We're not invisible. You just can't see past the stereotypes.

Let’s get one thing straight – the problem isn’t that we’re ageing. The problem is that society still can’t work out what to do with us once we pass a certain birthday. It’s not us. It’s you.

We’re told to ‘embrace our age’ while being bombarded with messages that make it crystal clear - our value supposedly declines with every candle on the cake. We’re expected to age gracefully, quietly, and preferably out of sight. But here’s the twist: we’re not fading - you’ve just edited us out of the story.

The image problem society can’t fix

Society has a very particular image of what ageing looks like. It’s an image that comes from decades of lazy stereotypes, advertising shortcuts and bad sitcom writing. And it starts alarmingly early.

Turn 40, and suddenly you’ve ‘hit a milestone’. Cue the jokes about being ‘over the hill’ as if you’re supposed to swap out your jeans for something ‘age appropriate’ and your sense of humour for a gardening catalogue.

At 50, you’re served birthday cards about sagging boobs and apron bellies, and at 60 it’s zimmerframes. By 70, you can't escape incontinence brief jokes.

It’s all meant to be ‘light-hearted’, but these constant reminders add up. They send a clear message - you’ve crossed an invisible line from vibrant to irrelevant.

Television and cinema – the instant-ageing machine

Switch on the TV or go to the movies and watch how fast a woman can be aged up for a role. One year you’re playing the love interest in a figure-revealing silk dress and the next - even if you’re Meryl Streep, one of the greatest actors of all time - you’re handed three scripts for witches in a single year, the year you turn 50, as if that’s the only casting option left.

And it’s not just her.

A global study across top-grossing films in the US, UK, France and Germany found women aged 50+ made up only 25% of characters over 50, and were far more likely than older men to be portrayed as frail, senile or homebound.

Meanwhile, male actors keep their leading-man roles well into their 70s, often opposite women young enough to be their granddaughters. It’s called ‘distinguished’ for them, and ‘past it’ for us.

Fashion rules we never agreed to

Somewhere along the line, society decided there’s a dress code for women over 50 - and we didn’t get a say in it. Out go the leather pants and stiletto heels, in come the pedal pusher 3/4 pants, oversized T-shirts, cardigans, and sensible flats. It’s the fashion equivalent of being told to take a seat and stop making a fuss.

And heaven forbid you step outside those boundaries. Wear something form-fitting and you’re ‘mutton dressed as lamb’. Wear something relaxed and you’re ‘letting yourself go’. It’s a no-win game, and we’re done playing it.

Invisible and irrelevant

Ask any woman over 50 and she’ll tell you - invisibility is real. You’re suddenly the ‘nana’ in the room, not the woman with decades of experience. It’s the assumption you need help to cross the road. It’s the way you’re overlooked in conversations, even when you have more to contribute than anyone else.

And the problem isn’t just in the entertainment industry. A UK Advertising Standards Authority report found that over one-third of people think portrayals of over-55s in ads are offensive, and nearly half dislike jokes at their expense. Society acts like your best days are behind you, when in reality, you might have 35% to 50% of your life still to live. That’s not a wind-down phase - that’s a second act, and it’s packed with potential.

Why ageing is valuable

With age comes something society doesn’t seem to value enough - perspective. We’ve lived through trends, disasters, recoveries and revolutions. We’ve navigated careers, relationships, and more than a few storms. We know what matters and what doesn’t.

We’re more resilient, more resourceful and far less likely to waste time on nonsense. That should make us the most valued demographic in the room, not the most ignored.

The real problem

The obsession with youth isn’t about beauty - it’s about control. If society can convince women that ageing is something to fear, it keeps us in our place. Quiet. Compliant. Apologetic for taking up space.

But here’s the truth - we’re not stepping aside. We’re not going quietly. And if you think we’re irrelevant, you’re not paying attention.

We are experienced, confident and unfiltered. We know our worth. And we’re not asking for permission to be seen - we’re taking up the space we’ve earned.

#58andUnapologetic

Sources

• Global study on film characters over 50: Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, 2022
• UK Advertising Standards Authority, Depictions of Over-55s in Advertising, 2023

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