects of gender differences are documented in dating and sexual attitudes and behaviors, the results show that gender does not operate the same across the life course. Notably, gender differences shrink or are eliminated in attitudes and behaviors surrounding partnering in midlife and late adulthood, suggesting that age is integral to understanding gendered heterosexuality.

Keywords: GenderSexualitiesAgingIntimate relationshipsLife course