'But back to my age-old question about lovers and age: what's really so bad if a person from Old Harbour loves to shop on 'young street'? And why is it worse if the person is a man?'

IT seems to me like it's always politically correct to treat men with suspicion and condemnation. And it's always fashionable to praise women - even if the praise is not sincere. You ever wonder why? From preacher to politician to DJ to selector, every public speaker knows that a big forward is guaranteed if you big up the women or pay tribute to mothers. And if you cuss man everybody applaud. Why?

How come women can get away with some things and men can't? OK, yes, I know that it's mostly the other way around. I know that the patriarchal cultural traditions of our society have done a good job at making some things appear acceptable if done by men, but damnable if done by women. Yes, things like giving bun and sleeping around are tolerable in our society when men do it, but bring condemmation if the perpetrators are women. But there are still some vices that look nicer on women. One of those things is having a younger lover. A woman with a younger man makes other women envious and a man with a younger woman makes everybody suspicious. Why?

contradiction

I can understand the suspicion and concern though. With things like a paedophilia being so rampant, it's kind-of natural to wonder whether the younger partner has reached the age of consent. And that whole age-of-consent thing is a contradiction all by itself. Rickeisha Harris, one of my loyal readers, sent me an email to share her views about the age of consent and I found it very interesting. Here's what she had to say: "Blakka, I have an issue with the current age of consent in Jamaica being 16 years old and the voting age being 18. Imagine, I can't vote until I'm 18, can't get a driving permit till I'm 18, can't legally drink alcohol or smoke till I'm 18 or 21 but I can become responsible for another life, having to provide food, clothing and shelter among other things, at 16 years old?!! Dem a mad ina govament."

lovers and age

Well Rickeisha, I couldn't say it any better! But back to my age-old question about lovers and age: what's really so bad if a person from Old Harbour loves to shop on 'young street'? And why is it worse if the person is a man? Why is an elderly woman posing with a young stud admired and called a cougar, but the older man with the young chick is a dirty old man? I'm wondering if I'm the only person who wonders about things like this.

Quite frankly, whether man or woman, I don't blame anybody who leaves an older partner and tries to find a newer model. Why not? Isn't that natural and normal? Would you sell your old car just to buy another old car? You know anybody who go a market and specifically ask fi old fruit? Why we celebrate the senior citizen sista who pick out a firm green plantain, but we cut eye after the lickle old man who selec' a firm pair of tomato that just recently ripe? Don't everybody want fresh vegetable?

I have about three more questions I want to ask but if you want to know you have to come to my final stand-up comedy show in Kingston at Backyaad tonight - if you're old enough. If you can't come, ask somebody.

box-mi-back@hotmail.com