Former Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Harris Wofford made a big announcement over the weekend.
20 years after his wife of 48 years, Clare, succumbed to acute leukemia, the 90-year-old former top adviser to John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. is getting remarried… to a man… 50 years his junior.
Related: This Heartfelt Video Of Gay Seniors Giving Advice Will Make Your Monday
“Too often, our society seeks to label people by pinning them on the wall–straight, gay or in between,” Wofford writes in a powerful op-ed in the New York Times. “I don’t categorize myself based on the gender of those I love. I had a half-century of marriage with a wonderful woman, and now am lucky for a second time to have found happiness.”
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Wofford met his new partner, Matthew, on a beach in Fort Lauderdale five years after Clare’s passing.
“It was afternoon,” he recalls. “I swam alone in the water, attracting the attention of two bystanders near the shore. They came over to say hello, which is how I met Matthew Charlton.”
He continues: “As we talked, I was struck by Matthew’s inquisitive and thoughtful manner and his charm. I knew he was somebody I would enjoy getting to know. We were decades apart in age with far different professional interests, yet we clicked.”
Related: Overcoming The Gay Age Gap Is No Small Feat
What started as a friendship quickly turned to love.
“We both felt the immediate spark, and as time went on, we realized that our bond had grown into love,” Wofford writes. “To some, our bond is entirely natural, to others it comes as a strange surprise, but most soon see the strength of our feelings and our devotion to each other. We have now been together for 15 years.”
And now they’re getting married.
“At age 90, I am lucky to be in an era where the Supreme Court has strengthened what President Obama calls ‘the dignity of marriage’ by recognizing that matrimony is not based on anyone’s sexual nature, choices or dreams,” Wofford says. “It is based on love.”
He and Charlton plan to exchange vows on April 30.
“We will join hands, vowing to be bound together,” Wofford concludes. “To have and to hold, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do us part.”
Related: QUESTION: What Do You Think Of The Idea Of Intergenerational Relationships?
Billy Budd
Wonderful story. Nowadays, with penile implants and other stuff, anything is possible.
Masc Pride
GROSS! On both sides. Though something tells me Mr. Wofford must be fairly wealthy, and of course every 90 year old is fairly close to the old dirt nap. Should work out well for the new Mrs.
Sweetie Pie
Good for them, I hope they can enjoy and cherish their love for as long as you can…real love is rare this days in the so-called gay community
Congratulations !
Gigi Gee
Finding love at any age is a wonderful thing. The fact that they’ve been together for 15 years and still want to bet married says a lot about their commitment to one another. Congratulations to them both!
JerseyMike
happy for them.. age gap is bit much for me.. 10 yrs younger up to 15 older for me.. must say their relationship has lasted longer than all of mine combined.. lol
Southstguy
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
BigG
Adorable. See? They met naturally. No stupid online nasty app. Best way too meet!
TheBigOne
I love reading the responses from sour queens that think that the only reason that the younger man would dare go out with a 90-yr old is because of $$$$.
You’re the types that live by themselves and can’t figure out why nobody wants you. You cruise online for sex, and as soon as you send somebody your picture, they never respond.
Look in the mirror, bitches.
dbmcvey
@Masc Pride: Because that 40 year old man couldn’t possibly be in love with this highly accomplished 90 year old man? Grow up “Masc” Pride. You’re such a petty bitch.
Stache
Just like some have Daddy fetishes some have Grand daddy fetishes.
Matt1961
@Masc Pride: The only gross thing is your reaction. My boyfriend is 31 years younger than me, and our relationship is solid, healthy and pretty wonderful. If you think being in love is gross, wow, what a life you must live.
Stache
@TheBigOne: I too have become a skeptic on this kind of thing. You and I both know most of these are based on $$. It’s the Anna Nichole kind of relationships.
15 years is great though. Either it really is love or someone just miscalculated.
Stache
We hear love but what we usually see that makes us all skeptics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW99BuA6mJ4
Darsithis
@Masc Pride: They’ve been together for 15 years. I’m pretty sure it’s not a “get rich quick” scheme.
Stache
@chuck: Didn’t even know what that meant so I looked it up. The age difference has to be vast or the guy your into has to be considered elderly like the above example. Technically speaking your situation wouldn’t apply.
dwes09
@Masc Pride
It appears (were you to actually read the article rather than imagining it) that these are both individuals of substance in the same way that Isherwood and Bachardy (if you have ever heard of them) were. But if you prefer to see the world through a lens of bitterness and false superiority, go right ahead. Perhaps you missed the fact that they have been together for 15 years already?
The level of cynicism towards and distaste for other gay people you often express is sad. The shallowness of simply dismissing their relationship as “GROSS!” is sad as well (and a bit adolescent). Perhaps you are already planning to be dead by that time you reach your 70’s so as not to have to subject others to the sight of your fading masculine beauty (if you currently possess any)? Or maybe you see the search for happiness in those you feel should be either dead or out of sight as inappropriate?
chuck
I discovered I was a gerontophil in my 20s when I fell in love with a man 19 years my senior. It’s hard to explain attraction. We were together for 25 years.
Evilklown13
I think anyone finding love these days is blessed. The biggest disappointment in todays world of physical obsession, is the pretentious and adolescent thinking like Masc Prides’. It seems that you have some growing up to do; well at least mentally. I really hope you never find yourself old and lonely, but by your comments it’ll probably happen sooner than later.
dwes09
@Stache: “15 years is great though. Either it really is love or someone just miscalculated.”
