Date Night with GLORIA

by Tonia

"Is sex dirty? Only if it's done right." – Woody Allen

I recently went with a date to see GLORIA, a Chilean film (yes, with subtitles) about a late 50ish woman who has a love affair with a slightly older man. I was fascinated because I’m a late 50ish woman and I wanted to see how my love affairs sized up against hers. Well, that, and I heard there was a penis in the nude scenes….. 

So, yes, there was sex. And despite the typical big screen's gorgeous young bodies boning it up, Gloria and her partner look like real middle-aged people – with sag jiggling right there in bed with them. But, even with that, their sex is lusty and passionate and seemingly quite gratifying! I started to stand up and cheer for them but my date reminded me that it wasn't an Olympic event. It was just sex. Hollywood may be making a few movies about mature lovers (i.e. It’s Complicated, Hope Springs and Something’s Gotta Give) but they’re certainly not showing mature sexual encounters. THANK YOU, Chilean film makers! 

And, while the idea of mature sex probably horrifies young people (including – uh, ESPECIALLY - my children), research shows that sex is still important to us even into our 80s. If we have less sex as we age its because partners become less available – it’s not because we don’t want it. Personally I’m enjoying sex more now than I ever have. And that’s because:

(1) I feel sexier. I’m less inhibited and more confident now; I'm comfortable in my own skin. In my 20s I was pushing out babies; in my 30s I was trying to look smart in graduate school; and I don’t know WHAT the hell was wrong with me in my 40s!

(2) Sex is funnier now. When I was younger I thought sex was supposed to be romantic and serious. Now I’m just having fun. My partners and I are dealing with farting and leg cramps and clumsy position shifts (sometime I'll blog about a Reverse Cowgirl situation!) - and laughing about it - which is kind of sexy. 

(3) I’m more financially stable. I can afford those sexy little outfits and sex toys! I've just got to figure out a way to stay stocked in batteries!

(4) I have a gratitude attitude. As my dating pool dwindles, I’m truly thankful that I’m still getting laid. Seriously. It’s in the top 5 of My Things to Be Grateful For.

So guess what my date and I did after the movie……yep, we let the flab and sag go crazy!   :)

At your next girlfriends’ get together, go see GLORIA. She’s inspiring (and not just because of the sex)!