Sexist Aging

I’m middle aged; have been for a while.  While not prone to generalizations, it seems to me that men and women do view the aging process differently - for instance:   

 

-Men acquire graying hair that seems only to add to their “I’ve been around the world” mystique. Women find a single strand of gray, sprint to the nearest salon, and drop upwards of a hundred dollars, lest they be seen as “letting themselves go.”   

 

-Men put on a few pounds and purchase new pants. Women join Curves, walk themselves from here to Chicago and back, hanging photos of their “skinny” self, and buying smaller pants as incentive.   

 

-Men develop laugh lines and wrinkles. Period. Women develop laugh lines and wrinkles and implement a skin care regimen requiring a two hour bedtime prep.    

 

-Men leave their God-given lips alone. Women of today seem to have decided “the bigger the better;” going to extremes for what I like to call “Nemo” lips. Do  men seriously find that appealing? 

 

-Men tell you their age when asked.  Inquire as to a women’s age, and she will initiate a level of secrecy usually necessary only for matters of national security.

 

As for me, while I admit to long walks, yoga and a drawer full of miracle face creams, I do embrace aging gracefully. I fully buy into the whole 50 is the new 40 mindset and if asked my age, I’ll gladly tell you…like my dad always said in regards to birthdays; “They beat the alternative.”