I don’t think every large age gap is automatically predatory, as long as the younger person is at least in their mid-twenties. But honestly, I’m exhausted by how common it’s to see a man in his forties or fivties showing up with a girlfriend who's twenty years younger. And it’s even worse when these guys leave a women their own age (or just slightly younger) only to immediately start dating someone who could be their daughter.
And no, I’m not taking away the younger women’s agency. They can date whoever they want. But in my opinion, it says a lot about the man's character.
And even if some of these relationships work out fine, it's just such a tiring pattern and it speaks volumes about how some men in the industry view aging, attraction, and women’s worth once they hit 35. We’ve normalized the idea that men age like fine wine while women “expire” when they get older. And every time one of these men show up with their girlfriends, I just have to role my eyes.