She may be older but she still feels young and ready to tackle life.
acrylic on Canvas / 20” x 16” / $ 399
Behind the Wrinkle
Last week two participants in my writers group read passages that contained descriptions of elderly women. I was aghast at listening to their portrayals of women my age. They conjured up frumpish matrons with beatific smiles who spend much of their time knitting and gossiping over tea. Their arms are open for those who knock on church doors looking for aid. “Yes dear, do come in. You are loved.“ Perhaps, forty to fifty years ago these women did exist in white middle and upper class communities where husbands worked and women stayed home. Not now.
During the comment period I mentioned that I certainly don’t feel like the people described on their pages. My writer friends laughed and the meeting went on. However, the issue of age continued to bother me for I don’t know anyone who would comfortably step into the pages of their books. These days, older women are full participants in the social and political fabric of the country. I set out to investigate age discrimination more thoroughly.
My attention immediately leaped to Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court and Senator Diane Feinstein, both working at 85 despite physical ailments that plagued them as they aged. I wondered how Nancy Pelosi at 78 retained her role as a Washington powerhouse and how Maxine Waters at 80 remains relevant to her district. None of these women appear to lack the stamina needed in their jobs.
I noticed that older actresses were getting better roles. Jane Fonda at 81 starred with Lily Tomlin, 79, in the Netflix series Grace and Frankie. She maintains a healthy lifestyle, exercises regularly, eats well, and boy does she look stunning. As a bionic woman, she hasn’’t lets her fake hip, artificial knee or many back surgeries stop her for living fully. And then there’s Oprah Winfrey, who at 65 looks like she will remain active forever. She’s a media executive who continues as a publisher, actress, TV producer and philanthropist. She got American to read.
Inevitably, our bodies will decline, so I decided to investigate elderly female athletes. Phyllis Sues at 91 is a competitive Tango dancer who recently took up skydiving. Sylvester Stallone’s mother Jackie at 92 does CrossFit Boxing, indoor rowing and takes dance classes. Tao Porchon-Lynch at 96 is the world’s oldest yoga teacher. She didn’t start her practice until the was 73. Madona Buder (known as the Iron Nun) at age 84 finished the Ironman triathlon. The competition involved a 2.4 mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, followed by a 26.2 mile run. The stories are many.
Exercise, healthy diet and remain active—those words are pounded into the heads of women in every socio-economic level. For economic reasons, though, more of them have to work into their senior years to make ends meet. Employment is not easy, for age discrimination starts at fifty for women. Though they may be youthful, savvy, and connected, in the workplace coworkers often consider them dinosaurs. They are disrespected, labeled old fashioned and forced out of jobs. Unlike men, whose value increases as they get older, they fall prey to assumptions that they lack stamina, aren’t technically astute and aren’t invested in their careers. The opposite is actually true, for their companies are not invested in them.
According to a study from the National Bureau of Economic Research one reason older female job seekers are discriminated more than males is because physical appearance matters more for women than men. Though laws are in place to protect workers over 40, age discrimination is difficult to prove. However, according to AARP, women are finally speaking up and reporting injustices, the first step towards change. The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts that by 2024 there will be twice as many women over 55 in the labor force as women ages 16 to 24.
Though older women are least valued by employers, they are needed. Many are educated, trained, reliable and experienced. They understand the aging marketplace and add to the economy with their purchases. They save employers money because they demand fewer benefits. Medicare lowers health insurance premiums and Social Security fill in some of the gaps in income needs.
But, those who can retire, don’t slow down. They are involved and engaged in writing, participating in politics, volunteering on school boards and becoming classroom aids. They travel with emergency teams to disaster areas and join local committees to overcome homelessness. They keep their bodies fit and their minds sharp by auditing university classes, attending lecture series, travel. Their spirits adjust to advancing age through meditation and yoga. Balancing volunteer activities with play helps them remain young at heart. The seniors I know stay abreast of the changing world, use computers and participate on social media sites. They text and tweet to communicate with grandchildren and pride themselves on understanding the younger generation.
Older women are not fragile. They’ve always worked hard taking care of families and participating in community life. And, in case you wondered, yes, most enjoy sex. So young squirts, get over it. Look at reality and not some outdated concept of a great grandmother in a flower patterned housecoat reclining in a rocking chair ready to dispense tea and chat. We are a mounting force that needs to be reckoned with.
References:
Ward, P. (2014) 7 Inspiring Women Athletes Over age 70. Health. retrieved from https://www.health.com/fitness/7-inspiring-women-athletes-over-age-70
Sitzes, Jenae, (2018) How Jane Fonda Looks So Young at 80. Prevention. retrieved from https://www.prevention.com/fitness/a20686775/jane-fonda-age/
Marcus, B. (2018) Age Discrimination and Women in the Workplace: How to Avoid G3eting Pushed Out. Forbes. retrieved from https://www.prevention.com/fitness/a20686775/jane-fonda-age/
Terrell,K (2018) Age Bias Complaints Rise Among Women and Minorities. AARP. retrieved from https://www.aarp.org/work/working-at-50-plus/info-2018/age-discrimination-increases-women-minorities.html
Congresswoman at 80
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