Question: what do you call a woman who has been through midlife and menopause but would rather pull her grey roots out one by one than be called old?
Welcome to the brave new world – and rather confusing territory – of the New Inbetweeners. Forget the coming-of-age TV comedy about teenage adolescence, this is at the other end of the life scale. A coming-of-old-age, in fact, when you feel neither one thing nor the other.
Surely an old person is someone who is really old. I’m talking Zimmer frames, Velcro slippers, stairlifts and those chairs that elevate and tip you out, as advertised during Midsomer Murders.
According to my thesaurus, ‘old’ is another word for ancient, decrepit, aged, tired, enfeebled, impaired, geriatric, broken down, grizzled and debilitated. Great! So much to look forward to. By common consensus, old is the catch-all word used to describe anybody who has seen 60 or more wonderful orbits around the sun. And that would be me.
The past few years have seen a vibrant, energised and, at times, angry revision of how 40-plus women are seen by the rest of the world. Thanks to Davina McCall, Mariella Frostrup and a host of former glossy magazine editors fed up with the embarrassed silence around menopause, it is now cool to be middle-aged. Hot flushes have become hot.
But there is a silent void about what happens next. I have contemporaries who still optimistically describe themselves as midlife – although I think I need to break the news that we are unlikely to be blowing out candles on our 122nd birthday cakes.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der April 18, 2022-Ausgabe von WOMAN - UK.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der April 18, 2022-Ausgabe von WOMAN - UK.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
What the NHS will really do about bunions
Dusting off your trusted sandals? Some of you might be experiencing a foot problem that nail varnish won’t be able to hide this summer…
View from THE BACK
Isabel Webster says what youre thinking
Weekend FEASTS
Easy dishes for relaxed entertaining this bank holiday
I only send one of my kids to PRIVATE SCHOOL
Jane* worries that her son will resent her for sending his sister to a posh prep and not him
Bare all and...RELAX
Experiencing a German spa where you're expected to go nude isn't so bad, says Catherine Lawler
Men never want to LEAVE ME
Samantha Brick believes knowing what men want is the reason she’s never been dumped
Want the PERFECT SMILE?
Dontworry, we've done the hard work for you these affordable teeth treatments and easy tricks are worth trying
Are you being WATCHED?
After Fern Britton revealed her two-year stalking hell, Woman investigates the true impact such a crime can have on victims
The ROYAL INSIDER
CHARLES BACK WITH A BANG BUT MILES APART FROM HARRY
What's next FOR PHIL?
One year on from his ITV departure, Woman takes a look at Phillip Schofield's career demise, and his hopes for a comeback