Women of a Certain Age and the Enduring Negativity
Henley's Associate Professor in Organisational Behaviour, Tatiana Rowson comments on negative attitude towards women in midlife, following TV broadcaster Gregg Wallace scandal.
Recent comments made by TV presenter Gregg Wallace about "women of a certain age" in an attempt to defend himself have sparked widespread criticism. His tone and assumptions, widely interpreted as pejorative, highlight a broader societal issue: the persistent negative bias surrounding women in midlife. As someone who has spent years researching ageing, gendered ageism, and menopause, I see this as an opportunity to reflect on how midlife women are positioned in society.
In my research on how menopause has been framed in news media over the past decade, we found that women of menopausal age are frequently portrayed as dysfunctional, emotional, and unpredictable. These representations positions women in midlife as “the dangerous other”. Such framing has real-world consequences. It reinforces stereotypes that can discredit and disadvantage women in all areas of their lives, making it harder for them to speak up when issues, such as those raised by Wallace’s comments, arise.