Even 15 years ago only a rather dull person would assume a 75 year old had one foot in the grave. And 15 years ago contesting a will by family (even estranged family) when money or property was left to a surviving gay partner was often successful. So nobody of any intellectual substance would assume they could partner for money.
Stache
@dwes09: Kind of off subject or maybe not. I had an elderly gentleman list off all his ailments to me. Basically saying he wouldn’t be around for more then 5 years if I’d just stay with him and be his BF. Very substantial fortune I might add.
Yes I do look back on that allot. Would it of killed me to give an old man some pleasure before he died. I was too worried what my friends would think though. God. Then again I’d be set up to never having to work again and traveling the world right now with my own sugar boys. Lol
dwes09
@Stache: I don’t assume that is what is going on here, though it certainly does go on. And i would be hesitant to judge it if it were the case. And those kinds of relationships rarely last the 15 years this man’s already has.
From where I stand, I find it very surprising how many men in their 20’s and 30’s want to hook up with or date men in their mid 60’s based entirely on attraction as opposed to materialism/opportunism. It helps that I’m a cyclist averaging 60 miles a week, but still!
Masc Pride
@Matt1961: Calm down, buddy. Seems like you’re at an age where you need to be monitoring your blood pressure.
@dbmcvey: You’re telling someone to grow up with that potty mouth?
@dwes09: Still mad about the Dozer story? lol
Sabelmann
I wish him the best in his last years!Its great he found love at his age!Congrats to both!
Bob LaBlah
Why was a picture of his husband not included? He should be showing off his prize at 90 instead of preaching a gospel on love. Surely there had to be some passion on that part of at least one of them. I wish him well but I do hope he knows that there are young gay Leona Helmsley’s out there looking for their Harry.
dwes09
@Masc Pride: “Still mad about the Dozer story? lol”
No. Why would I be?
I was correct about the definitions of pedophilia and statutory rape, regardless of your ability to understand that or not. I acknowledged my opinion of him and his sentence was altered by your post about his possession of child porn in a later post, without rancor. My opinions are reality based, they do not spring from my imagination. I am simply amazed by your (and others’) oft displayed bitterness, cynicism and belief based opinions.
dwes09
@Bob LaBlah:
I do hope you noticed that they have already been together for 15 years. And just because he is in the public eye from his political career, does not mean his soon-to-be husband had any desire to be in the public eye as well. Many folks with differing levels of notoriety keep their spouses shielded from the public eye according to their wishes.
The he is any sort of “prize” as opposed to a soul mate, is an assumption on your part with no foundation in any of the information in the article.
Bob LaBlah
@dwes09: April 30th is only five days away. I impatiently await the unveiling. lol
dwes09
@Bob LaBlah: I assume you are referring to the Jewish custom that ends the mourning period for a family member or spouse. If so, that is rather disgusting.
Masc Pride
@dwes09: You did alter your opinion. But you clearly did not have all the facts before arguing, something you criticized others for doing. And for someone that complains about people forming opinions based on outrage, you sure do express your fair share of outrage when critiquing the comments of other users.
strix1
Well, you don’t stick around with someone for 15+ years for their money…he could live to be 110…and if they are both happy, good for them, just don’t make a sex tape ’cause I won’t be watching!!
jbrown1431
I’ve been in an outstanding intergenerational relationship now for 20 years, and my innocent partner (Rob)is still in prison. His brother, (Chuck)who was 17 at the time & killed a girl in front of my partner’s face, when my partner was just 15, is also still in prison. Rob is the most caring, loving, and intelligent person that I have ever met…& you’re right, love by any other name is still love. I’m praying every day that someday soon we will be able to be together & always be just as crazy in love forever as we are today. He still looks spectacular!!
Brian
Isn’t he great? I love how he refuses to categorize himself as gay or straight. It’s the new form of male empowerment.
Bob LaBlah
@dwes09: Not only have you “assumed” wrong but it is now time to say fuck you.
Kangol
So many negative, petty, hateful comments about Senator Harris Wofford and his soon-to-be husband. Why? Why such negativity? Why not congratulate this man on his long life, his pending nuptials, and his happiness?
In addition, he was a lifelong liberal Democrat who strongly supported Civil Rights and LGBTQ rights. He is living out his beliefs even in his sunset years. A beautiful story!
Bob LaBlah
@Masc Pride………let “her” get wet. She has obviously sat around salivating until she can’t stand it. Where as most people WOULD have done just what you said she opted to go for the draw. Don’t tell her she lost. Let her “win”.
silveroracle
Good luck to them in their future. Lovely story.
DuMaurier
Dorothy Zbornak’s adaptable line from “The Golden Girls”: “When a 22 year-old girl marries a man who is 88, chances are, she’s not after his body.”
So there can be other reasons, right? It’s only in our fantasies that we get every item in our dream man list (gorgeous, great personality, lots of money, etc) In real life, we’re lucky to be able to check off one or two.
dinard38
I would like to see how many of those commenters who criticize those of us that thinks this is gross would date someone 50 years…….I repeat…….50 years older than they are. So, putting this in perspective, at my age that would be someone 97 years old. I don’t think so. 10 years either way is my limit. :-p
Hey……I’m all for ‘Live and let live’ and ‘Do you, Boo Boo Kitty!!’
But let’s not pretend that this is not icky!!!! Come on!!!!