Isn’t it fascinating how bandwagons roll and balloons expand – and haven’t we all seen, only too many times, how ineffective they are, and how temporary the effects?
Just now our familiar complaint, see above, of Not Enough Women, has expanded into Not Enough OLD Women. Actually at least as far as acting is concerned I don't think it's justified. The Dames are drafted into almost every drama; we often see Judy Dench, Helen Mirren, Maggie Smith and many, many of their contemporaries on the screen. It's true that there are fewer older women in other programmes. But the fact is that in the generation now in its 60s or older, there actually is a small proportion of women that made it to the top or near to the top of industry or politics or academia. Those who became used to being the token woman might like the chance to appear as the token old woman; at least those who are without a shred of vanity. Anyone else perhaps hesitates to display her wrinkles on Question Time. It would be interesting to know how many women of the older generation are invited to make such public appearances and say no.
Indeed- we need some "old" fictional heroines to act as role models. I've just finished Ann Cleeves's latest novel, in which a 50-something woman, Vera Stanhope, is the protagonists. These books have been/are being televised though I have not seen them I believe they are popular.
ReplyDeleteMore of same, please!