I Refuse to Be Invisible
I’m an older woman. Deal with it.
Now, that subtitle may sound like a rant, but this isn’t a rant. I won’t be chastising you or the entirety of western culture for making older women feel invisible. At least not in this article.
Is it a result of patriarchy, resulting in a devaluation of women of all ages, but especially older ones? Of course. Is it a reflection of our throw-away culture? Yes. Is it sexist? You bet.
However, my goal is to help older women fight that invisibility on an individual level, while banding together to give attention and honor to one another. Let’s fight back one at a time, and also in solidarity. Here we go.
“See me, Hear me, Touch me, Feel me.” — The Who from the album Tommy.
One of the primary ways I bond with other older women is by paying attention to them. When I pass them on the street or in the grocery store, I look right at them and say, “Hello.” Something that simple and easy to do develops a certain tangible energy between us, after their sometimes initial surprise at being acknowledged.
That surprise is part of the fun for me, but also part of the problem. As women age, we are taught that we become invisible. We might even be taught that we’re supposed to. The first time we experience not being seen is the…
