English actress and activist Jameela Jamil is creating a stir in the social media universe yet again. The Love At First Sight star, whose Instagram bio claims that she is a feminist-in-progress, is always vocal about her stance on social causes. This time too, she posted a rather thought provoking question on how men are not made subject to questions about ageing gracefully; and how this is only a societal serving custom made for women.
Photo Credit: Instagram.com/jameelajamil
Jameela Jamil's Instagram story read, "Why doesn't the media ask MEN about the joys of ageing, and turn it into a thing they have to focus on or worry about.
Why do they only ask women, in particular those who have had facelifts or Botox or filler. It inspires nobody. It's passive aggressive.
Don't force statements of hypocrisy out of women who the media would crucify if they dared to age naturally..."
Photo Credit: Instagram.com/jameelajamil
This raises a lot of questions about prevalent beauty standards that relate to how men and women are looked upon differently in society. Women are subjected to the male gaze and expected to be the epitome of age-less beauty. This puts immense pressure on them to look a certain way and maintain their youthful appearance, leading a lot of women to opt for fillers, botox or facelifts. The sad reality is, these very women who once were pushed into attaining unrealistic beauty standards by society, are now questioned about embracing the ageing gracefully idea. As rightly put by Jameela, "It inspires nobody. It's passive aggressive." She further added that these women would be crucified by the media if they dared to age naturally or made spoke their mind out loud about it.
Another potent question raised by Jameela is why men are edged out of this conversation and are never subjected to the idea of joyfully ageing. Men not being made to lay emphasis on aging or worry about it shows how society gives them an extra cushion of being allowed to exist naturally and embrace their features as is. It is also a comment on how it is only a largely women's domain to appear beautiful at all costs and across timelines.
Jameela Jamil's take on the ageing gracefully mechanism is a reflection on the duality of societal beauty standards.
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