Sensuality! Passion! Fun! As writers (here’s about the novel I’m writing) and readers, only good can come of finding what sets us afire. Figuring out how to unlock the shackles of cultural conditioning can be tricky, though. Learning about groundbreaking artists and their work can helps.
For instance, take how Emma Thompson has done it again — she’s the English actress who forever reaches further and further. By this, I’m not merely referring to the storyline of “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande.” In it, a 50ish recently widowed woman decides that, once and for all, she’s going to have good sex. She hires a twenty-something male prostitute.
What’s beyond incredible is the fact that we’ve never before seen this story on-screen — and why not? Why are post-menopausal woman who desire sex seen as aberrant, laughable, and even despicable?
Check out the film’s equally ground-breaking humanizing of a male sex worker who, moreover, isn’t repulsed by older women.
“Vladimir,” by Julia May Jonas, (which I recently finished in audiobook format and to which Rebecca Lowman lent a superb narration) offers a reckoning of sexuality. That of everyone, including love and relationships, both public and private. Aren’t the title and cover great, especially as it’s a literary novel, not the saucy romance genre implied?
The protagonist is a college prof in her 50s who has an open marriage with her college prof husband. We enter the story when he’s accused of overstepping his authority because he used to have trysts with students. Even though the rendezvous were with consenting women in their twenties and older, and they occurred before the college had instituted regulations against it, he’s about to lose his job. So there’s that.
And then there’s how the wife is judged because she neither sides against him nor divorces him. Not that anyone knows it, she’s had extra-marital relationships with men of all ages. Then there’s how their adult lesbian daughter judges the parents. There are also the students, the faculty… And in walks beefy Vladimir, who throws the protag into lust overdrive.
My review for Amazon and Goodreads (by the way, do you use Goodreads or anything like it?):
Julia May Jonas takes risk after risk with this novel and beckons us to — ooh lala — dare I say it? — think!
What do you think about how older women are portrayed?
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I guess the way older women are looked at in comparison to older men differs. I had a friend in England (now passed away, he got over 90), and he complained to me that elderly women could have a Teddyboy and they would be called “cougar”, which somehow has an admiring aspect (does it?), but if an elderly man had a young lover, he would be called a “dirty old man”.
The movie sounds interesting, Emma Thompson is one of the best!!! The book cover: I had to look very closely to find out, what body part was shown there. 😉 😀
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I love your way of looking at things, Birgit lololol
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The Media messages can have a negative or unhealthy influence on our behaviour and attitudes in certain areas. It does affect how we regard ourselves and each other for sure.
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very unfortunately yes, try as I might to not let them…
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People of all ages are sexual beings. It is amusing that younger people underestimate their elders. I am reminded of the old joke about a child’s response to hearing about the birds and the bees: You mean you did that three times, Mom? ! ! !
I would love to see the movie. Thanks for the reviews, da-AL! ❤
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lolol good one, Cheryl 🙂
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I love Emma Thompson—such an excellent actress😊 That double standard for men and women in Hollywood is ridiculous. For example, Helen Mirren is way more attractive than most male actors her age!
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agreed 🙂
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“…only good can come of finding what sets us afire” – amen to that! I like films that explore a character finding inspiration and liberation of some form. It’s not often there’s appreciation for older woman as sexual beings in film, or sexual freedom celebrated in older women in books, at least not in a cheesy, patronising way. It’s great to see the tide changing slowly but surely!
Caz xx
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Fingers crossed at least — & it’s so good to hear from you Caz!!! hoping all well & happy with you ❤
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