TV does older women no favors

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Television loves a good cougar. Perhaps the original TV cougar was Samantha from "Sex and the City.” Samantha liked to experience many men, but she knew what she wanted. She took care of herself, was financially secure and had extreme confidence.

All women want different things in their relationships, said Linda Franklin, author of "Don’t Ever Call Me Ma’am,” but the thing that ties real cougars together is that they understand how important it is to be self-sufficient and happy with themselves.

Hollywood star Demi Moore will be remembered as a cougar for her real-life relationship with much younger Ashton Kutcher.

Today’s television cougar is Courteney Cox in "Cougar Town.” Though the town’s high school mascot is the cougar, the show centers on a "cougar” woman over 40 who is suddenly single and dating a younger man.

"‘Cougar Town’ seems to be mainly about barhopping and women over 40 being able to attract younger men. It reminds me of men in their 50s trying to have a relationship with a 20-something-year-old female. I never want to be in that category,” said Cathy Velte, 54, a self-described cougar who lives in Oklahoma City. "The word cougar has been misused.”

Franklin agrees.

"I do not like ‘Cougar Town,’” she said. "I understand that it’s meant to be a comedy, but just the way that these women are portrayed, it is just pathetic because their whole world seems to revolve around going out and finding young guys and doing whatever you can do to make yourself appealing to them.”