BRITAIN/ We have found an article from a British writer regarding celebrities; take a look at it.

“There is a trope in movies and TV that occurs so often that; I’m not sure we even notice it anymore: a woman stands in front of a mirror; and uses the palm of her hands to lift her face. Usually, she hones in on her forehead; lifting her eyebrows and eyes to the place where they perhaps used to sit. It’s a brisk, lazy way of telling an audience, “This woman is feeling haggard”.

As a child, I never understood exactly what they were doing; these women who appeared entirely normal looking, if a little tired. Why they were dragging at their skin and seeming disappointed in their efforts? But now, as I approach my 33rd birthday; I find myself looking in my mirror, making the same motions and tweaks; and wondering when exactly the work of gravity began, and what I should be doing to stop it.

Celebrities

The chatter this morning about Amanda Holden, 51, advertising lingerie from JD Williams, has me thinking of the reflections in all of these mirrors once again. The reaction on Twitter is as you’d expect; compliments peppered with nauseating “puns” about golden buzzers, and even one man informing her he “prefers Carol Voderman”. Others expressed dismay at her gall, to be mostly undressed beyond her 20s. Being “inappropriate” is something she’s been accused of before.

So, I ask myself; what do I think when I look at her, this fellow woman, nearly 20 years my senior, in her knickers? I’ll be honest, my first thought is one of cynicism, and perhaps of self-preservation: privileges such as an expensive personal trainer and gym membership must have helped her along.

I forgive myself for this. I was raised on magazines telling me what beauty was while being slick with airbrushing, but eventually, the voices of those desperately trying to make such falsifying of a woman’s appearance more transparent became the louder of the two.

Movie

Yes, a myriad of messages from older generations about femininity and appearance have reached us, and are embedded in our psyche. We can suspect cosmetic surgery and respect that a woman has the right to do what she wants with her own body. We know that we can’t be expected to look like those in the media because we don’t have a weekly facialist, an at-home barre studio, or tailor-made outfits. But these encouraging reminders are yet to be joined by one stating with equal conviction that age does not equal weakness or faded beauty.

Time passed, I forgot about Hustlers, and Amanda’s incredible body took me by surprise yet again. Airbrushing and financial means entirely aside, both women’s bodies are ones of hard work, sweat, dedication, and discipline. I’m in awe, to be honest.

There is a cost to not celebrating women aging, and tearing them down for simply having the audacity to display a beautiful and strong body. It does damage to every single generation and every woman. We are shortchanging ourselves and burdening ourselves with a dread that we need not have.

My face looks the way it does now because I have scream-laughed with my best friends, I have stayed awake to see sunrises in hot, foreign countries, I have sung and danced and taken risks and failed and lived.

Final Word

Aging is a privilege – it’s not something we need to be afraid of. I choose to be inspired and excited by these photos of Amanda, and not just welcome this new voice in my head, but nurture it and share it aloud. You should, too.“

Source: Yahoo News Agency