[metaphor]

Biased age disparity in marriage is hardly a "fantasy" or even "taboo". I suspect if you looked at e.g. the top quintile of male earners, or those who married more than once, you're liable to see an even more pronounced gap over the aggregate median. Equally as interesting, how do wealthy divorced/widowed women marry afterwards?

Poking at US presidents that stood out (i.e. more than 5 years):

  | President | Born  | Spouse| Delta |
  |-----------|-------|-------|-------|
  | Biden     | 1942  | 1951* | 9     |
  | Trump     | 1946  | 1970* | 24    |
  | Reagan    | 1911  | 1921* | 10    |
  | Kennedy   | 1917  | 1929  | 12    |
  | Eisenhower| 1890  | 1896  | 6     |
  | Wilson    | 1856  | 1872* | 16    |
  | Harrison  | 1833  | 1858* | 25    |
  | Cleveland | 1837  | 1864  | 27    |
  | Arthur    | 1829  | 1837  | 8     |
  | Hayes     | 1822  | 1831  | 9     |
  | Lincoln   | 1809  | 1818  | 9     |
  | Fillmore  | 1800  | 1813* | 13    |
  | Polk      | 1795  | 1803  | 8     |
  | Tyler     | 1790  | 1820* | 30    |
  | Q. Adams  | 1767  | 1775  | 8     |
  | Monroe    | 1758  | 1768  | 10    |
  | Madison   | 1751  | 1768  | 17    |
  | Adams     | 1735  | 1744  | 9     |
  
  *: latest marriage

This shortlist includes the two oldest (Biden, Trump) and youngest (Kennedy) presidents voted into office. A relevant quote attributed to Jacqueline Kennedy[1], whose second marriage was to a businessman 23 years her senior:

> The first time you marry for love, the second for money, and the third for companionship.

[1] https://www.forbes.com/quotes/10612/

[hutzlibu]

Well yes, there is this image, that the successful older men, has a younger wife (and even younger affairs). But the average men has not. Hence serving the "fantasy" of the target audience.

But as far as I observe, this is frowned upon today. It still exists of course, many of the hollywood heros regulary change their 20 year old models for partner, but there is increasing criticism about it. I mean, my partner is 7 years younger and even this was met with criticism.

[nemo44x]

I’m pretty sure the Leonardo DiCaprio’s of the world don’t care about the opinions of chattering spinsters and cat ladies.

[krageon]

Criticism from whom? If it's your friends, get better friends. Other than that, it might be family - which is easily explained as jealousy (any success at all tends to get that response). Am I missing some hypothetical case where someone criticises you about the age of your partner and their opinion somehow matters?

[hutzlibu]

I did not ask for life advice, I was stating the fact, that nowdays age disparity seems to be frowned upon and provided a anecdotical data point.

[krageon]

It wasn't life advice, I was walking through my thought process towards asking why this is relevant. Which you have not addressed.

[hutzlibu]

"why this is relevant."

Erm, because I live in this society, so the social norms of this society do affect me and well, everyone else in it. I thought that is obvious.

[renox]

Our current French president would be an exception with a negative difference :-)