23rd July 2021 Scotsman
'Young women's cruel ageism towards 'old lady feminists' leaves us easy prey for sexism and misogyny – Susan Dalgety'
(extract)
"In the wake of Tuesday’s rally in Glasgow, organised by For Women Scotland and in support of Marion Millar, the woman recently charged under the Communications Act for tweets she made in 2019, some young women took to Twitter to denounce the protesters variously as fat, ugly and old.
As one of the 300 women there, I took their insults personally, especially when I saw some of the pictures from the day. So, I am (slightly) overweight and don’t conform to today’s beauty aesthetics – my lips don’t pout and I don’t know how to use eyeliner. But old? That threw me. When did ageing become a crime? In the summer of 2021, it seems. (continues)
And along the way, you will have benefited from the changes in society secured by those old lady feminists. Because it was those women, the very people you now scoff at, who fought for – and won – domestic abuse shelters, rape crisis centres, equal pay legislation, the right to choose.
It was those women who burned their bra so you could choose to wear Victoria Secret (ironically, of course). They marched with their brothers to secure gay rights.
They protested wars, nuclear weapons, climate change. And they have lived experience of the intersectionality of class, race, disablity, sexual orientation and yes, age, that affects all women. These old lady feminists changed your world for the better, and they are still doing it.
Frustrated by the snide ageism, I asked Twitter for examples of inspirational women over 50 and was overwhelmed by suggestions, which included politicians Joanna Cherry, Johann Lamont and Emma Nicholson; actors Judi Dench and Sheila Hancock; feminists Bea Campbell, Judie Bindel and Germaine Greer, the academic and broadcaster Mary Beard and tennis guru Judy Murray. Tennis legend Billie Jean King, writer and philanthropist JK Rowling, and of course the incomparable Dolly Parton who turned 75 this week. Mandy Rhodes, editor of Holyrood magazine, helpfully provided her list of 50 Scottish women over 50, which includes the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
Others, rightly, offered up their mother or grandmother as their hero and one woman suggested “every women over the age of 50… we are the bedrock of the world”.(continues)
We all have much to learn from each other, because underneath our skin, whether it's wrinkled with age or glows with youthfulness, we are all young women. We are all still finding our way in this world. We may disagree on some issues, on tactics, on tone, but we are all in the sisterhood.
So, young girl feminists, set aside your prejudices, reach out to us old ladies. You may be surprised to find out how much fun we can be. Learning how to make a mean martini is one of life's vital lessons. And remember – divided, women are easy prey to the misogyny and sexism that still characterises our society. United, we are invincible."
www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/young-womens-cruel-ageism-towards-old-lady-feminists-leaves-us-easy-prey-for-sexism-and-misogyny-susan-dalgety-3320203
www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/young-womens-cruel-ageism-towards-old-lady-feminists-leaves-us-easy-prey-for-sexism-and-misogyny-susan-dalgety-3320203