Q&A: Claudia Opdenkelder, Founder, “Cougar Lifestyle” Dating Provider. It needed to happen: now there’s a cougar site that is dating.
It needed to take place: now there’s a cougar site that is dating. Cougar lifestyle is for “Women inside their PRIME: independent, sexy and wildly successfull” whom “enjoy males which are youthful” — and, needless to say, for all youthful males who such as the concept. It’s the brainchild of Claudia Opdenkelder, 39 yrs old (she told us, we didn’t ask), who additionally operates Canadian promo company Professional Promotions, has modeled, and also as a passionate dater of more youthful males (she ended up being when linked to a Backstreet Boy) won a Ms. Cougar radio competition in 2006, which got her reasoning about beginning this unique service.
We had been obviously inquisitive, and questioned Opdenkelder concerning the ongoing solution, the way in which individuals utilize the term “cougar,” and just how she hopes to alter that.
How’s the site going?
Going great! We now have over 200,000 users currently together with site launched in February.
Yikes. Exactly just How has term spread?
we now have the commercial on ESPN, on Ellen, on Sirius broadcast from the Howard Stern Show — I’m actually doing their show on December 16 — so we’re getting a great deal of publicity from that, along with most of the news.
There is a large number of individuals who find “cougar” a term that is offensive. This indicates you’ve taken the “ownership” route along with it.
We’re wanting to reinvent it, revamp it if you will, and work out it a simpler term to embrace than just what the old-school term utilized to mean. Whoever invented it — I’m certain it absolutely was men! — they’d the connotation it was older feamales in their 80s trawling the bars. We’re wanting to just just simply take that thought far from everyone while making it about a 35-and-older, advanced, effective woman that knows exactly exactly what she wishes, understands how exactly to obtain it, does not require a guy to get it on her, and enjoys the organization of a more youthful man.
You will find individuals who don’t care to possess their intergenerational relationships defined this way. You really need to have run into a lot of them —
To tell the truth, We haven’t had any response that is negative all,. And I also have actually a serious cougar that is few that are on Cougar lifestyle who will be now successfully dating cubs, as they say. I’ve always dated more youthful men…. We started Cougar lifestyle because I’d many buddies in their 30s state if you ask me, “Where have you been finding all of these loving amazing relationships with one of these amazing guys?”…
Because I’m revamping the term, i do believe folks are adopting it. We’re saying, “It’s an enjoyable word. Don’t get therefore upset by it, every thing on earth has labels upon it, have you thought to ensure it is light, allow it to be enjoyable, allow it to be something we could be adorable about rather than being therefore severe?”
People do spend playtime with it, although not constantly in a way that is good. We remember some months straight straight back, Katie Couric ended up being seen to be thinking about a more youthful guy, while the ny Post went a “Katie Cougar” tale and a visual of her mind regarding the human anatomy of the cougar, leaping just as if after prey.
Given that it had been a thing that was made way too long ago, it is tough to revamp something which individuals have stuck within their heads about cougars as pets out for victim. We have been perhaps perhaps not theoretically regarding the prowl. I am able to observe how there’s be considered a “cougar impact,” because the women are incredibly strong and they’re usually the very very first to approach, which may be why individuals seeing it as preying. But they go far above, they poke enjoyable from it, exactly like they are doing with other things. They constantly poke enjoyable of something that is various. Older males fuck marry kill game have now been dating more youthful females for eons with no one bats an optical eye at it. However with what’s happening when you look at the Hollywood scene — Demi Moore, Jennifer Aniston– we accept it and hope they’ll end poking enjoyable from it.
Are you currently dating a more youthful guy now?
I’m actually managing my 25 12 months old boyfriend, and also have been for per year . 5. He models and a landscaping is owned by him business. I’m 39. We’re 14 years huge difference. I’ve never dated some body my personal age.
That which was very first relationship?
My very very first relationship had been with my school that is high boyfriend. He had been 2 yrs more youthful than me personally
That’s a start.
[laughing] Yes! We went from couple of years’ distinction to 14!