Ageism in the UK
'Silver Foxes'. A growing breed, apparently: more mature gents with a fulsome mop of grey hair, who are still considered to be charming, alluring, sexy even. Harrison Ford (I'm told) is one, as is Roger Sterling - the senior advertising exec in the acclaimed TV series Madmen. I say 'more mature gents' as I've so far never heard the term applied to any women. And I'm not altogether sure what the equivalent term would be ('Silver Vixens' doesn't quite do it).
It's long been suggested that when it comes to remaining in the public eye, men fare better than the fairer sex. They don't seem to be required to work nearly so hard to disguise the impact of old father time on skin, face and hair.
And so to the 'Countryfile affair'. This week, Miriam O'Reilly won her court case against the BBC. The tribunal ruled that the corporation was guilty of age discrimination in dropping her from her presenting slot on the programme back in 2007. The evidence presented included O'Reilly's claim that her producer had told her, 'You're going to have to be careful about those wrinkles when high definition comes in.' As a society, we spend a good deal of time worrying about the pressures placed on teenage girls to conform to ridiculous standards of perfection. It seems, however, that those demands don't ease with age.
But shouldn't we all be able to look forward to a time in life when we don't have to preen and pamper ourselves excessively in order to impress? More to the point, as Christians in our society, shouldn't be wary of following today's society in making an idol of the image of youth? Why is it that a confidence in our natural appearance and a sense of comfortableness in our own (wrinkled) skin cannot be a sign of maturity?
Putting aside TV's apparent bias towards youth, Christians do need to ask serious questions about the treatment of the elderly within our communities. It's predicted that 10 million people currently alive will live to be over 100. As our population ages, Christians need to lead the way in recapturing something that western culture has dismissed - veneration of our elders. But as well as being gracious to our seniors, we also need those who model what it means to grow old gracefully.
The famous Proverb puts it well; far from being a sign of weakness, aging follicles are a symbol of wisdom: 'Grey hair is a crown of splendour; it is attained in the way of righteousness' (Proverbs 16.31).
We need not aspire to be 'Silver Foxes'; rather, we need to commit to walking faithfully with God, both in our youth, and in our old age. Whilst such an approach to life is unlikely to lend us celebrity status, it will make us people of integrity, granting us a contentment that flows from a confidence in our relationship with the God who looks beyond our outward appearance.
Jason Gardner
Links
For the Guardian's take on our ageing population, click here...
For the Daily Telegraph's discussion of the row over ageing TV presenters, click here...
Comments
What a very well written article on Ageism. How true - how very much lost in todays lost society. May the Lord ever lead you all in writing such profound truths in these items that you publish on the web. I deeply appreciate every email item that you send out, thank you, from Nora in Dublin.
I believe the female equivalent is 'cougar'
Date:
2011-01-14 22:37:40
Author:
Alan Bright