FEMINISM IS THE NEW BLACK

It is not often disputed that men, like cheese, get better with age. Take the media for example who portray the older male as being full of maturity and wisdom – think Jeremy Paxman, Peter Capaldi or Father Christmas (Ho Ho, No). Now, picture the older female appearing on our television screens. Mezza Bezza (aka Marry Berry, duh.) aside, it's pretty tricky right?

In 2013, The Commission on Older Women Report found that the majority of TV presenters over the age of 50 in the UK are male – in fact a mere 18% are female. Even more shocking than this is the discovery that, across all major UK broadcasters, women over the age of 50 make up a dismal 5% of on-screen presenters.

Now, while you digest (or more likely choke) on this newly acquired knowledge, allow your mind to ponder over some of Britain's most loved presenting duo's (or TV marriage's, as I like to call them). Strictly's Bruce Forsyth and Tess Daly, Children in Needs Terry Wogan and (second TV wife) Fearne Cotton or daytime favourites Phillip Schofield and (second wife) Holly Willoughby -- presenters of This Morning. Anyone see a pattern forming here? That's right -- all the husbands are significantly older than their wives. Added to this, two of the 3 marriages have come about following the divorce of their previous, older, TV wives.

As a nation, we are only allowed to perceive a women as beautiful if she has a wrinkle-free forehead, complete with a tell-tale Botox shine. Once the TV wife reaches the half-a-century milestone, she is most likely post menopause or menopausal – and not at her child-bearing prime. Like it or not, it would seem, our society (or the media, at least) is still reflective of a male's perception.

Thankfully, in recent years, women have been taking a stand against their sexist, ageist bosses -- and winning! Women like Anna Ford, who at the age of 62 felt like she was being “marginalised” by the BBC, so quit her job as editor of Newsnight. Women like news-reader Selina Scott who received a £250,000 financial settlement from Channel 5 back in 2008 -- after she began legal proceedings claiming the company to be guilty of age-discrimination.

Unfortunately, these success stories are heavily out-weighed by the ageism and sexism still rife within the media industry. There have been several high-profile cases of women being replaced for younger, shinier versions. Remember veteran choreographer, Arlene Phillip's replacement on Strictly Come Ageist (sorry, Come Dancing) for someone 36 years her junior? Or when Kirsty Young replaced Fiona Bruce on Crimewatch? Or, more recently still, Olenka Frenkial – award-winning writer extraordinare – forced out of the BBC after a 30 year career, and coincidently, one year away from her 60th birthday. The list, depressingly, goes on.

According to self-proclaimed advocates of feminism, ELLE Magazine, there has never been a better time to be a women. And, with up and coming feminist writers such as Lena Dunham and Dawn O'Porter making waves in the media industry, finally, feminism is being taken seriously. Feminism is cool. We may still have a few hurdles to well, hurdle but finally people are accepting that feminism is not just another word for lesbian. So, in an age where feminism is the new black, why does the media want us to believe that older females are best kept out of sight and although not always intentionally, out of mind?

Perhaps it's because we can't perceive an older women as being attractive. Perhaps this is because the media doesn't expose us to attractive, successful and independent older women. See where I'm going here? We're stuck in a circular-shaped rut.

In order for sexist ageism in the media to end we need the media to feature older women more, and in a positive light. These days a women in her fifties is likely to have forged a career for herself, and have more qualifications than her mother. Older women should be celebrated – they're attractive because they more than likely have a job, their own money and they don't rely on a man to support them. When we see an older women reading the news or presenting a show we should associate her with baggage-free fun - along with the wisdom gained from the University of Life her daughter is yet to attend.

#feminism #age #women #tv #uk #sexism #ageism