Age is More than a Number... For Women

 

Men over 50 work regularly. How many of these stellar actors have you seen in a movie during the last five years?


But for women, turning 50 in Hollywood could be a career ender. How many of these stellar actresses have you seen in a movie during the last five years?

Ask any Sex and the City fan what they think of the sequel, And Just like…? Eventually, they will say the cast looks old. Critics have panned the show for not being the show it was. Is it anything like it was in 2008? No one criticized Martin Sheen or Clint Eastwood for looking older. Why are women subjected to such scrutiny and skewed standards? According to Sellnow, men are the dominant gender, and they have the power to set the lens we use.  

But is it only the men who are making us compare ourselves to the image that was fourteen years ago? Shonda Rimes, who is celebrated for not stereotyping roles that she casts, does not cast many older women.

According to NPR’s podcast, Ageism in Hollywood is as Old as the Hills, the percentage of major female characters plummeted from 42% in their 30s to 15% in their 40s. Similarly, on streaming programs, the percentage of major females dropped from 33% in their 30s to 14% in their 40s."Okay, so I am 54. Yes, 54, and I am grateful to have made it this far. I had a cousin who was the nicest person you would ever meet. Timothy died before he was 22. I am empowered and excited about the future. However, I check my mirror every day for the newest sign that I am aging. I don’t mind being 54; I just don’t want to look 54. Whatever that looks like, now, is that because of the male agenda, the media, or my own vanity? Video Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfjzkO6_DEI–

Let's end ageism | Ashton Applewhite

Reference

Sellnow, D. D. (2014). The feminist perspective.  SAGE Publications.

https://www.npr.org/2022/10/18/1129632989/there-are-more-women-on-tv-but-ageism-persists-says-new-study#:~:text=Ageism%20in%20Hollywood%20is%20as%20old%20as%20the%20hills&text=%22On%20broadcast%20programs%2C%20the%20percentage,14%25%20in%20their%2040s.%22


 

Comments

  1. Ivy NorthFebruary 5, 2024 at 8:10 PM

    It was really fascinating going through your blog post, especially after all the award shows we have been having recently. I recently sat down to watch TV for the Grammy award show for a bit of time, while also scrolling through social media as live updates came through on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). Something that came to up while reading through this was all the times women have to explain about their anti-aging tactics to the media as they get older. Talk shows, magazines, interviews, and so many other places have these women actresses/writers/singers explaining how to look and keep looking younger. They also often get asked about family, and how they can juggle having a career and keep acting. It's like many of them have to prove their ability and freedom to the world to keep acting/singing/writing without it complicating their "mothering lifestyle." I definitely believe we have come a long way in welcoming women into the limelight, but there is still a lot to work on when it comes to ageism, standards, and abilities. The NPR podcast quote you mentioned in your blog post proves this. It would be awesome to see how pop culture would navigate this change in the future!

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