What can I add about aging?

As a woman in my fities I am looking at a world that I have known values youth, but find I am now running smack into the devaluation of older women. It's been a reality in the last few years that men no longer notice me for my physical attractiveness and that was harder to cope with than I expected. Yes, I have a good sense of self and the attributes I possess that have nothing to do with physical attractiveness. But, let's face the facts, we are immersed in images that say you are only "good" if you are young and physically appealing. Now I find I am being replaced by young "cute" women not because of the knowledge they bring, but because of the sad fact that powerful men with buying power would rather see them than me.

There have been many articles written about this topic and I can probably bring no added wisdom to light. But what I can write about is the pain that I have experienced firsthand and the outrage it ultimately brings.

Being replaced in Sales presentaions, being bypassed for promotion, dismissed and ignored, these are some examples of what it is like to work in the youth-oriented corporate world. Can I prove it? The answer is "no" as many other explanations are used to hide the facts of this discrimination. I have had women friends in my age group tell me of blatant examples of agism and sexism, but they too feel powerless to change this practice. We have cried together at the humiliation and anger we feel and have asked ourselves how we can change this inequity, only to come to the conclusion we can't. Or don't want to face the risk of no one else hiring us because we are the age we are.

Recently I read an article in my local paper about the practice of hiring drug representatives from cheerleading squads! It seems that sex sells to physicians with buying power and it isn't just the drug companies that know that little tidbit. How many older women are surprised by this practice? Not many I think. Whether it is going to cheerleading squads or hiring new college graduates with no real experience other than the fact they are attractive, seems to be commonly accepted.

I do not want readers to think I am against young, beautiful people, male or female. I'm not! I believe youth needs to be interjected into companies to bring new ideas and enthusiasm. What I am saying though is that older experienced female workers should be valued too.

Me in Chulacanas, Peru June 2005

Some Thoughts

This is my first attempt at blogging, but after reading in AARP magazine about bloggers in their 80s, I thought I should give it a shot. This has been a year of challenge for me and my family. Separations, illness, disappointments, things that happen to all of us at some time in our lives. It's in these times that we have to hang on to the good memories to sustain us and to move forward clutching our optimism of better times to come.

I hope there are many topics I can discuss here and my children will see a different, or should I say, more complete person. And I hope they too will share their thoughts with me.

For now I wish all my friends and loved ones a joyous holiday season and for a New Year that brings new hope.