We've always been in revolt. They've burned us, ignored us, made jokes about us, screamed at us, made us die in poverty, but older women have always been in the vanguard of the fight against the patriarchy and it's effect on our daughters. We'll keep going Julie, and those young women will hopefully become old and when they do they will replace us sure as eggs is eggs.
Ooh, thank you so much, Julie and Victoria. I'm 67, and it's (yet again and still) difficult to find a place in the world, to not be overlooked and belittled. At an older age, you have a very clear reminder of what your "passport" was when you were younger. And despite feeling cheated that youth allowed one some status, the almost complete absence of apparent relevance at this age is shocking. I have Victoria's book top of the pile on a nearby table. Cannot wait to read it, but am busy undertaking a science degree (someone not in the first flush of youth is exceedingly out of place in a university!) Fortunately, I have the best friend an ageing women could have: my 69-year-old sister living just up the road. I have twin daughters who are now in their early thirties, who give me hope. One of them recommended the book by Victoria to me, and also put me on to Julie's writings and podcasts.
this is a fantastic chat. Being in-my-50s, I now look back at my younger years, where I was never more than 'handsome', and I realise it prepared me well for the later stages of womanhood as I never felt the false 'admiration (objectification)' fall away really, and I knew how 'not to care', and how shallow that men-centric view of a person is. I also see for the first time (through the gender debate) that there is a lot of misogyny engrained into many women, particularly younger women, sadly. We're really not pulling together on this necessary debate that's dangerous regressive etc. I will be getting this book. thank you
Ok, I'm reading Hags and highlighting every other paragraph, so relevant and important to what is happening to women now. "The older woman, to quote the title of Marilyn Pearsall’s 1997 anthology of feminist writing on ageing, is ‘the other within us’. If we are taught to fear her, we are taught to fear our future selves."
No wonder young women and girls are so depressed! Truth is many older women, including me, find this age to be their happiest and most rewarding time of life, but it is frustrating and a loss of collective wisdom that our voices are systematically ignored just when we know the most!
Is there an online discussion group on this subject anyone can point me to?? Thanks so much to Julie and Victoria for this conversation!
Thank you so much for speaking about this, Victoria and Julie. And thanks to Victoria for writing the book. "Old hags" are so often just wise, brave, strong, no-nonsense older women, like many of our grandmothers and grand aunts were, even in their day before the 1960s and the second wave. It's those qualities that are so threatening to male rule. Good for us hags, old and young! Will definitely read the book, top of my list.
I am male and socialist (in economic terms) but still look out for anything written by Julie Bindel or Victoria Smith because of the sense they speak.
Didn't mean to imply they were not socialist but only seem to get a platform to express their views in what are generally considered right wing outlets.
i am 56. am i not old enough to be a hag yet? i agree with what you say as a generalisation. but it's just so not how i feel. it's not my experience. maybe it won't be. hopefully. happy to be the exception that proves your hag theory.
We've always been in revolt. They've burned us, ignored us, made jokes about us, screamed at us, made us die in poverty, but older women have always been in the vanguard of the fight against the patriarchy and it's effect on our daughters. We'll keep going Julie, and those young women will hopefully become old and when they do they will replace us sure as eggs is eggs.
Ooh, thank you so much, Julie and Victoria. I'm 67, and it's (yet again and still) difficult to find a place in the world, to not be overlooked and belittled. At an older age, you have a very clear reminder of what your "passport" was when you were younger. And despite feeling cheated that youth allowed one some status, the almost complete absence of apparent relevance at this age is shocking. I have Victoria's book top of the pile on a nearby table. Cannot wait to read it, but am busy undertaking a science degree (someone not in the first flush of youth is exceedingly out of place in a university!) Fortunately, I have the best friend an ageing women could have: my 69-year-old sister living just up the road. I have twin daughters who are now in their early thirties, who give me hope. One of them recommended the book by Victoria to me, and also put me on to Julie's writings and podcasts.
this is a fantastic chat. Being in-my-50s, I now look back at my younger years, where I was never more than 'handsome', and I realise it prepared me well for the later stages of womanhood as I never felt the false 'admiration (objectification)' fall away really, and I knew how 'not to care', and how shallow that men-centric view of a person is. I also see for the first time (through the gender debate) that there is a lot of misogyny engrained into many women, particularly younger women, sadly. We're really not pulling together on this necessary debate that's dangerous regressive etc. I will be getting this book. thank you
Ok, I'm reading Hags and highlighting every other paragraph, so relevant and important to what is happening to women now. "The older woman, to quote the title of Marilyn Pearsall’s 1997 anthology of feminist writing on ageing, is ‘the other within us’. If we are taught to fear her, we are taught to fear our future selves."
No wonder young women and girls are so depressed! Truth is many older women, including me, find this age to be their happiest and most rewarding time of life, but it is frustrating and a loss of collective wisdom that our voices are systematically ignored just when we know the most!
Is there an online discussion group on this subject anyone can point me to?? Thanks so much to Julie and Victoria for this conversation!
So important, thank you! Bought the book and will devour it. Perhaps an alternate subtitle could be "Women Who Know Too Much"!😉
Germaine Greer first challenged this, in her memorable fiery fiesta style.
Thank you so much for speaking about this, Victoria and Julie. And thanks to Victoria for writing the book. "Old hags" are so often just wise, brave, strong, no-nonsense older women, like many of our grandmothers and grand aunts were, even in their day before the 1960s and the second wave. It's those qualities that are so threatening to male rule. Good for us hags, old and young! Will definitely read the book, top of my list.
I am male and socialist (in economic terms) but still look out for anything written by Julie Bindel or Victoria Smith because of the sense they speak.
Didn't mean to imply they were not socialist but only seem to get a platform to express their views in what are generally considered right wing outlets.
i am 56. am i not old enough to be a hag yet? i agree with what you say as a generalisation. but it's just so not how i feel. it's not my experience. maybe it won't be. hopefully. happy to be the exception that proves your hag theory.
46 and not sure if I've reached hag status yet,but girl does it resonate - getting the book! Thanks to you both.