Younger guys hitting on older women - what is this?

FINAL EDIT: I won’t be checking this anymore, but I won’t delete it because I see people are having side convos now.

For the record, the interaction that prompted me to post this happened in a gas station while I was grabbing a bag of candy for a trip. The guy was maybe 20, clean cut and preppy looking (if that term means anything now). It was just a WTH moment. I was wearing a baggy ranch jacket and hiking boots. So no, I wasn’t dressed to attract attention.

As an introvert, I would NEVER dream of starting a random conversation with a complete stranger. He actually seemed very nice. But who knows? Maybe he was a Ted Bundy wannabe. I guess we’ll never know. 🤷‍♀️ Unless I see him on the news, and then I will return to this post and update everyone.

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I am a 41 year old woman. While I would sincerely like to flatter myself and say that I look much younger, I cannot possibly believe that is true. I go to the gym regularly and take care of myself, but I honestly am pretty low maintenance with my appearance overall. No botox, not lots of makeup, not exceptionally fashionable. Pretty basic honestly for my age, other than my fitness level, perhaps.

However, I’m ONLY approached by young men I would estimate to be 30 or younger. These interactions are awkward for me, and while I try to be polite, I truly do not understand why they approach me.

I’m happily married, by the way, so I’m not looking for anything. I’m absolutely not presenting a vibe intentionally that I’m interested. These are guys approaching me in the gym or other public spaces. I’m also quite introverted so I definitely do not try to draw attention to myself in public.

For the most part, they are very polite and respectful. I applaud their attempts to connect in person, but can someone please explain to me why this is happening? Do younger men find that older women have less drama or what?

EDIT: Thank you for all the responses! A lot of them are just funny so thanks for making me laugh. For the men that took time to write thoughtful responses, I so appreciate hearing your perspective. For the women that responded, thanks as well!! It’s honestly reassuring to hear that it is happening to others. It makes me feel that is less about what I do, and more about a culture shift (or part of the gym culture). I’ll just take it as a compliment.

I can tell by some of the responses, some of you are hurting, and I genuinely hope that things get better for you. I know dating is complicated and messy, and I do not envy you at all.

Take care, everyone! I hope this is helpful for others as well.