Gogglebox. Ageism on tv towards women.

[rafthoggerrose]

Gogglebox in particular?
Nearly every week they show Debbie McGee performing brilliantly and every week the googleboxers take the pee out of her. (interestingly, they rearely show the other performers)
Now I'm neither a fan, or not a fan of Debbie McGee, I don't even know that much about her except she was married to Paul Daniels and used to be his assistant.
But, she's been brilliant on Strictly and obviously keeps herself fit and active and has worked hard.
So why the constant jibes about her age?
There's almost a ''Woman! think of your age! mentality. You shouldn't be doing all of that''

It's not only Googlebox.
I've noticed it happening a lot, across the board. It's as if all women over 50 should be sat in a corner crotcheting and looking after their grandchildren and baking cakes. People think that's 'acceptable'
Anybody of a certain age who is fairly active and takes up a physical sport or hobby is made fun of and is fair game for ridicule.

Why, in this day and age, when other 'isms' are carefully avoided, is ageism allowed to stand (and in the case of GB, blatantly encouraged) on tv/

This whole thing really bothers me, because I recently turned 60 and have worked hard to turn my life around. I'm the fittest I've ever been, more so than I was in my 20s and 30s and most of my hobbies are 'physical'.
I hate the thought that people are possibly making fun of me

Do men experience the same level of ageism?

You seem very irate OP fucking hell.

You’re determined to get everyone to agree with you and they won’t people view the comments made differently.

Btw Alisha Dixon is young and often slated for her outfit choices - I know it’s a different show but you can’t say it’s only older women.

am a year older and I have a lot less wrinkles than her and I don't think I am particularly ageing well or badly

Looking young (facially) doesn't mean you areageing well.
You can look really young facially, but have the strength and agility of a 90 year old.

Hey over here look at me and how young I look/how clever/good looking I am ' then unfortunately some people are always going to 'put you right'

But who's to say she's trying to look young?
All she's done is enter a competition and is doing well in that competition.

You on the other hand raft are going on my list of people who anecdotally prove to me that the boomers really are the most snowflake generation of all time.

Wow massive generalization or what.

Your use of the term snowflake would go on my list (if I were sad enough to have one) of words that most people on MN don't use any more, because they realize using the word makes them look like a dick.

I think it's just surprise and awe about her physicality. It's not ageism - the fact is, that people become less nimble and athletic as they become older, which is why most sportspeople and dancers retire by 35. I remember football commentators going on and on last year about Gianluigi Buffon's skill for his age. They weren't being ageist ...he was remarkable, like Debbie.

I do think, however, that the public is more critical of women's looks as they age. Paxman and Schofield (for example) are allowed to be unbotoxed silver foxes but women presenters, not so much. I remember the criticism grey-haired, cosmetics-free Prof Mary Beard received after her appearance on Question Time - nobody mentioned that David Dimbleby is just as grey and probably a stranger to grooming products as well. Double standards.

OP, with the greatest of respect, you sound disproportionately angry about life and determined to pick a fight about everything.

You have worked hard to turn around your physical fitness, but you still fear, irrationally, that people are making fun of you. It is highly, highly unlikely that anyone is ridiculing you for your fantastic efforts to get and stay fit. At most there may be some who are a similar age and not fit who might use snarky comments as a defence mechanism to deflect from their own failings. But everyone can see that for what it is.

However people WILL make fun of you for the sort of comments you’re making here.

In as kind a way as possible, perhaps it might be a good idea to get some counselling to work on your self-esteem?

Scrabble,
It was really evident when the Hilary Clinton campaign was happening.
Countless articles and commentaries, dissecting and pulling apart whether she was 'too old or 'fit enough' for the job'
whereas someone like Jeremy Corbyn (a similar age) gets called a lot of things, but his age is rarely brought into question when there's any discussion about him.
Same with Trump.

Jessie, being patronizing and sarcastic is nothing to be proud of. I'll make a double appointment shall I?

I’m sorry if you found my suggestion patronising and I assure you that I was not being remotely sarcastic. The fact that you read sarcasm into it kind of proves my point.

And not sure where you got the pride from?

Oh and Jessie,
pot, kettle, black?

Raft - you’re awfully defensive and argumentative maybe step back from MN for an hour and calm yourself

but you still fear, irrationally, that people are making fun of you.

So funny from a woman who is so obsessed about turning 40 she started a thread about it

What are you on about OP? I’m 44 and haven’t started any thread.....

Dipping, if you had people piling on I'm sure you would get defensive.

I've said my bit. People don't agree. That's up to them.
I won't comment again.

Care to apologise for confusing me with someone else?

You started the thread with your back up

. raft Just give up. You increasingly sound desperate and attempting (without success) to be passive-aggressive. It's ok hun.

Ageism is without a doubt a real cause of concern in many aspects of life. It is rife not only on MN but in many many aspects. But this thread does not highlight that cause at all. DMcG is a trained dancer so her age is neither here nor there. She was always going to be at an advantage.

Looking young (facially) doesn't mean you areageing well.
You can look really young facially, but have the strength and agility of a 90 year old.
But l was talking about how everyone (not on here in particular just in general ) seems be harping on about how young /great she looks 'for her age'. Of course people primarily go by your face when judging how old you look.
Also read my post again l said if she was encouraging these compliments then she must be
prepared for some people to judge otherwise.

Op you are a card.
I don't like DMcG because I suspect she's a bit hard faced. I'm 103.

OP, not with regards to DM as I think people are mostly positive towards her, but I would agree with you about ageism in general.

We’ve always seen lots of grey average looking men on our screens but women have often been put out to pasture and sometimes replaced with a younger version (eg on Strictly with Arlene Phillips).

However I really do think the situation is changing, tv shows are actively making an effort to include a wider range of ages and backgrounds and things are a lot better for it.

It was the same when they were commenting on Len Goodman. Yeah, it's a stupid show, it deserves to have the piss taken out of it, say it's crap, but ''At Len's age he's happy to get down the stairs unassisted''

And yet you didn't start a thread claiming that was discriminatory against older men.

Sorry my last post had lots of typos as late night posting ! Try again...................
Looking young (facially) doesn't mean you are ageing well.
You can look really young facially, but have the strength and agility of a 90 year old
But l was talking about how everyone (not on here in particular just in general ) seems be harping on about how young /great she looks 'for her age. Of course people primarily go by your face when judging how old you look, we don't generally comment about someone ageing well by how high they can kick their leg for example.

Also read my post again l said if she was encouraging these compliments then she must be
prepared for some people to judge otherwise.

Also if someone was in such poor physical shape to at 60 only have the stamina/agility of a 90 yr old then lm pretty sure that would show in their face.
So your argument there is ridiculous as all your arguments throughout the thread really

Ffs ! third time lucky...that was in reply to OP's:
Looking young (facially) doesn't mean you are ageing well.You can look really young facially, but have the strength and agility of a 90 year old