Ageism - Sexism

"Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, 

but beautiful old people are works of art."

 - Eleanor Roosevelt 

I've done some adbusting to show the double standards between men and women, and to play around with the rampant ageism found in advertising, especially in regard to women.  Below is what advertisers use to represent an attractive 40s male - covered over with words used in women's advertising.  These words seem ridiculous when placed over a man's face, but are so ubiquitous over a woman's that we think little of it. 

The following image includes a picture of an "acceptable" woman of the *same* age; the type of woman whom these words would usually accompany.  Note not a wrinkle in sight; the product must work!  (After all photoshop has made the 40 y.o. look 20).

Skin of a baby!  Forbid we show our lives on our faces like men do (and do with style)...lines from laughing not okay...

and these ads for jeans, with their words switched sure seem strange, eh?...

Comfort and Value.

Fit and Flatter.

Erase our lives, our individuality?  No thanks.

"I am not old…she said
I am rare.
I am the standing ovation
At the end of the play.
I am the retrospective
Of my life as art
I am the hours
Connected like dots
Into good sense
I am the fullness
Of existing.
You think I am waiting to die…
But I am waiting to be found
I am a treasure.
I am a map.
And these wrinkles are
Imprints of my journey
Ask me anything."
- Samantha Reynolds





Again, more pictures of men who aren't held to the same standards of youth, placed in an ad instead of the usual air-brushed women...it really makes the absurdity stand out:

and some close-ups so you can read the words:

...can be life threatening...

Ultimate Perfection

Contains human albumin!  Is this a weird, but accepted form of cannibalism?

okayed by the FDA, it must be fine...

And I leave you with this photo (which is not mine, photographer unknown) and this link to a great article from which I've pulled this quote:

"For as long as women are distracted by society's dictations on 'beauty' they will never pose a threat to the system.
So long as a woman's attention is focused outwards, she will forever be divorced from her innate magic and power."

And Ladies, WE ARE immensely POWERFUL.

Louise Bourgeois