Older Women and the Photo-Shopping Virus

For those of us who still visit Facebook from time to time, you’ll probably run across an image of a middle age woman who looks like she just graduated from high school.

To deny the heavy-handed retouching is like denying one’s own existence. Never-mind. It IS denying one’s actual existence.

But they do it anyway, because it’s an assertion of where they once were, courtesy of digital manipulation and social media.

The “ooohs and ahhhs” reflect a captive audience suffering the same affliction.

“Oh you look fabulous!” “You haven’t aged a bit in 30 years!” OMG, you’re GORGEOUS!”

Throwing that middle finger to reality in celebration who they once were just one final time feels so good.

But it’s a joke to everyone outside their core constituency.

Think pink pussy hats and this comes into even greater focus.

Personally, I respect older women [and men] who embrace their actual appearance in posted imagery.

Kate Moss is structurally beautiful, and anyone – particularly photographers like myself – appreciate her un-retouched beauty.

I bring all this up because the distinction between fantasy and reality is lost on so many otherwise beautiful older women.

The problem is that beautiful older women aren’t appreciated for their aged appearance. In fact, they are held in disdain, a clear and present existential threat in the minds of younger women who relish to power they wield.

I get it. We all do. Youth and beauty are today’s most trade-able commodities and women who don’t consciously leverage both are fucking insane.

To be continued shortly. Check back…