Does a woman over 50 have to ask a question in the audience of Question Time in order to be on TV?
Fabafterfifty: Fabafterfifty Blog
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Article by Ceri Wheeldon I could have hugged the woman in the audience who asked that question at the end of last night’s Question Time. And how true it is . The absence of women over 50 on our screens is a topic we have raised frequently on this website. Of course, being the last, ‘lighter’ question on the show it was met and responded to with humour, but none the less I think the lady who asked the question deserves a medal for getting it debated on such a high profile programme. Is it because men run TV companies? The general consensus of the panel was that things were changing, and that it had been recognised that people wanted to see more mature presenters on TV. It was also suggested that the reason for the absence of women over 50 was that most of the TV channels are run...
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Why women over 50 should be inspired by Margaret Thatcher
Article by Ceri Wheeldon Take away whether or not you agree with her policies, Margaret Thatcher was a formidable character who had tremendous influence and presence on the world stage. But it was not until she reached her 50s that she had her opportunity to shine. Margaret Thatcher was 49 when she became leader of the Conservative party and 53 when she became Prime Minister. For Margaret Thatcher she did not enter her 6th decade with any thought of becoming invisible – quite the opposite. There was no glass ceiling in her mind because she was a woman- and no glass ceiling because of her age. Her innate belief in her own abilities was sufficient to spur her on to take on the role which she believed was rightfully hers – becoming Britain’s first, and so far only, female Prime Minister at the age of 53. Through sheer force of...
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Could school exchange trips become a thing of the past?
Article by Ceri Wheeldon I read with dismay about the potential end of school exchange trips - apparently due to the fear of the exchange students being abused while staying at the homes of host families. It appears there is no evidence of any abuse, and language teachers have voiced concerns about the impact on exchange experiences if students now have to stay in hostels, as language skills best improve when students are totally immersed in the culture of the ‘foreign’ family. I was fortunate to participate in a school exchange programme at the age of 14, when my school in Wales was twinned with a school in Toulouse. I had no idea quite how that experience might influence my life later! We hosted the French students first. Letters were exchanged between families ahead of time. For 3 weeks Sylvie stayed with my family, attending school with me during the...
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Could YOU be the face of the Ageless Generation? Playtex competition
Article by Ceri Wheeldon We have all been commenting on the fact that we are largely ignored by retailers and big ‘brands’ when it comes to marketing products for our age group. Women over 50 are a little tired of seeing products aimed at them modelled by twenty-somethings. But it seems some brands ARE beginning to listen, which I was thrilled to be asked by Playtex to sit on their judging panel as they search for 3 women over 50 to represent The Ageless Generation for their brand So, alongside Linda Barker, who has recently made quite a Splash! while proving that women over 50 are far from invisible, I shall be helping Playtex to find that fabulous women who can wave the flag for women over 50, ready to show advertisers that we should be seen and heard. Winners will reflect the confident, positive, fabulous nature of our generation The...
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Are you lonely if you live alone?
Article by Ceri Wheeldon Are we lonely if we live alone? This is a question put to me on the JVS show ob BBC Radio this morning. A study comparing lifestyles from the 1970s to today show a sharp increase in one person households , in fact single person households now account for nearly a third of all homes. But should people living alone be portrayed as having a sad lonely existence? Is living alone lonely or liberating? As women over 50 today we have far more options open to us than women of 40 years ago. There is no stigma associated with being single. We have choices. I lived alone for most of my 30s through to my mid 40s. Did I feel lonely? No. For me living alone was a far happier (and in my case safer) situation than to stay in an extremely difficult, violent and unhappy...![0001--DSC_1541 (2) [320x200]](http://www.fabafterfifty.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/0001-DSC_1541-2-320x200.jpg)
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Arbitrage – film review and my own red carpet experience!
Article by Ceri Wheeldon When I received an invite to the film premiere of Arbitrage with Richard Gere, how could I possibly say no?! I had in fact already seen the film (at a press review), but the opportunity to see it again , with Richard Gere himself in attendance and experience the red carpet treatment would be fun. The Arbitrage film: A grown up film with a strong storyline, covering grown up issues and a good twist at the end. Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon take the lead roles as a long term married couple , living what appears to be a gilded life – Richard Gere as a billionaire banker, and Susan as his wife who spends his millions on good causes. Surrounded by the warmth of a happy family, the film starts with Robert Miller (played by Richard Gere) celebrating his 60th birthday , talking about understanding what’s important...
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Helen Mirren dyes her hair pink – would you be as daring with your hair colour?
Article by Ceri Wheeldon Is the pink rinse the way forward as opposed the blue rinse? Helen Mirren is used to taking centre stage at red carpet events. At the BAFTA awards it was her pink hair colour and not her acting which became the topic for discussion. Reactions were mixed, ranging from stunning and flattering to dismay at the departure from her usual blondle locks. Love it or hate it, would you be so brave? I know I deliberate at changing the shade of my blonde highlights or taking just an inch off the length of my hair! At least it shows that she’s not stuck in a style rut! It seems Dame Helen’s change of hair colour was inspired by the winner of America’s Top Model. Definitely vibrant over 50! Have you had a daring change of style or colour?
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How are women over 50 supposed to look?
Article by Ceri Wheeldon This weekend went with my husband to a reunion dinner with four families who had all holidayed together over a period of 15 years while the children were growing up . Interestingly, the older generation (all now in their 80s) commented on how none of the younger generation looked our ages. Lovely to be complimented, but is it true, or is it just that perceptions of how women over live and look today just haven’t caught up with reality? Is it just that those of us in our 50s today have a more youthful attitude to life in general than the generations before us, and hence look more youthful too? From the clothes we wear to the way we style our hair, we have so many more options open to us. We are far more likely to have developed our own individual styles and dress accordingly.... -
The stress of changing phones
Article by Ceri Wheeldon It is an event I dread – upgrading my phone. Am I alone in feeling stressed at the mere mention of changing my mobile phone? I have been due an upgrade for 2 years, but have resisted all attempts by my husband to encourage me to venture into phone shops on weekends to look at the latest models. I have come up with every excuse “I’ve only just got used to this one”, ” I’ll wait until after we move to check the network coverage”, “I’ll miss my buttons”, “They might bring out a better data plan next month”, “Nobody will want to mug me for this one”. But I can resist no more. My old faithful phone is quite literally on its last legs. I can no longer receive emails, or tweet. I am lucky if I can make more than 3 calls before the...
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10 perceptions of women over 50 I would like to see changed in 2013.
Article by Ceri Wheeldon I know that perceptions of women over 50 is a topic we have covered before, but could we finally see some momentum and some positive change towards perceptions mirroring reality in 2013? Will we stop seeing looking good ‘for her age’ or ‘defying her years’ attached to every photograph of an attractive woman over 50 in the press Should we expect to see a lack of surprise when a woman over 50 achieves in the workplace Will we stop seeing women over 50 setting up businesses described as ‘olderpreneurs’? Will we start to see women over 50 viewed as in their prime rather than past their sell by date? Will we see an expectation of women over 50 starting new adventures rather than slowing down? Will we finally be able to lay the image of Norah Batty and her wrinkled stockings as a portrayal of a...
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