Madonna. Brigitte Macron. Kate Beckinsale. Sam Taylor Johnson.
Over the years, these women have been ridiculed, shamed, and labelled 'cougars' for their relationships with younger men. On occasions, these celebrities have been deemed 'head of the pack', 'mature' and regarded as perverts, while no one bats an eyelid when a man goes out with a younger woman, such is the sexism in dating.
So, this might explain why Tamara Rojo, artistic director of English National Ballet, is refusing to apologise for the alleged rocky environment her relationship with a principal dancer has caused the company.
Last night, the 43-year-old sparked speculation that she is engaged to 27-year-old Isaac Hernández at the launch of the English National Ballet's new season yesterday when she was spotted wearing a ring on her wedding finger.
The Telegraph reports the pair's relationship has contributed to a 'toxic' environment at the company, with staff claiming it has created a conflict of interest.
However, when asked if she felt responsible for the ruptures at the ENB (it has reportedly lost a third of dancers in the last two years), or wished to apologise for how it's been dealt with, Rojo said: 'I have always had the interests of the company and the dancers at heart.
'It is obviously disappointing if people are not happy, but I do feel I have tried my best.'
She also denied claims she's told other dancers at the company that they aren't allowed to be in relationships with one another.
'The past few weeks have been difficult. Of course, being under media scrutiny is never fun for anybody. But what has been most distressing is to hear that some people have felt upset,' she continued.
'It hasn't been the best of times but what is encouraging is to see that the company is behind me and we are doing what we can to make sure people feel confident to raise concerns.'
While she didn't comment on her possible engagement to Hernández – who has previously been described as a 'consummate showman' – she recently revealed she was interested in marriage.
'It is personal, however, I can see that it has become interesting for the public,' she said, referring to her romance with the Mexican-born dancer.
'Isaac and I have always been very open and clear and honest about the fact we are in a relationship, both with the members of the company and with our board, and there has never been any conflict of interest.'
The Evening Standard previously reported Hernández first met Rojo as a 14-year-old dancing at a gala in Mexico.
'Of course I was always dreaming that maybe one day I would be able to dance a full-length ballet in London with her,' he said of their encounter. A decade later, Rojo invited him to perform with her at the English National Opera House.
'To be able to dance with Tamara…' he started. 'In what reality could I have imagined that? It was impossible! It's a dream for any dancer to dance in London.'
It's about time we stop limiting society to ridiculous boundaries and standards around dating and realise that if you can date anyone – no matter their race, religion, gender or sexuality – we should also include age into the mix.
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
