Too much information
Susan Smythe*, 45, a married, stay-at-home mom who lives in Toronto, will attest to that. She got an eyeful at a Montreal male strip show a few years back and says it was "disgusting."
"Who wants to see a guy's penis?" she asks incredulously. Smythe says she wants a place to go with a group of girlfriends for a fun night out. She describes the ideal environment as classy with handsome waiters, and a talent-filled show. "It's not about looking for a guy. When you're younger you're always clinging to the hope that some guy will toss you a bone. But when you're older, you don't worry about that stuff."
Lori Perkins, a 47-year-old proofreader who lives in Montreal and is involved in a serious relationship, was pleasantly surprised by the Las Vegas Chippendales performance. "I thought it was going to be so cheesy," she says, "but it was really sexy."
Of the difference in reactions among the women in the audience, Perkins believes pride plays a role. "I think the younger women don't want to admit that they're having a good time. I don't think they can let themselves let go," she says. "I think the older the woman is, the less she cares. I mean, you may be a little embarrassed afterwards, but you're having the time of your life. One of the best parts of the show is seeing the other women in the room lose themselves and go crazy!"
Going crazy
While we may go crazy in the theatre, Abrams points out that midlife women are much more well behaved after the show. In the area known as the Flirt Lounge, where audience members are invited to get autographs and have their pictures taken with the dancers, we're generally polite and complimentary but we don't cross boundaries.
"That's where the younger girls can get out of hand," says Abrams. "They're young, you know, and often beautiful, and they think if they say things or do things they have a shot at one of us going home with them, which is not going to happen. Older women, however, give you a harmless hug and say ‘great job.' I prefer to interact with women of that calibre—and so do most of the guys."
*Name changed by request
This article originally appeared in the Summer 2009 issue of More
Hey, if you enjoyed this article check our some of our other favourites on the topic of sex and dating: A cougar by any other name explores this all-too-popular label; In praise of older men celebrates age gaps of the other sort, and The online meet market looks at dating by 'net.
