“It’s the invisibility and the societal Stigma that’s most tiring” Let’s face it, Older Women have always been an object of ridicule in our society. This can be seen in the way women’s aging bodies are culturally devalued within youth-privileging cultures and the nonstop over-sexualization of younger women making older women feel less, sad about getting older. Older women often face the dilemma of attempting to mask the signs of aging or aging “authentically” but encounter heightened stigma, prejudice, and discrimination. It’s so sad that very old women in the fourth age who “fail” to age “successfully” are subject to extreme social exclusion.
In the World of wine aging, two key players are tannins and acidity according to wine experts. When the wine is young, these two components can be a bit aggressive, leading to that icky puckering sensation or a rough mouthfeel. But Not to worry, with time, they mellow out, softening the wine and creating a harmonious balance of flavors that makes say “wow” and nod your head in agreement. This is a lovely, clear description of an older woman.
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“It’s the not being seen that is most tiresome”
Being overlooked or misperceived in the media;
Being misperceived as objects of sexual undesirability;
Being “ignored” in consumer, social, and public spaces;
Being “grandmotherized,” that is, seen only through the lens of (often incorrectly) presumed grandmotherhood;
Being patronized and erroneously assumed to be incompetent.
