Madonna has been the focal point for ageism as of late as reported by The Telegraph. Many have mocked Madonna for her looks and for her dating younger men. Many have stated that Madonna is trying to keep her youth, even though the time may have passed. Even though she has been facing lots of backlash lately, she still does have her supporters both in high and low places that have been sticking by her side.
What’s wrong with being vibrant and youthful? Nothing, I say. However, the case isn’t the same for haters of Madonna. Keira Knightley has spoken about this recently with Bazaar magazine. The 37-year-old actress said: “You’ve got Madonna on the one hand – and we’re told that’s not the right thing. Then you have someone else, where we’re told, ‘They looked better 20 years ago’. How are we, culturally, meant to age?”
Madonna has formerly spoken about this as well. She once stated to the masses: “Instead of focusing on my speech … many people chose to only talk about close-up photos of me taken with a long lens camera by a press photographer that would distort anyone’s face. Once again I am caught in the glare of ageism and misogyny that permeates the world we live in. A world that refuses to celebrate women pass [sic] the age of 45 and feels the need to punish her if she continues to be strong-willed, hard-working, and adventurous.”
On the subject of her own experience of ageing, Knightley said: “A lot of the conversations I’ll have with my girlfriends are, ‘Oh my God, I’ve got a line [wrinkle]. Oh God!’ Change is always tricky. We’re taught that it’s bad. We’re taught we don’t want grey hair.”
