We live in a country where women are so afraid of aging that young girls routinely endure Botox injections every few months to stave off looking older than twenty eight. The cosmetic industry is based on the premise that aging is bad and that it is critically important for women to spend thousands of dollars on creams and treatments to prevent the “ravages of time” to show.
Young women today have no concept of what it was like to grow up in a world where our mothers told us to find Prince Charming who would take care of us. Many of us did, only to learn the hard way that he is not really a prince and he runs off with a younger version of us.
A third of America’s population is over 50 and, of that demographic, a majority are women. Men at 85 more often have a woman who takes care of him while older women are primarily left to manage alone. To understand the forces behind this cultural reality, we recommend reading “in Our Prime” by Susan Douglas. Douglas, a professor at the University of Michigan, argues that older women are ignored by advertisers, politicians, the media and the entertainment industry and that America is “hostile to women being autonomous”. The tone and demeanor of her writing makes me want to meet with her over a cup of coffee.
How is it possible for Baby-Boomer women to feel valued when our society discards them after age 50? Douglas makes the point that we can argue the reasons behind this patriarchal culture but that this is not productive. She notes that we Baby-Boomers were feminists during the 70s, referencing Maggie Kuhn and the Gray Panthers. It is time we continue our efforts as what she calls “life-span” feminists. In spite of what Rush Limbaugh says, feminist is defined by the dictionary as someone who “advocates social, political, legal and economic rights for women equal to those of men.”
We must band together to make our voices heard. Let’s begin to build an army of our peers to spread the word, so our voices will be heard from near and far.
This is easier said than done but perhaps by writing about this and spreading the word, we can begin to build a force where our voices will be heard. Imagine the possibilities.
Here’s to a better New Year. Stay safe and well.
Lucy and Claudia