As we live our lives as social animals, we’re not only fighting our inner demons but also the ones society inflicts on us from early childhood. I’m sure you’ve heard a lot, read a lot about how you’re supposed to behave, what you’re supposed to say and how you’re supposed to live your life.
Because – isn’t it – the old wisdom rules the world. What if the old wisdom ruled the old world and we should open our eyes and hearts to feel how the old wisdom can make the new world better! Fashion and life, style and method: what were you told so far? Scroll down to see if you’re familiar with the following 3 myths!
See also: What is Fashion to you?
Professional (Women) Athletes Don’t Have Feminine Bodies
This last Sunday, Wimbledon’s Singles Women Trophy has been reclaimed again by Serena Williams. At 33, Serena is atop of her game just like she was 16 years ago when she won her first Grand Slam tournament! Counting no less than 6 Wimbledon trophies among her 21 Grand Slam singles titles won in her career so far, Serena Williams is undoubtedly a force of tennis. A force of (human) nature.
So many women, so many aspiring athletes look up to Miss Williams and learn from her strength every day. I respect her and admire the tremendous determination she puts into her life’s work, her life’s passion: Serena changed tennis the way we knew it. Women’s tennis competitions are tougher, more spectacular, better overall because she’s in this game!
I’ve heard voices calling her too old, too much, voices complaining that she’s still fighting on court even if she’s in her 30s. A tennis player is only valuable before the ‘venerable’ age of 30. That’s where, in the public opinion’s eye, a tennis player needs to retire. Has to retire. Will be forced to retired even if he or she are still perfectly capable, fit and competitive! ATP’s Number 1 Novak Djokovic, at 28, was called a veteran by the journalists – where does that leave Serena?
Still on court, that’s where!
Because she can! And because she’s so good at it that some are still in denial about her incredible gifts (we all heard about Serena’s body ‘built like a man’s’ – seriously?! JK Rowling threw a spell of shame on one of those trolls recently). And because she’s young, strong and inspiring, because I love who she is, what she stands and fights for I say loud and clear: who cares what she’s wearing? Who cares what her clothing size is? Larger than life is who she is!
See also: It’s ok to be imperfectly dressed! Embrace your inner fashionista!
Women In Their 50s Shouldn’t Wear Bikinis
Whoever said that didn’t know Elle MacPherson! The Body is 51 and just look at her in a bikini! Sure, we all know what most models say that it’s because of good genes that their body is heavenly constituted, but someone also has to take care that those good genes don’t go rogue – and Elle seems to have found the secret to that. She’s well deserved the title given to her 20 years ago: ‘The Body’. 20 years she knew how to lead a successful life both personally and professionally.
For those who are not familiar with Elle Macpherson outside her Sports Illustrated covers: she was married two times and has two boys (with Arpad Busson) aged 17 and 12. Besides being a fulfilled entrepreneur, TV personality, mother and wife, Elle is an UNICEF ambassador and is involved in countless charitable organizations. She is so much more than ‘The Body’ and she’s so much more ‘Body’ at 51! Thank you for showing women all over the world that there’s still a life for your body even after 50!
See also: How my life improved when I started wearing oversized clothes!
After 60, A Woman Is No Longer ‘Visible’ or ‘Relevant’
Being celebrated this Tuesday at the 2015 edition of the Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards with the special Arthur Ashe Courage Award, Caitlyn Jenner is the very living proof that women after 60 not only do they have a voice, but they also get to discover their true self! The ESPY choice to award Caitlyn was largely disputed as it comes to highlight a non-sports-related achievement – however, this special honor who was before bestowed on Muhammad Ali or Billie Jean King, is also meant to be presented to sports-transcending contributions! And Caitlyn Jenner has made quite a sensation this year with her transformation from Bruce Jenner, the Olympian, into Cait, the transgender!
It’s a too long story to be written here, about Caitlyn, about her sudden rise to fame and about the social timeline she chose to come out in. Apparently, the world is embracing Caitlin, congratulating her for the amazing courage and trying to help in any way her transition. In depth, however, just like Caitlyn Jenner admitted herself:
‘I would feel like a liar all the time. It’s too bad because I wasted a lot of my life and nobody really knew who I am… When you go through your life with secrets constantly, it just, after a while, it wears on you. At one point in my life, am I going to have to deal with who I am? Everyone thinks I’m the big hero. And they knew nothing about me.’
What do you know about yourself? What do you know about yourself that wasn’t labeled on you by others? And how many ‘myths’ like the ones above are you convinced about or living them yourself?
10 comments
Wise words. Very meaningful post. I loved it,
Can you believe I was ostracized myself just for being friendly with transe*uals? At my very first job I was giving juridic assistance to them. At those times in Spain ( late 90ies) , most ( perhaps all )of them, only could find a way to survive throught the se* industry. Bibi Andersen ( an icon not only for transgenders but fot the general public as well ) was at the cover of Vogue Spain , no less. Almodovar was showing them in his movies but Spanish society can be quite conservative and sometimes really harsh on certain topics. So, when I casually met them out of my job I was always polite, but neighbours and some “friends” could not understand that. I always found fascinating their fight , even “against ” nature itself. You see, every time I talk on them my discurse is replet of ” ” s. Perhaps their fight is not against the nature, but in favor of it in order to show their true selves ? I dont know…
As for Caitlyn I find her very likeable, opposed to the rest of the family.
Serena. YES!
Elle. YES!
Jenner. No
I have never been a fan of Jenner not when she was a man named Bruce and certainly not now because that would be band wagon jumping.
