This archive report was first published on 7 November 2019.
Published on November 7, 2019, a time when attitudes towards aging were changing. Middle-aged and older women were slowly gaining pop culture representation that reflected their dynamic, complex, and sexy nature.
Actresses like Jamie Lee Curtis, Kathryn Hahn, Jennifer Lopez, and Jean Smart were defying age stereotypes, showcasing their talents and sensuality on screen. This shift in perception was significant, as it challenged the long-held notion that women over a certain age were sexless and relegated to wise, maternal roles.
For the author, Ali Drucker, this change was particularly meaningful. She noted that seeing a woman like Keanu Reeves's date, who appeared to be embracing her age, sent a powerful message. It said that women could be desirable and look exactly their age, without feeling the need to conform to societal beauty standards.
As Drucker wrote, 'For a time-tested public figure like Mr. Reeves to proudly stand there, beaming, with a woman who appears not to be in a battle against time sends a message to the rest of us that perhaps we can put down the snail mucin salves and jade rollers ourselves.'
Drucker's words captured the essence of this shift in perception, as women began to embrace their age and reject the societal pressure to conform to unrealistic beauty standards.
