I’m Not Her Mother, I’m Her Lover | LOVE DON'T JUDGE
A COUPLE with a 37-year-age gap, who get mistaken for a grandmother and granddaughter, have found love in spite of the judgement they face. Julia Zelg, a 24-year-old YouTuber and singer met political correspondent Eileen De Freest, age 61, on Tinder. It was love at first sight and since their first date, less than a year ago, the couple have become inseparable. Taking their unconventional relationship to the next level, Julia and Eileen have moved in together and maintain the age gap has never been an issue. The pair are planning their future together, with Eileen flying to Julia’s home country Brazil, to meet Julia’s mother – who is eight years younger than Eileen - for the very first time.
Transcript
00:00 You can't help who you fall in love with. This is 24-year-old Julia.
00:06 She fell in love with 61-year-old Aileen.
00:13 I used to think that most older women wouldn't be that interested in a sex life.
00:21 But I guess I was wrong.
00:26 But in a society that's quick to judge, not everyone has been accepting of their 37-year age gap.
00:33 People can leave nasty messages.
00:35 Yeah.
00:36 But what matters the most is the support of the ones we love.
00:40 So now the couple are travelling across the world to seek the acceptance of Julia's mother.
00:47 My mum is a few years younger than Aileen.
00:54 I have to, you know, deal with that.
00:57 I'm sorry.
01:00 My name is Julia Zelg. I'm 24.
01:10 I was born in São Paulo, Brazil, but I live in London.
01:14 And I'm a YouTuber.
01:16 Hi, sweeties. Welcome back to the channel.
01:20 Hi, my cuties.
01:21 Hi, girls.
01:23 I thought a lot of different things about my life or even about fashion.
01:27 Literally everything I'm interested in.
01:29 Have a very, very lovely day.
01:32 When 24-year-old Julia met 61-year-old Aileen, it wasn't long before sparks flew.
01:41 I'm so happy to introduce you to my beautiful, beautiful girlfriend.
01:49 My name is Aileen DeFriest. I'm 61.
01:52 I work in social media and for politics.
01:55 But with such a large age gap, the couple's relationship has been met with harsh judgement.
02:04 People can leave nasty messages.
02:07 Yeah.
02:08 Sugar mama.
02:10 Mummy issues.
02:11 Are you a pedophile?
02:13 She just wants a young body to lick.
02:18 Who wouldn't?
02:20 Rather than let the trolls get the better of them,
02:24 Julia and Aileen are standing strong in the face of their unconventional relationship.
02:29 I'm not her mother. I'm her lover. I'm her girlfriend. I'm her partner.
02:33 Julia and Aileen are now preparing to fly to Brazil to meet Julia's mother for the very first time.
02:44 You look so sunny there.
02:46 Trinta graus.
02:48 My mum is 53. I guess some people think it's a bit weird that my mum is a few years younger than Aileen.
03:00 Britney.
03:02 After a whirlwind romance, the couple decided to take their relationship to the next level and Julia moved in with Aileen.
03:11 Oh, she's here. Where is she?
03:14 On the other side of the bed.
03:16 Aww.
03:17 This is the bedroom.
03:20 Pretty much similar to how it was before I moved here, apart from the shelves,
03:26 because we needed more space because it's quite a small flat.
03:29 And I happen to have a lot of shoes.
03:32 We have so many things in common.
03:36 The only things that are different are our ages and our probably fashion styles.
03:44 Aileen and Trinta are now flying to Brazil to meet Julia's mother for the very first time.
03:48 I think we get hate comments mostly because of our age difference,
03:52 but also because we are gay and there are unfortunately still a lot of homophobic people out there.
03:59 And misogyny. One, two, three.
04:01 We do get that thing a lot about mommy and grandmother.
04:07 You know, and we get the gramps.
04:10 Oh yeah, we get that. Well, you know, we get that a lot.
04:13 I kind of understand that this person's frame of reference is very narrow and I feel sorry for them,
04:19 but it does make me upset a little bit.
04:21 There are people who think all age gap relationships are for money
04:27 and that really annoys me a little bit because we pay everything equally.
04:38 We do not let any haters stop us because we just love each other.
04:43 Julia doesn't make me feel insecure, but I make myself feel insecure.
04:50 You know, I wonder sometimes, do people wonder why she's with me?
04:56 And they can't possibly know the answer to that because they don't know.
05:00 I gained weight over the years and Julia is quite a beautiful woman.
05:05 But, you know, I delight in her beauty.
