Aging in Hollywood almost feels like a curse word. It seems like the worst thing a celebrity, especially a female celebrity, can do is age. How messed up is that? It seems like men are able to grow old and be celebrated for it while women are supposed to, what? Disappear? Slink away?
Not anymore! Women are taking a stand and loving themselves, just ask Jewel.
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Being a woman over the age of 40 in Hollywood sounds really friggin exhausting.
It’s hard enough just being a woman, period. Now imagine being a woman in a world where men are celebrated for their age and women are shamed for having gray hair and wrinkles.
And if you are a woman over 40 and decide to get some plastic surgery to ease the ageism, you’ll most likely get shamed for that too.
Everyone will want you to age gracefully while also not letting you age gracefully because they will mock you for it.
You know who is sick of this trend? Musical genius, Jewel.
While celebrating her 47th birthday, the songstress took to Instagram to address the sexism in the industry.
“47 and feeling myself today,” she wrote in the caption. “I wasn’t sure what getting older would feel like. I was never afraid of it, luckily I’ve loved every year.”
She continued: “But in my business and the world, really, Is not kind to aging women.”
“I made a promise to myself when I was pretty young to ‘do no harm’ to myself. To try to be kind to myself in a business notoriously [explective] about women’s bodies. I was called a chubby Rene Zellweger when I came in the scene in the 90’s. But I wouldn’t let myself be bulimic or anorexic because I felt that was letting bullies win.”
“I had to learn to be healthy my own way and find my way to self love. And that takes time. I never fixed my teeth or my nose because I felt like I wanted to know how to love myself no matter what.”
“And to be thankful for the looks I do have, and not take them for granted just because I wasn’t classically perfect.”
“So when it came to aging, I knew where I stood on it: take care of myself. Eat well. Drink water. Rest. And bring it on!” she added.
“My skin is changing. Gravity definitely takes its toll. But I’m surprised by how good I feel. How vital. How happy. How healthy. And yeah, I feel sexy.”
“So to any young women reading this: be kind to yourself. Enjoy the hell out of your life. Sleep with who you want, because you want to. Not because you need to feel validated,” she pleaded
“Eat what you want because you want to- not because your afraid of how it will look on you. Your worth lies in your wisdom and your joy. Don’t be bullied out of enjoying your own life! Feel the sensuous joy of being alive. And absorb every single bit of pleasure out of this life- your worth it!”
What an amazing message! Happy birthday, Jewel!
