Teenage 'cougars' have started taking younger boys to prom

"Cougars" aren't just the stereotype of overly bronzed women in their mid-40s to 50s anymore, clad in leopard-print leggings and chasing after cabana boys. According to a New York Times columnist, teenage girls have begun claiming the title as social norms shift and it's no longer considered a faux pas for them to date a younger guy. It's now common, she says, to see senior girls taking underclass boys to prom and even dating them when they go away to college. Some girls say the younger boys are sweeter or more considerate, and there is less pressure to impress. "Call it young cougars, a game of confidence or just female empowerment, but the unthinkable during my high school years is now happening all around me," Jennifer Conlin says.