One of the things I love about dating men is that, in general, we don’t mind age gaps between partners. This has to do with the fact that our dating pool is already ridiculously small. So if we limit ourselves to only dating guys within three years of our age, we’d be significantly decreasing our already limited number of potential partners.

Still though, there are gay men out there who refuse to date guys younger than them. The reason why? They believe ridiculous myths about dating younger gays. So here are 7 of those myths dispelled.

1. Younger guys are only in it for the sugar

Of course gay men can be shallow, but not all of us are that shallow. Being spoiled by your older boyfriend can be a perk, but that’s all it is. It’s not going to sustain a relationship for the long term. I dated an older guy who made about $80K more than me for over a year. We still split everything equally. I refused to let him treat me, even though he made a lot more than I did.

2. It won’t work because you’re at different stages of your life

What matters more than whether or not you’re at the same stage of life is whether you share similar values. If you’re both honest, treat each other with respect, and are attracted to one another, it doesn’t matter if you’re at different stages of your life. Besides, there are PLENTY of couples who are at similar stages in life, and their relationship fall completely flat, often ending in a brutal breakup.

3. It’s a sign of daddy issues

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Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. So what if it is? If it helps a younger person to date an older man because he had a strained relationship with his father, who is that hurting?

4. The large age gap makes it difficult to relate

This is utter BS. So you grew up in different times, you watched different TV shows, and you don’t remember certain historic events that your partner does. Who cares? Everyone has different experiences growing up, regardless if you’re the same age. There are still other ways you can relate to one another.

5. They’re not mature enough to handle a serious relationship

LOL. A lot of gay men, regardless of age, aren’t mature enough to handle a serious relationship. I know plenty of gay guys in their 30s who are not even close to being mature enough to handle a serious relationship. There’s no direct, linear correlation between age and level of maturity.

6. They’ll get bored and move on

This can happen to anyone at any point in their lives. All relationships slow down once the honeymoon phase wears off. Both younger guys and older guys can get bored and leave. You and your partner must communicate to make sure neither of you becomes overly complacent in your relationship.

7. "I’ve already done that."

What an arrogant thing to say, but I’ve heard so many guys say something along these lines. They’ve already dated a younger guy, and therefore don’t feel compelled to date another one. All people are different. Not all young guys are alike. Just because you dated one guy younger than you, doesn’t mean that you know how all young guys act in relationships.