Growing up, a saying I knew to be true was that you absolutely not Ask a woman her age. It was always something you had to be shy about; the implication was that not only was it intrusive to ask, but it’s best not to put the woman in the awkward situation where she might be judged…or might lie. Age was always the elephant in the room but As Bob Dylan said… 🎵 times they are changing 🎶.
More and more women feel comfortable embracing and sharing their age with pride.And I think it’s largely due to the fact that we women have begun to redefine what it means to grow older on our own terms. Whether through skincare routines, health regimens, or simply the choice to flaunt our silver hair (or not), modern women are overcoming outdated stereotypes and now have the freedom to define our own narratives.
What it was like to turn 50
When I was young, women over 50 always had a specific look. I’m sure you’ve seen the memes about the Golden Girls, or remember from the show, Dorothy, Rose and Blanche were 50 year old women. In this formative time of my childhood, when I watched the show (I was 10 when it premiered in 1985), they looked like my grandmothers and were active like my grandmothers, but the reason it stands out so much now is that through of the current lens appear much larger.
I’m turning 50 in a few months, and I can’t help but think about what it must have been like during that time, and feel like that was the embodiment of being 50.
How turning 50 has changed
Over the years, the image of aging has certainly changed. 10 years ago Today’s program put together a slideshow about being 50 “then and now” that showed a stark contrast, especially among women. One notable celebrity who appeared was Courteney Cox alongside Aunt Bee from The Andy Griffith show.
In a 2013 interview at new you Cox magazine itself talked about aging. The interviewer noted that there were several shows at the time in which the main character was in his 40s or 50s (Cox starred in the show puma city) to which Cox attributed that to, “I feel like no one looks their age anymore.” Later in the article, she talks about her fear of turning 50 and also her use of anti-aging products, including injectables, which at the time was not talked about openly, especially among celebrities.
Fast forward to today: there will certainly always be people who feel like it’s no one’s business to know their age and might even lie about it for fear that it might jeopardize their careers, relationships, etc., but it’s becoming increasingly common. It is more common for women to proudly say their age and accept it because more and more women are aging on their own terms. there is no longer a look which represents a specific age.
Today, celebrities will endorse and host advertorials that talk about anti-aging products that give them “confidence in my body and certainly in my skin” (Jane Seymore by Crepe Erase). They will also stand in front of the US Capitol shouting to the crowd: “I’m in menopause, okay? and insisting that “we must take the shame out of menopause. We have to talk about this very normal part of our lives that happens. Our doctors can’t even say the word to us, much less guide us along the journey” (Halle Berry in May 2024).
Today’s woman has room to age however she wants—Injectables and menopausal hormone treatments are discussed together in the cafeteria, not whispered quietly in the ladies’ room line. There is no “right” way to be 50, or any age, for that matter.
Personally, my 50s will include creams and serums, hair color (spoiler alert, I’m not naturally red), green drinks, hopefully a few more marathons, and conversations with my friends about the current state of my perimenopause. But I can confidently say that those products and my wardrobe are not intended to be perceived as young because I will tell that to anyone who asks me my age. And on the other hand, maybe one day I’ll want beautiful silver hair or wear glasses all the time, but I love it, that’s up to me now.
Your 50’s will look totally different than mine, and how cool is that?! Each of us has the opportunity to create our own path forward… and to own he.
Hey, yeah… 50 is the new 50!
Share your own experiences and insights on turning 50 and beyond. —tam