05:08 I just feel slightly self-conscious, if that makes more sense.
05:12 Look at her in the suitcase.
05:15 Oh, Brittany, are you coming to Brazil with us?
05:20 One thing I know for sure is that you guys are beach-loving people
05:23 and the women wear barely-there bathing suits.
05:25 I know that for a fact because I have to, you know, deal with that
05:29 because I won't be wearing a barely-there bathing suit.
05:32 I'll be wearing a one-piece.
05:35 But that's OK.
05:36 You're going to look wonderful.
05:37 Oh, thank you, darling. You're so cute.
05:39 I'm so excited about going to Brazil. I'm really, really thrilled.
05:43 And I was a little afraid, to be honest.
05:45 I don't know if I told you that, but I was a little...
05:47 No, you didn't.
05:48 Yeah, I was a little afraid.
05:49 I'm sure I'll have some moments, you know, where I'll be a little nervous.
05:56 Today, guess where we're going? Guess where we're going?
06:02 Brazil!
06:04 With their suitcases packed, it's finally time for the couple
06:08 to make their 12-hour journey to face their most important judge to date...
06:13 Julia's mother.
06:17 We're going to land in five minutes.
06:20 Yay, look at the plane.
06:21 It's a huge-ass plane.
06:24 I'm so thrilled we're getting off in Brazil.
06:27 Into the arms of your mommy.
06:29 Aw, yay!
06:30 [airplane engine roaring]
06:57 Now we're just going to get our cases, and then we're going to meet my mom.
07:26 I'm sure they're crying.
07:28 Aw, mommy, it's Aileen.
07:30 Hi!
07:31 And my mom.
07:32 Yay!
07:37 So this is Aileen and my mom, like, meeting for the first time.
07:40 First impressions of each other?
07:42 Lovely.
07:43 Right?
07:44 Very lovely.
07:45 [laughter]
08:11 This is from the countryside.
08:14 This is called Minas, where my auntie lives.
08:17 My mom just met her, and she absolutely adores her.
08:28 Everybody's very supportive, and they know that Aileen makes me so happy,
08:33 so that's all that matters, and that's what they want.
08:36 They just want my happiness.
08:39 [speaking Portuguese]
08:41 Very happy to meet you.
08:43 Very, very happy to meet you.
08:45 [speaking Portuguese]
08:47 Say hi to me.
08:48 [laughter]
08:51 With such enthusiasm, we're going to start.
08:55 [laughter]
08:56 Hi, sweeties!
08:58 Did your mom and Aileen become good friends?
09:01 Yes, I adore her mother, and I knew that I would.
09:04 She's every bit as wonderful as Julia.
09:07 I feel that Julia and Aileen are very happy, and I'm happy too.
09:11 So nothing else matters.
09:13 Aww.
09:15 Is it over?
09:18 Finished?
09:20 No, no, no.
09:21 I used to think that most older women wouldn't be very sexually active,
09:31 or wouldn't be that interested in a sex life.
09:36 But I guess I was wrong.
09:39 We don't have any problems with that.
09:42 Julia and I have an extraordinarily good sex life.
09:45 I mean, I've never been with anybody as exciting as her, and fun as hell.
09:50 I know things have moved quite fast with us,
09:54 but, you know, sometimes that's just the way it is.
09:57 This just feels right.
09:59 We're together because we love each other.
10:01 As Julia very beautifully said once,
10:03 we couldn't not be together, you know?
10:06 Sometimes we do worry about the future,
10:12 but Aileen most likely won't live as long as me.
10:19 And, sorry.
10:21 It's OK.
10:22 And it just, sorry, it just really breaks my heart to think
10:27 that we can't grow old together.
10:30 But I love you so much,
10:33 and I want to be with you for as long as we can.
10:36 That's beautiful.
10:37 That's the first time Julia's ever been able to really say it.
10:40 Sorry.
10:41 I mean, we've talked about it, of course,
10:43 but it's a very hard thing to talk about.
10:46 You know, I mean, I thought long and hard,
10:48 should I not get in this relationship?
10:50 Should I, do I have a responsibility to turn around and say no,
10:54 because there is such a big age difference?
10:57 Or does one just grab love?
11:00 It really doesn't matter to me.
11:02 Even in the future when you get older,
11:04 if we cannot be that couple that is always going out and travelling,
11:08 I don't care as long as I'm with you.
11:11 I really love you.
11:12 I feel loved.
11:13 I love you so much.
11:16 [Music]
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