The Mixed Messages Women Receive About Aging
I've been increasingly annoyed by the mixed messages women receive about aging. We're told to embrace getting older, yet many of the women (mostly celebrities) held up as examples of aging positively have erased almost every visible sign of it.
We are constantly being sold the idea that aging well means looking younger.
In fact, at the store the other day, a clerk mentioned that the store closes late, and I said, “oh, I’m too old for late nights,” and he immediately replied, “no, you look great.” In my mind, I was like, wow! I didn’t mention anything about my looks but culturally we equate any mention of aging with beauty (more so for women).
Brands know that women over 50 are one of the most powerful demographics in the world. Yet when they market to us, they often show younger women or celebrate women who have erased every visible sign of aging.
Jane Fonda, who I love and adore, once said in an interview that she wishes she hadn't been so vain and had allowed herself to have wrinkles. She said she loves wrinkles on other women but couldn't accept them on herself.
I appreciated her honesty! It was brave. We want to embrace aging, yet we live in a culture that tells us aging is something to hide, deny, and erase.
For me, empowerment at this stage of life is not about looking younger; it’s about becoming more of who we really are AND ACCEPTING IT.
It's having opinions, speaking up, building something meaningful, and knowing our worth without needing constant validation.
It's having the confidence to take up space because of our experiences, wisdom, skills, and stories.
I have no interest in telling women what they should or shouldn't do. Every woman gets to decide what feels right for her.
But personally, I wish we saw more examples of women aging naturally and being celebrated for who they are, not how successfully they've managed to hide the passage of time.
I know women in their 50s, 60s, 70s, and beyond who are incredibly attractive, stylish, vibrant, and yes, sexy. Not because they look younger, it’s because they are themselves, and that is powerful.
Curious - what does empowerment mean to you as you've gotten older? And can someone be aging "positively" when they've erased any sign of it? I'm interested in how you feel about this.
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