Now that I am a woman of a “certain” age, I’m starting to notice a few things. Like how little notice menopause is given in our society. Like how little notice post-menopausal women are given in society.
A Dove campaign interviewed over 1,700 women between the ages of 18 and 64 recently about beauty and how they think of themselves and about the importance of being “real.”
Well, we know the Dove beauty campaign is all about selling us stuff. I mean, hel-lo….they’ve got shareholders.
Apparently they’ve been so successful that it isn’t enough to be a size zero any more. Now we have to embrace our freckles and our size 4 thighs and we have to be real. We do that by buying soap. Unless you are over 65.
If you’re over 65 I guess you don’t need soap anymore.
I know that 18-64 is a marketing demographic, but it’s more than that at the same time. It’s about how society views youth and beauty (or age and the lack of it).
Maybe it’s because we don’t talk about menopause amongst ourselves very much. Oh sure, we joke about hot flashes and night sweats. And losing the ability to string two thoughts together and forgetting just why we came into the kitchen just now and bemoaning our newly acquired pot bellies. Funny stuff. Jokey stuff.
What about…am I still pretty? Am I still desirable? Do I have a voice? (And no, I’m not fishing for compliments). What about menopausal depression and debilitating mood swings. What about vaginal atrophy. Have you heard about that one? ( It’s what Premerin is for, in case you were wondering.)
Females are young. And fertile. One day you’re a child. The next day – the next second – you’re a woman. I remember thinking the day I got my first period, “I’m a woman now. I can have babies!” So it seems only natural to ask the reverse question when you stop having your monthly flow. After menopause, who are we? We’re female, but are we still women? Yes, of course we are, don’t be silly.
Many post menopausal women will say that we’re more than women. We’re women with huzzah! We’re women who don’t need soap!
Right?
I’m not so sure. Okay, okay…I hear you. I don’t particularly want to be targeted in a mass-market beauty products campaign either.
But it would be nice to be noticed.
I do have something to say. My voice is important (or should be, anyway.) Maybe I don’t want the kind of soap Dove is trying to sell my younger sisters, but I buy soap, too.
I know there’s a point in here somewhere, but I’ve forgotten where I put it…
I’m participating in the Blogging From A-Z challenge. One blog post for each letter of the alphabet, each day of April (except Sunday).
Ha! Menstruation and Menopause. Two of life’s problems that begin with Men who will never understand because they are Men. Joking aside. I hated periods and often wished they would end but when they did it was no cause for the celebration I had intended. I felt dried up from the inside out. It has taken five years to finally feel the depression lifting. Cannot blame it all on the time of life but I was certainly not having a good time. Maybe it is about to start. Watchout Dove!
Great post! Awe heck, I decided to start making my own soap just so I could choose what was or wasn’t in it. No kidding! Yes, yours and mine and all of the other woman have a voice. It’s just that the marketing folks decided to dumbly go after select age groups. Big, big mistake!
It’s worse for women who are over 64 AND are widows. We just don’t fit anywhere that makes others comfortable, and people keep trying to herd us together as if we were all 3 year olds with the same play needs. I won’t go to a senior center for craft classes. I adamantly refuse to dye my hair … but I might have a temper tantrum soon if they don’t stop it. LOL
Nita you blew the socks off me with your insight! Well voiced 🙂
Reading this I’m reminded why there seems to be a trend to coupling of older men and younger women.
It takes a saint to deal with a crying irrational woman..(I was one of those!).
Bottom line for me is…could there be social marketing/education provided for couples, before the big “M” begins? Phew…Deep letter.. that “M”…
65 and beautiful? Inside I’m probably in my late 30’s. I don’t mind being 65. I do have a problem looking like my mum! eek! Pass the dove!!!
GIrl I’m just starting to hit my prime!! Yahoooo!!! I went through surgical menopause at 28!! Done with the hormones, sweats, depression….love it!
Amazing post!!!!! 🙂 I’m not there yet, but I will be soon. Am I going to stop being a woman when I hit menopause? I don’t think so, and society better not tell me I will! Women over 65 are still women, albeit with knowledge and wisdom and sex appeal, still with needs and desires!