40+ year old women posting selfies on social media - is this a new trend?

[bogeywoman]

Quite a few of my friends/acquaintances have recently started posting very posed selfies (without much in the way of a description) on FB and instagram. Women who are well into their 40s, married with children. Is this some sort of lockdown related insecurity? I find it so strange.

Selfies are cringe whatever age you're at. A modern day Narcissus. But live and let live. Not hurting anyone, is it?

Yeah I personally don’t get it. Each to their own. But I do find it a bit attention seeking. Especially when you know what their face really looks like!

I agree that I cba with constant selfies either but I disagree that age makes any difference. Why is it better for a 25 yr old?

Yeah once you're past a certain age you should hide your haggard, wrinkled old visage away so nobody has to acknowledge the fact that women age.

Why do it at any age ?

Everyone has jumped on the “influencer” bandwagon and is posting photos of themselves. That’s mostly what Instagram is!

How is their age, gender or parenting status relevant??

Why do you care so much? Your post comes across as ageist.

FWIW I wouldn't post a selfie anywhere if you paid me, but people are free to do this stuff and their age shouldn't come into it.

What is ‘the wrong side’ of 40 please?

If women, of any age, think they look nice in a photo and want to share it then bloody good for them. Why is women thinking they look nice a problem? Surely the alternative is the problem?

I’m ‘the wrong side’ of 40. I don’t post selfies very often, occasionally I do. Yesterday I posted a pic my friend had taken of me. I had some nice comments which made me feel nice. The end. Why does it have to be deeper than that or indicative of some character flaw on my part?

I think anyone posting selfies where they aren't doing anything are narcissists personally

I used to hate selfies, now I love them. I want to see more women posting selfies! Especially the underrepresented over 40s. If you don't like it then unfollow them, OP.

One of my friends started posting selfies when her husband cheated on her with another woman that my friend thought was less attractive from the photos she had seen of her.

In her case, it was definitely rooted in self esteem, and I would hazard a guess that this is the case for many people who post endless selfies, they want some positive affirmation.

I think anyone posting selfies where they aren't doing anything are narcissists personally

You think people who post selfies have a personality disorder? That’s quite a strong claim.

I agree that the posed selfies without any kind of description are a bit what the fuck - but doing it at 20 doesn't make it any less weird than doing it at 40+.
If people want to do though, they can rock on, it certainly doesn't bother me in any way. And it's not new!!

What’s the cutoff point for selfies then according to you? If they feel confident enough to do so then good for them. I should point out that I am not a selfie poster.

I am not bothered by the selfies so much. Personally I hate having my photo taken and rarely post pictures of me on FB. What really grinds my gears though is an acquaintance I have is always posting pictures of his wife in her bikini. She has a great body but she is posted on there as some kind of trophy.

Women over the age of 40 are supposed to be invisible. This is why it’s jarring.
More acceptable would be if they were rarely seen and when summoned to give their wizened opinion they should appear as a veiled crone. Then walk off laughing hysterically followed by a swarm of cats.

I think everyone should post more selfies actually!

I'm far too shy myself but I think that's the point - we could all do with a little more self love.

Is it new? I didn’t know there was an age limit on selfies.

I don't understand the point of selfies at any age. I like photos with my partner and DCs doing things that we enjoy and can look back on. Does anyone seriously look at a selfie and say where they were or what they were doing?

It's strange at any age.

Leave them be. Can't get my head around people thinking this is weird. A woman takes a photo of herself and shares it because she feels confident and looks nice? Shock horror. No one's asking you to do it.

I love seeing all ages, shapes, sizes, colours on social media.

Certainly among my friends the people most likely to post selfies are men. It's interesting how "selfie culture" is ascribed to women so often when, in my experience, women tend to more often post photos of their kids/pets/ other people than themselves. Anyway, I don't see a problem with it. It's harmless.

I think the odd selfie is ok (even though I don’t post any myself), but people who are posting selfies constantly... I actually feel sorry for them, I think it is an insecurity thing.
I’ve got a friend who does this all the time and she is the most insecure person I know.