A woman has spoken about her new relationship with an older woman after she decided to embrace her sexuality – and dump her millionaire ex-boyfriend.
Sophia Spallino, 29, a life coach from Louisiana, US, made headlines in 2019 about her controversial relationship with millionaire Robert Croak – who is 27 years her senior.
Although the two were loved up, Sophia met someone new whilst on TikTok and realised that she was more attracted to older women rather than men in September 2021
She shared her feelings with Robert, who agreed she should explore her sexuality – though they remained in a relationship.
Sophia began making saucy videos on the platform and was soon contacted by the woman of her dreams – who happened to be 51.
They met in person 45 days after connecting online, meeting up in November.
“She saw a flirty video and said she was bored in her heterosexual relationship and that’s why she commented, but as a joke,” Sophia told Jam Press.
“I’m highly attracted to women in their early 50s, so I reached out to her and she responded.
“We immediately FaceTimed and the chemistry was so explosive that we started falling for each other.
“Upon meeting her in person, we had delicious sex – my first time with a woman – and I had a moment where I realised that I’ve never actually been attracted to men sexually.
“I’ve known from a young age that I was attracted to women and at the age of five, I remember having my first crush on a woman in her late 30s.
“My first crush was on Doris Day. I’ve had a thing for age gap attraction and I couldn’t fathom not liking men too – but this was only because how how I was raised and trained to adore men and long for a husband.
“I always assumed I was bisexual. But I didn’t explore it deeply and kept it a dark secret for most of my life until I was 28.”
Sophia knew it was time to break the news to her now ex-partner, who she sensed was about to propose.
She said: “This had been an ongoing conversation for the last year of our beautiful three-year relationship and I have never cheated on him – he knew everything.
“He was an incredible guy and never sexualised me. He never even saw me kiss a girl.
“My sexual exploration wasn’t for his objectification and he was a good, respectful man who I genuinely thought I was in love with.
“He knew I flew out to see her in California and I talked to him whilst on the trip because I had nothing to hide.
“I am sure he felt my energy shift, so I got back on a plane, flew to Louisiana and he asked me that day.
“I was laying in the bath when he came into the room, looked at me and asked, ‘you’re just a lesbian, aren’t you?’ as I looked at him with tears in my eyes.
“I knew we would never be intimate again and that I would never want to be intimate with a man again.
“He knew me very well and was my best friend.
“Although I’m happy to live with my truth and be set free, grieving the loss of Robert in my life wasn’t easy – but as a relationship coach, I have moved through the grief efficiently.
“I truly loved him, just not like that – and I didn’t know the difference.”
While they have since parted ways, Sophia believes that the relationship with her ex-girlfriend – who has chosen to remain anonymous – is different to anything she has experienced before.
But the life coach had previously dabbled with same-sex relationships, including a sexual experience in university.
Sophia, who was raised a Christian and taught to frown upon homosexuality, said: “This experience left me wildly confused, wanting more and denying my authentic self.
“I have never experienced this level of attraction with a man – if people ask me the difference, I say kissing a man is like eating dry, overcooked steak.
“Feeling the softness of a woman’s lips and body is like licking a cookie dough ice cream.”
Sophia has come across many taboos whilst being in an age gap relationship, such as the way people judge and assume that she’s with them for money.
In a bid to help lessen the stereotypes, she has started her own podcast called Enlightened, in which she discusses all about her experiences in both relationships.
She added: “My newest episode is my ex-female lover and I sharing all about our first time together in delicious detail, as well as my breakup and healing.
“I have all that I need and any older partner that comes into my life, is just the ‘icing’ on my already beautiful cake of life.
“As a life coach, I take care of myself by having my own therapist and have dug deep with hard questions.
“You can’t help if you’re attracted to a specific type – my love for older women isn’t a kink, it’s a valid preference and I am actually proud of that now. It feels good to not hide any parts of myself.”
