A recent comment by Emma Soames, Saga Magazine’s Editor At Large, caught our attention.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Ms Soames, who happens to be Winston Churchill’s granddaughter, said it was “widely known that women become invisible after the age of 45.”
It is widely known that women over 45 (and, indeed women and men of all ages) shout at the radio when nonsense is uttered. And Cyndy’s immediate reaction on hearing this sexist and ageist nonsense was to shout: “Oh no we don’t!”
Because the media and some segments of retail consider us unimportant (AKA invisible) after age 45, does not mean we are invisible or unimportant … In the UK, there are more than 10 million women aged over 50 and, according to a survey, women over 50 buy more designer fashion and luxury goods than any other group. That means the media and the retail world should treat us with more respect, focus on us more and not treat us as if we were invisible… Thinking about it, we shouldn’t have to buy designer clothes to be deemed important, but we have to accept that in Retail, we are all A Commodity…
But, going back to Emma Soames and her comment: there may have been some truth in her comment if she had made it 30 years ago, but now, in 2016, women over 45 are far from invisible. To name-check just a few, there’s Oprah Winfrey, the American media proprietor, actress, producer, and philanthropist 62; Sheryl Sandberg, 47, Chief Operating Officer of Facebook; Dame Carolyn McCall, 54, CEO of Easyjet; Sharon White, 49, chief executive of broadcasting regulator Ofcom; Angela Ahrendts, 55, senior Vice-President at Apple Inc; Stacey Cartwright, 52, CEO of Harvey Nichols; and, of course, Sophie Cornish, 51, founder and non-executive director of notonthehighstreet.com. We could go on…
Perhaps, Ms Soames is talking sexually invisible? But even that myth has been blown wide apart by Nicola Griffin, the British woman from Nottingham, who at the age 56 is the star of the latest “Swimsuit issue” of iconic American magazine Sports Illustrated. And then there are all those luscious 50-somethings, including Liz Hurley, Elle McPherson and Julianne Moore. Invisible? Absolutely not.
Nah, sorry, Emma, SoSensational takes issue with you – in today’s world, in 2016, women over 45 are far from invisible. And SoSensational is here to ensure that all women stay visible and sensational at 45, 55, 65 and beyond….
And to have made that assertion a week before 2016 International Women’s Day (March 8th) makes it even less forgiveable.
What do you think? Tell us below.
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4 Comments
I run a colour and style consultancy for the over 50s, called “Uninvisible Image”, which aims to help those men and women, who feel that they have become invisible through age, to become (un-in)visible, more confident and in control again with regard to how they present themselves. I can’t quite agree with your article. In fact I think you HAVE admitted that we do become invisible after a certain age, because you say media and some segments of retail consider us unimportant and that we should be (“should be” because we currently aren’t) treated with more respect. To name a few female celebrities over 50 is missing the point about feeling invisible as we grow older: of course those women are not invisible as they are in the media’s sight! It is the ordinary older woman – and man – who feels this sense of displacement, of not mattering in today’s world, once they reach a certain age. I have met many who, the minute I mention invisibility, start to nod their heads in agreement. I also think that this is a condition peculiar to the UK. I am 59. If I go to Spain, France, Italy or elsewhere in Europe, for example, I am still looked at and admired – both by men and women, but men here are too afraid to admire women of any age in case it’s misinterpreted as leering. Just a couple of weeks ago I was in a supermarket in Spain with my partner. The cashier, a complete stranger, told me how pretty I looked. Would that happen here? It’s our culture in the UK and while I entirely celebrate the successful rise of women in business here, I do regret the the misplaced belief that our ability will only be recognised and taken seriously if we omit any flattering references to appearance. We’re multi-taskers: we can run companies, homes and look good too!
Hi Laura, Thanks for taking the time to comment on our “Invisible After Age 45” blog. We named celebrities but we ALSO named women over-45 in key positions in businesses and organisations, to make the point that women should not think of themselves as invisible after 45, nor let others treat them as if they are invisible. Your consultancy and our website are on the same side, here, giving women (and in your case men, too) strategies to avoid becoming invisible. We think you have a point about the UK being more ageist than European countries… Keep up your great consultancy work.
I hate to say this, but most of the comments above are made from 50 and 60 year olds. Believe it or not there are 80 year olds, still with their teeth… who need interest shown in them too. My darling husband has Alzheimer’s, he is 84 nearly. He is very cheeky in a sexual way, and we love each other very much. But, l dread losing him. For all my cheerfulness l am sliding downwards into depression, which is so not me. Don’t, please tell me to join clubs, and I’m sorry to have strayed of the subject. But l finally had to say something.
Good point Bubbles, and thank you for the wake up call! Interestingly, another SoSensational reader wrote in this week asking for clothing information for her 80-something Nan, a women who even though in a care home, is still interested in clothes. It sounds as if, despite your cheerfulness, you are having a tough time and we sincerely hope that you will be able to find ways of coping that work for you. But it is very inspiring to read that no matter what the age, love is still all around, so thank you for that. Warmest wishes.