The fantasy is improbable,but I am very tired of the exaltation of the “ageless” face,and the myths about “natural” beauty. I am tired of hearing older celebrities claim they “tried Botox once but didn’t like it”,or that they owe their unlined dials to sunscreen or moisturiser or organic food. And I am tired of famous women being praised for posting no-filter selfies,when their unfiltered faces have been plumped and tucked and sliced.
Now,before you remind me,I agree:women can do what they want with their bodies. Of course,women can have cosmetic procedures. I just want them to be honest. I want them to stop gaslighting the rest of us. I want them to look into the camera,say “I had a mini-facelift last year” and stop pretending they just live healthily,or are wonderfully genetically blessed.
I understand the pressures on these very famous women. They are victims of a culture in which female ageing is reviled. I understand that they are trying to hang on to their careers. And I understand how hard it is to lose your youthful good looks,and the deep desire to maintain them at any cost.
But you can be a victim of a cultureand a perpetrator. And these women are some of the most powerful in the world. They are movie stars and models,they are extremely wealthy,and they have influence and status.
And they are actively perpetrating myths which create insanely unrealistic beauty standards which do very real harm to other women.
Actions have consequences,particularly when a person is highly influential. When a female celebrity has cosmetic procedures and lies about it,she is harming other women.