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The word "cougar" has reached near ubiquity in the past year, thanks to shows like Cougar Town and discussions on women-focused shows like The View.
In case you missed it, a "cougar" refers to a woman of a certain age who attracts -- or, as is more often derisively said, "preys upon" -- much younger men. The term is the counterpart to "MILF," which is an acronym referring to "Mom I'd Like to (Bad Word Redacted)".
Depending on whom you ask, either term can be described as an insult or a compliment. Australia's The Age spoke to 43-year-old supermodel Cindy Crawford about her thoughts on slang used to describe the mature woman. She did not mince words on the matter.
"I don't want to be a cougar, I want to be a MILF," Crawford said. "I hate that word, 'cougar,' and what it represents. MILF is a word I absolutely love."
Love? Really? Seems like a pretty strong emotion to feel for a word popularized by the American Pie movie series, but it turns out her reasoning makes a lot of sense.
"I like that tag because I think there is a worry for all models that the moment you have kids the perception of you is going to change," Cindy explained.
"Age can be daunting, but you can't stop it. I know 20-year-old guys don't look at me anymore. I don't feel it like I used to," Cindy admitted in an interview with British GQ. "I remember walking down streets in New York at the height of my modelling career, my hair up, and all the construction guys would go crazy. It's different now."
Plus: Why the word 'cougar' isn't going away anytime soon
Do you think the term MILF is flattering or offensive? Chime in below!
