Kate Hudson has never been one to shy away from conversations about sex, and one candid confession about intimacy in her 40s is once again fueling debate about how women’s libido changes with age.
Keep reading to learn more.
For years, Kate Hudson, 47, has treated the subject of sex with the same humor and honesty she brings to many of her interviews, often speaking openly about relationships, confidence and intimacy.
It’s a level of candor that has become part of her public personality, making it little surprise that her latest comments quickly found a wide audience.
Goldie Hawn: ‘I love sex’
During a joint interview with People in 2020, Hudson and her mother, Goldie Hawn, laughed while recalling the frank conversations they had shared over the years.
“What did you teach me about sex? There are so many things. We talk a lot about sex. Surprisingly,” Hudson told her mother.
Goldie Hawn, now 80, remembered one lesson in particular.
“I said, ‘I want you to understand something about Mommy: I’m not a prude. I love sex.’”
Hudson quickly remembered the rest of the conversation.
“Oh, that’s right. And then she said, ‘Sex is so much fun. But it’s better when it’s with one person.’ And that was a good lesson.”
The topic didn’t disappear as Hudson got older.
“You were trying to engage and asking, like, what was going on with me sexually,” Hudson recalled. “I was like, ‘Mom, let’s just say that I’m kind of a sexually oriented type of personality.’ And she goes, ‘Please, I have known that since you were 2 years old.’ I was like, ‘Mom!’”
‘Freedom’ after 40
That same honesty resurfaced in 2025 while Hudson was promoting her Netflix comedy series Running Point.
Speaking with Bustle, the Oscar nominee reflected on how her outlook has changed over the years.
“The best part about sex in your 40s, honestly, is the freedom,” she told the outlet.
“Sex isn’t supposed to be pretty, and I think that when you get older, you kind of have more fun with that.”
Hudson, who has been engaged to musician Danny Fujikawa since 2021, also said her fiancé doesn’t mind her naturally flirtatious personality.
“I’m the biggest flirt on the planet. So, I think anybody who’s ever been with me is very aware that I flirt with everybody – girls, boys. Thank God Danny is my partner. He can handle this. I met the right guy,” she said of her fiancé, who she shares daughter Rani Rose.
For Hudson, that confidence extends beyond the bedroom.
“It’s not just about finding love,” she said. “It’s really about finding your place, your confidence in the things that you want in your life, whether it’s work or relationships.”
‘Spontaneous to responsive’
While Hudson’s comments resonated with many women, experts say there’s no single timeline when it comes to sexual desire.
Clinical psychologist Judit Merayo Barredo says one of the biggest misconceptions is that libido inevitably fades with age.
“The idea that sexual desire simply dies off in our 40s is one of the most persistent myths in modern psychology,” Barredo told Bored Panda. “Desire doesn’t disappear; it evolves from ‘spontaneous’ to ‘responsive.’”
Rather than age itself, she says chronic stress, exhaustion and the mental load of everyday life often have the greatest impact.
“The main culprit behind a lower sex drive isn’t age, it’s accumulated exhaustion, chronic stress, and mental load. Sex requires safety and relaxation. Once you address the burnout and cultivate a space to decompress, desire returns, but it needs an invitation rather than an automatic switch.”
Barredo said Hudson’s comments align with a shift many people experience as they get older, when confidence often replaces the pressure to be perfect.
“Midlife often brings a profound psychological gift: the shedding of external validation. When you are no longer worrying about how you look from the outside, you can finally focus on how intimacy feels from the inside.”
What are your thoughts on sex after 40? Do you agree with Hudson when she said the “best part about sex in your 40’s” “is the freedom?” Please let us know what you think and then share this story so we can hear from others!
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