COUGAR isn’t the most flattering term, however one woman has decided to embrace the word after beginning a relationship with a younger man – 23 years younger to be precise!
The loved-up couple even make Tiktoks about their unusual relationship – much to the annoyance of trolls and her son.
Like many middle aged women, Rachel had been through a bitter divorce and had given up on love.
It wasn’t until a close friend convinced the mum-of-two to go on a dating app in 2020, which is where the 48-year-old met Alex, 25.
Unsurprisingly, the high school teacher was a little nervous after matching with him, telling Love Don’t Judge: “I was very hesitant, because he looked young, to speak to him.”
She was even more worried upon learning his age, saying: “I was like oh no, he is way too young…but we’d already started talking and we continued talking. It just felt so natural and easy.”
Alex felt much the same and even admitted that he was ‘excited’ to date an older woman, despite only being 23 at the time.
“There really is no difference in this relationship from a quote unquote normal one besides the fact that she happens to be older than me,” he revealed to filmmakers.
Despite this, people still struggle to accept their relationship with Rachel and Alex often being mistaken for mother and son – or even siblings.
Whether it’s total strangers online or even Rachel’s sons, the couple have constantly had to justify their love.
In fact, their first Tiktok about their relationship, cheekily titled ‘Tips for dating a cougar’, gained over 30,000 views in a single day.
Almost immediately students at the high school were Rachel taught found the video and began tagging each other in the comments.
Meanwhile, Rachel had to explain to her principal what was going on and assure them that she’d never taught Alex.
It also wasn’t long until her eldest son, Ben, was sent the video – which is how he found out about his mum’s very public relationship with a younger man.
Given that he and Alex were a similar age, Ben, 22, was completely floored.
He later told filmmakers: “Originally, I was really upset because I found out through a friend who text me…I mean he’s just a couple of years older than me.”
Though her family are ‘working’ on accepting her relationship, others aren’t so open minded and trolls regularly target the couple’s Tiktok page.
Comments often accuse Rachel of being a ‘sugar mumma’, despite earning a modest teacher’s salary, as well as trying too hard to not look her age.
Her protective boyfriend gets frustrated with the double standards about women’s age, with Alex saying: “There’s plenty of men that date much younger women and no one bats an eyelid, but God forbid a woman [wants] to be with a younger man.”
Whilst they are still battling constant criticism, it hasn’t stopped the couple from posting on social media or enjoying the life they’ve built together over the last two years.
Rachel added: “There are new things in the future for us. I don’t know what it holds but I know that I’m happy and excited to continue this life.”
