In today’s iteration of ageist sexism, ’complaining to the manager’ and ’being entitled’ have been identified as the key sins committed by middle-aged women [...].

Middle-aged women are, apparently, ’the worst online trolls’, ’the worst drunks’ or simply ’the worst’.

Naturally I have asked myself whether this is just one of these things that happens as you get older and find yourself out of touch with the Youth of Today. You no longer like the right music, your taste in clothing offends, people make Halloween masks based on your face and carry effigies of women like you being guillotined on protest marches.

[...]

My intention is not to suggest older women are politically pure. We are people with flaws like everyone else. What I challenge is the way in which our flaws are used to further beliefs about women which are then used to withhold power from us [...].

Misogyny directed at older women is not just one particular flavour of misogyny. It is, in the end, a catch-call, a misogyny directed if not at the self you already are, then the one you will one day be.

[...]

Middle-aged women do not have to represent, include or step aside for every other person before we claim space for ourselves.

(Victoria Smith “Hags: the demonisation of middle-aged women”)

The main thing I want to remind myself and my fellow women about on this day is that you must get off the affirmation/validation train. It sounds easier than it can be done in real life (it took me literally decades and is still an ongoing process, as the navel-gazing trap is always here) yet it is the only way for us to focus on things we value and treasure, to each their own. Keep going.