As for a viable woman in her 60’s I would have chosen Helen Mirren ,Meryl Streep. Diane Keaton, Susan Sarandon, to name a few. they have been with us and aged wonderfully and stylishly and are women who follow their own path.
Congratulations to Jenner on finding her truth and living it but I she and her family be they Jenners or Kardashians leave a bad taste in my mouth because I find them to be empty and opportunistic.
So no to Jenner as a role model of a woman in her 60’s.
Oh, thank you Ana for this story – it must’ve been really tough on you to stand by them at that particular point in time! Sometimes too few people understand the great issues of life and humanity! Should we be more humans, our world would be such a beautiful place! – after all, what do we really know about nature?! We call it ‘the miracle’ as we make really nothing of how to actually create life. Yet we dare so much to bend life and nature! We claim too often to know life. To know nature, silly people, that’s who we are!
Ellington – thank you for supporting this story! It really is huge for me and I think it should be talked through and discussed in depth! You know how I feel about the Kardashians – and that includes the Jenners as well – you know I even wrote about new Jenner model sensation that I’m really against her and that she doesn’t represent fashion! You know I dislike the entire media circus the Kardashians&Jenners stand for!
However, with Caitlyn I think there’s another angle to that media circus story. I really admire that guy for coming out the way she did and for exposing her drama to the world. And I think the ESPYs have outdone themselves for daring this award to Caitlyn! I was … ummm… reticent at first. I ignored the Vanity Fair issue and the ESPY announcement. But then.. it got me thinking – as I said above – what do we know as humans? What makes us humans and what enables us to judge others as being less humans than us? So … really, Caitlyn was born a woman at 65. That’s way more than any woman (those you mentioned and so many others I truly love, admire and respect tremendously) ! … that’s my take..
By saying Jenner being born a woman at 65 is way more than the other women that mentioned is a bit much., I think, becoming a woman at 65 is not better than being a woman born. I read your comment as thus if that is not the case you need to clarify and edify what you have just said. I do not think that being born a woman is less or better than being transgendered it is different and it cannot be compared or quantified,. Everyone seems to be saying how brave Jenner is for becoming a woman and giving up being a white male. Jenner is receiving accolades and disdain but this has been only for a few months since her debut, woman born have had to deal with it all their life and all the time. And as aside Serena Williams has to deal with hate to her body image, her athletic prowess and racism all of her life. Jenner maybe a hero to some but to me she is just an opportunist, she has been her whole life first as a man and now as a woman. I still say no.
I’m a bit intrigued, I admit – being a woman means you have to deal with what all our lives? I think we overprocess our existence… And some just get carried away by their excessive criticism and think they have some power over others by expressing their words and opinions – I’m happy Serena doesn’t give those trolls that precious time of her life so she can really focus on what matters to her.
…aren’t we all opportunists in our own way? I’m not saying that to glorify Jenner or to clarify what I just said. I’m simply reacting to your message and I think it would be a mistake to just let your words go by without me answering like they wouldn’t matter…
To me, the thing about Caitlyn is about how to be tolerant, how to be compassionate. It is not that she, the person , is the important thing there ( albeit receiving an award, I really dont care about awards ).It is the message that she is sending that is important, not only for trans people but one about tolerance, and the ability to empathize.
She is very likeable ( I never saw her as she was born, I am not at all interested on the family and never watched a single episode of the KUWTK) but I would be feeling the same if another trans person was there sending a similar message. Our world has become so dehumanized, so ruthless, that people in general need a dosis of ” wake ups ” on mercy and love. Maybe I am only being naive? Then, if is the case, just throw my words in the garbage bin where they probably belong…
I have a lot to say, I also have an opinion since I always have opinions as you might know. You should know that by now. :)
But I’m not in the mood, too much turmoil of late, my brain is so tired that I almost feel brain dead, almost….. I just want to share how touched I am by Ana’s last words, so touched that I cried:
“Our world has become so dehumanized, so ruthless, that people in general need a dosis of ” wake ups ” on mercy and love. Maybe I am only being naive? Then, if is the case, just throw my words in the garbage bin where they probably belong…”
Ana, you are not naive, you have not forgotten what compassion is. No way your words belong in the garbage bin………..
My issue is that no I do not think we are all opportunist at all times, some are far more needy and calculating. I have never liked or admired Jenner as a man and not as a woman. I do not think she is a genuine person I have seen enough of former him and now her over the years, I cannot abide. For me it is not about mercy and compassion in this case, for me I want the necessary mercy of not being inundated by the desperate, attention seeking, fame loving jankiness that are the Jenners and Kardashians. I am tried of the false empty holiness of the whole scenario. I still say no to Jenner and always will she is no shining light or role model for me.
Thank you Ana – it’s where I stand as well – in the humane side of this story. As Adriana said, your words are deeply sincere and moving – I thank you all for your reactions, honest, true and so involved!
I can only hope their examples can help others in their fight. Tormented souls are never a good option on or off the TV screen. We surrounded ourselves with civilization as such point that we all live in these giant zoos we call cities :( I sometimes tell the kids that they cannot stretch or talk freely or express their feelings too impulsively because it is not the way they’re supposed to behave in society… I realized I educate my own kids to be frustrated by the society from early childhood :(
Thank you Adriana ( I miss your comments here ! ). Thanks Ellington and thanks Kpriss… Ahh the children… I am doing the same with mine. And sometimes a tear comes out of my eyes as well.
Leave a Comment