Teen’s Proposal To Pensioner Girlfriend Sparks Age Gap Debate

Social media users have exploded into debate surrounding relationship age gaps after a teenager shared news of his proposal online. 

Giuseppe D'Anna, 19, took to TikTok on Tuesday, 24 May, to share news of his engagement with followers.

Despite the romantic compilation video of photographs of the moment he got down on one knee, not all viewers congratulated the soon-to-be married couple.

The photographs show Giuseppe holding a bunch of balloon hearts, kneeling next to his beaming fiancée.

Another photo shows him leaning down to kiss her, as well as multiple other images of the pair in a mirror, next to a fountain and by the poolside.

However, it wasn't the way Giuseppe proposed that some followers had an issue with, but the fact that Giuseppe's fiancée is 57 years older than him, making her 76 years old.

The post received more than 100,000 views, 1,000 likes and more than 100 comments. However, users were left conflicted over the relationship.

One said: "Imagine someone saying is that your mother?!?"

"YOU WOULD THINK THAT'S HIS AUNT," another wrote.

A third commented: "Nope that's enough internet for today."

Many comments also referred to another couple who faced criticism online for their age gap.

Cheryl and Quaran have a 37-year difference, and have similarly used TikTok to show off their relationship in spite of the haters.

However, another of Giuseppe's followers noted how in other videos the 19-year-old actually calls his partner his 'grandmother'.

"[Translation] It is wonderful what you do because, in any case, it is true that love has no age," the user said.

Another stated: "Jesus loves you guys."

Model Willow Sias, 23, has also been forced to defend her relationship with 63-year-old David Simonini, who was her 'first and only Tinder date'.

Similarly to Giuseppe, Willow was accused by some social media users of only going out with David so to have a 'sugar daddy'.

However, she responded: "I don’t care [that trolls think he's my sugar daddy].

"I don’t know any of these people, and if I did, they’re not people whose opinions I care about on this matter.

"It does bother David sometimes though, so we appreciate the nice comments we do get."

Even celebrities, like musical legend Dick Van Dyke, have faced criticism over a hefty relationship age gap.

However, Van Dyke reasoned that while there is 'some adjusting and fitting in' to do – such as when you find out some 'old habits don't work anymore' – that such tweaks to a relationship are all just 'part of the fun of it'.