“Increasing the representation of women 50+ in media does not fit with the priority areas for addressing gender inequality ”
These were the exact words we received in an email by a funding group supporting businesses and organisations tackling social issues…
Well at Ageism Is Never In Style, we beg to differ. Representation matters. Women over 50 matter.
Representation – particularly in media - influences how we see ourselves, and how others see us. It boosts self-worth, self-esteem and creates a sense of value and validation within society. And with our population ageing, retirement age increasing, and over 50s being encouraged back into the workforce, it’s more vital than ever that women over 50 feel seen and valued.
Yet a huge 88% of 50+ women feel ‘poorly’ represented in the media and, as a result, they are internalising these negative attitudes to the point that 55% of women over 18 say it makes them feel bad about ageing. This is detrimental to themselves, and to society at large.
We won’t let this gendered ageism continue. So we’re doing something about it.
Today we’re launching our new project with the Centre for Ageing Better: “Ending The Age Of ‘Invisibility’
A collection of editorial-style stock images of 50+ women to champion authentic, positive representation of today’s women in their 50s and beyond. 
Featuring 6 ‘real women’ in their 50s and 60s, these images are available to use & download for FREE globally from the Centre For Ageing Better’s Age-Positive Image Library and Unsplash.
So if you’re looking for authentic, real images of women aged 50+: here it is.
As a pilot project, we hope this is just the start. Having barely scratched the surface, we plan for the project to evolve so as to feature more and more women in their 50s and 60s, as well as 70s, 80s and beyond.
Representation of 50+ women in the media should be - and is - a priority. We shouldn’t be syphoning it off from conversations about ageism and sexism, and deprioritising it as ‘other’. The way women are viewed and valued in society is directly intertwined with ageing, so it’s imperative that we improve the representation of women over 50; that’s how we will smash through ageist - and sexist - stereotypes and attitudes, and that is how we disrupt negative internalised mindsets around women and ageing.
Because ageing is a privilege, and we’re on a mission to ensure that’s the (long overdue) message to all women and society.
ABOUT THE IMAGES
Creative Director: our founder, Jacynth Bassett
Photographer: Jenna Alexandra Smith
Stylist: Claire Ginzler
Makeup & Hair: Anna Gibson
Featuring clothes from The Bias Cut, shop the looks here.
