Really? Are we still criticizing women for how they look?
Related: Am I Pretty Yet?: How Face Filters Have Affected My Self-Image and Life Outside of Social Media
Women have always faced criticism for their looks, but this is especially true for women under the spotlight. Actress Millie Bobby Brown, who has been the focus of public scrutiny since she was a teenager, has been dealing with that recently, as many have said she “looks old” in her red carpet appearances for her new movie The Electric State. Commenters online were saying that her styling choices aged her poorly, and headlines blatantly questioning whether she got plastic surgery started popping up everywhere. Well, Millie has had enough and addressed the situation in a video posted to her Instagram account.
“I started in this industry when I was 10 years old. I grew up in front of the world, and for some reason, people can’t seem to grow with me. Instead, they act like I’m supposed to stay frozen in time, like I should still look the way I did on Stranger Things Season 1. And because I don’t, I’m now a target,” Millie wrote in the caption.
Further, she called out journalists who wrote articles about her looks (rightfully so) and advocated for people to be kinder towards women growing up under the spotlight. Millie is not the first female celebrity to deal with people calling her old and the effects that come with it, but what makes the situation extra wild is the fact that she’s only 21 years old. The fear of looking old has also been persistent among Gen Z, and it’s an insecurity that isn’t helped by social media. While it has been normalized for years, Millie’s message serves as another reminder that the discourse around aging, especially on women, has gotten out of hand.
DISILLUSIONED AND DELULU
“Aging gracefully” is something many aspire to do as they grow old. The idea that we should remain physically youthful has been ingrained into many of us, becoming almost like a challenge we must “conquer.” Many celebrities have been praised for doing so and have been revered for the fact that they continue to look beautiful. While it may seem like a harmless compliment, it can perpetuate the idea that if one looks “bad” as they get older, they must be doing something wrong. I mean, that’s pretty much the point of The Substance. Like, have we not learned our lesson?
In Millie’s case, the fact that she’s gotten “called out” for looking the way she does proves that we’ve become disillusioned with how people should look at any age. Kinda wild to drag a 21-year-old just because she looks “old” or doesn’t conform to what their idea of a 21-year-old should look like, which, let’s be real, might also be problematic.
In an age where filters and cosmetic procedures are normalized, we often look at a curated image when looking at others who have “aged gracefully.” This is not to say that those who partake in those are bad for doing so, but we also have to be honest: most people don’t look that way, and many of these stars have the resources and access to procedures and enhancements most do not. We owe ourselves a reflection of what real life is like, or else we’d probably dig ourselves even deeper into this fake image of what aging is supposed to be.
AGING IS A PRIVILEGE
Millie mentioned that the public expects her to stay “frozen in time.” This is perhaps the best way to encapsulate the situation: we cannot seem to stand when women change. The public feels so in control when it comes to their image, and when women stray away from that, all hell breaks loose. In reality, everyone will change as they age. What they like, how they dress, and how they act. These changes in Millie’s life reflect the person she continues to grow into, and that’s not a crime.
Women are often public enemy number one when it comes to the public discourse of aging, whether it be young women looking too old or older women looking too young. No one is safe from the ageism, and it’s one that goes beyond celebrities and public figures.
Some Gen Z are also finding themselves in a whole new era in their lives, and aging is a part of that. TikTok filters that show how you will supposedly look 30 or 40 years from now may seem cool at the moment, but do not use it as an omen for bad things to come. Growing up doesn’t mean you have to look in the mirror with dread and pain over every wrinkle as you overload on the anti-aging serums. Life’s too exciting to worry over what people who don’t pay your bills think about you.
This is why it’s important that we also don’t contribute the ageism discourse because it does no good for women, regardless of age. Do you remember that video of Sabrina Carpenter telling Dolly Parton that she hopes to look like her when she gets old? Yeah, let’s do more of that and less criticizing 21-year-olds for looking their age.
Truthfully, aging is a privilege. We may not look the same as the years pass, but does that change anything? Getting old does present challenges, and there’s no moral obligation for anyone to remain young. Ageism remains rampant, but it doesn’t have to continue with our generation. So, let’s do better and enjoy what life has to offer without criticizing ourselves and others.
Continue Reading: Born This Way: Why Our Natural Features Deserve All The Love
