Newsletter

Bollocks to the ‘Don’t Look Your Age Challenge’

— by Alyson Walsh

Photo: Neil Mackenzie Matthews

 

Just when you think the narrative on ageing is changing for the better… Over the weekend the hashtag #DontLookYourAgeChallenge was trending on social media. According to Newsweek, the phenomenon started when a 34-year-old posted a selfie on Twitter. While this may seem like a bit of harmless fun, it sadly reinforces the tired stereotype that being young is beautiful and desirable, being older is not. Which is bollocks. As we know. There are many different types of beauty, regardless of age. I’m 57, I look my age and I’m fine with that.

The language we use, the vocabulary around ageing matters. This is what a number of bloggers, editors and consumers have been saying for years (here’s a link to a feature I wrote for the Guardian in 2017); and it’s why beauty brands made the shift away from the phrase ‘anti-ageing’ to more positive terms like Pro Age and Age Perfect.  I’ve always found remarks like ‘ you look good for your age’ or ‘you don’t look your age’ feel like more of an insult than a compliment. As Gloria Steinem said over 40-years ago when a journalist commented on her appearance, ‘This is what 40 looks like – we’ve been lying for so long, who would know?’ In a recent interview, Steinem added, ‘ Age really was a great penalty for women.’ And I don’t see many men taking up the #DontLookYourAgeChallenge…

We should all be anti-anti-ageing now. As Professor Carolyn Mair said when I tweeted my disgust at the #DontLookYourAgeChallenge, ‘Socialisation that praises women for their appearance alone and lauds youthful looks above everything else, and an industry that perpetuates the fear of ageing as a disease, we all have to fight.’

We look how we look, what’s age got to do with it? Applied to any other ‘ism’ this hashtag would be wildly inappropriate.

 

 

On a more positive note, these photos of Charlotte Rampling from an interview in the Weekend Guardian are glorious. I LOVE the styling:

 

Photos: Jean-Francois Robert for the Guardian. Styling by Jenke Ahmed tally

 

Charlotte Rampling in Chanel

 

More on the Age Diversity HERE.

Keep Reading

That’s Not My Age podcast: Portrait Artist of the Year Curtis Holder

  Just when you think the narrative on ageing is changing for the better… Over the weekend the hashtag #DontLookYourAgeChallenge was trending on social media. According to Newsweek, the ph…