Blog #8 - What can be done to change societal images of menopause, aging and older women?

The answer is so simple it almost seems silly. If women want to change the way we view ourselves as we get older, we simply have to voice our support of it. Think about it, women were told they weren't meant to work outside of the home, but one day women decided they wanted to and proved opposers wrong by fighting for equal rights in the workplace. Now, women run multi-million dollar companies, many of which were started by women. There was a time, not so long ago, when women were told their vote shouldn't count. Then one day, they got tired of that and decided to fight for that right. Now, women are running for president, and will probably soon exceed that milestone. If a woman wants to succeed in creating a new image for herself, she must first imagine herself in that image. By deciding that birthdays are just an excuse to dress up and feel great, that menopause is just another of many changes to come and embrace, and by creating, promoting, and supporting images of older women in a competent seductive light. There is no rule that says grandmothers have to be described, written and portrayed by women who don't promote sex appeal. So one day, hopefully soon, we will get tired of being told that is what getting older means, and we'll change it.  We will create social circles that include older women. We will continue supporting actresses we love by going to see their films and it will become socially unacceptable to use the term "old hag". Women will create beautiful clothing lines  that don't include elastic and flatter an older woman's figure. And we will tell our daughters that living a full life means living it up your whole life!