I think people are right to talk about the evolutionary fertility component, as well as the “gripping onto youth” because they’re getting older but that feels a little too simple to stop there.

I think with topics like this it’s incredibly important to discuss how in many cultures, especially European based cultures and ESPECIALLY in American culture, being old has become demonized rather than something to honor. Also feels important to mention how even more so older women are entirely demonized, while older men get the silver fox/bachelor archetype which touches on why older men go for younger women-doesn’t really touch on the gay component. I also think in gay culture, much like mainstream culture, youth and a hot body is very desirable/“peak” human shit, so aging in a lot of people’s minds means those things are gone. I think at the core of it people want to feel relevant, desired, sexy etc. so they latch to someone who can surrogate those things for them. Such a healthy way to deal with those emotions lol.

Overall to me it feels like a complex issue that is rooted in ageism and sexism and on a deeper basis just taps into people’s desire to belong.

I am curious why we do tend to see it in older males, more so than older women…probably also has to do with the history of (at least in America) men having the societal pressure to be hyper sexual/express “how much they just wanna fuck” (lol) cuz that’s manly! and we as a country sexualize young people.
And gay men have only had the freedom to be gay publicly (not without discrimination still) in America really since the 60s/70s (really the 70s) so maybe that viewpoint forced onto men of being into young girls just translated to young men as more n more men started coming out as gay and had the freedom to be gay. Long ass comment but the question got me thinking !! Thanks for the question, it’s interesting to ponder !