What is the worst issue confronting middle aged women in 2024

[Anonymous]

Husbands who think that now that the heavy lifting of parenting is mostly over, their wives can now take care of them.

[Anonymous]

It’s been 11 pages, is everyone agreeing it’s our necks?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s been 11 pages, is everyone agreeing it’s our necks?

What's wrong with our necks?

[Anonymous]

My answer: Trumpers & Republicans

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never had trouble being taken seriously by medical professionals. I know it’s a problem for a lot of women. I’m not sure why I’ve been lucky in this regard.

You may be: rich, connected, beautiful/thin, or part of a community that gives you status.

I was surprised when it started happening to me. But the truth is that women start really losing social status once they start visibly aging past childbearing age. I started noticing people's eyes glazing over when I spoke, even for short periods of time, like they couldn't be bothered to listen or like they assumed I was being dramatic or attention seeking.

I'm in good shape and reasonably attractive but not beautiful, and look my age. I think it's even harder for women who gain weight (everything gets blamed on their weight, they are treated as inherently at fault for all medical issues) but I've seen a real shift in the last 5 years as I've entered my mid-to-late 40s.

This has also happened in other areas of life. I can feel people becoming less interested in me as a person. Not friends or family but neighbors, colleagues, service providers. It's so eye opening because it also changes how I think about how I was treated before. I thought that was just normal, like that was how everyone got treated -- reasonably polite, decent service, respectful. But now I realize I might have been getting deferent treatment because I was perceived as being higher status (thin, attractive, UMC young white woman) and maybe now I'm getting what is actually "average" treatment. I hope it's made me more self-aware -- I work hard not to treat other people as I now get treated because it's demeaning.

+1000

I had no idea what kind of attention/privilege/power I was carrying around with my beauty until I aged and gained weight -- how I am treated by virtually everyone I don't know well drastically changed.

This is so true!

My beauty helped me lead a charmed life. And believe that people were almost all friendly and helpful.

Now (I am in my 60s and overweight), when a man or young person is helpful or shows a genuine interest in what I am saying, they are saintly to me!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never had trouble being taken seriously by medical professionals. I know it’s a problem for a lot of women. I’m not sure why I’ve been lucky in this regard.

You may be: rich, connected, beautiful/thin, or part of a community that gives you status.

I was surprised when it started happening to me. But the truth is that women start really losing social status once they start visibly aging past childbearing age. I started noticing people's eyes glazing over when I spoke, even for short periods of time, like they couldn't be bothered to listen or like they assumed I was being dramatic or attention seeking.

I'm in good shape and reasonably attractive but not beautiful, and look my age. I think it's even harder for women who gain weight (everything gets blamed on their weight, they are treated as inherently at fault for all medical issues) but I've seen a real shift in the last 5 years as I've entered my mid-to-late 40s.

This has also happened in other areas of life. I can feel people becoming less interested in me as a person. Not friends or family but neighbors, colleagues, service providers. It's so eye opening because it also changes how I think about how I was treated before. I thought that was just normal, like that was how everyone got treated -- reasonably polite, decent service, respectful. But now I realize I might have been getting deferent treatment because I was perceived as being higher status (thin, attractive, UMC young white woman) and maybe now I'm getting what is actually "average" treatment. I hope it's made me more self-aware -- I work hard not to treat other people as I now get treated because it's demeaning.

+1000

I had no idea what kind of attention/privilege/power I was carrying around with my beauty until I aged and gained weight -- how I am treated by virtually everyone I don't know well drastically changed.

This is so true!

My beauty helped me lead a charmed life. And believe that people were almost all friendly and helpful.

Now (I am in my 60s and overweight), when a man or young person is helpful or shows a genuine interest in what I am saying, they are saintly to me!

I've always found beauty to be a nuisance. Aging has been such a blessing. Men treat me like a human being now, and women are much more kind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never had trouble being taken seriously by medical professionals. I know it’s a problem for a lot of women. I’m not sure why I’ve been lucky in this regard.

You may be: rich, connected, beautiful/thin, or part of a community that gives you status.

I was surprised when it started happening to me. But the truth is that women start really losing social status once they start visibly aging past childbearing age. I started noticing people's eyes glazing over when I spoke, even for short periods of time, like they couldn't be bothered to listen or like they assumed I was being dramatic or attention seeking.

I'm in good shape and reasonably attractive but not beautiful, and look my age. I think it's even harder for women who gain weight (everything gets blamed on their weight, they are treated as inherently at fault for all medical issues) but I've seen a real shift in the last 5 years as I've entered my mid-to-late 40s.

This has also happened in other areas of life. I can feel people becoming less interested in me as a person. Not friends or family but neighbors, colleagues, service providers. It's so eye opening because it also changes how I think about how I was treated before. I thought that was just normal, like that was how everyone got treated -- reasonably polite, decent service, respectful. But now I realize I might have been getting deferent treatment because I was perceived as being higher status (thin, attractive, UMC young white woman) and maybe now I'm getting what is actually "average" treatment. I hope it's made me more self-aware -- I work hard not to treat other people as I now get treated because it's demeaning.

+1000

I had no idea what kind of attention/privilege/power I was carrying around with my beauty until I aged and gained weight -- how I am treated by virtually everyone I don't know well drastically changed.

You mean your white privilege?

Exactly. White privilege. Not a privilege to most women on the planet.

I suspect a beautiful brown woman gets a lot of special treatment. Unless maybe she is in the Deep South.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never had trouble being taken seriously by medical professionals. I know it’s a problem for a lot of women. I’m not sure why I’ve been lucky in this regard.

You may be: rich, connected, beautiful/thin, or part of a community that gives you status.

I was surprised when it started happening to me. But the truth is that women start really losing social status once they start visibly aging past childbearing age. I started noticing people's eyes glazing over when I spoke, even for short periods of time, like they couldn't be bothered to listen or like they assumed I was being dramatic or attention seeking.

I'm in good shape and reasonably attractive but not beautiful, and look my age. I think it's even harder for women who gain weight (everything gets blamed on their weight, they are treated as inherently at fault for all medical issues) but I've seen a real shift in the last 5 years as I've entered my mid-to-late 40s.

This has also happened in other areas of life. I can feel people becoming less interested in me as a person. Not friends or family but neighbors, colleagues, service providers. It's so eye opening because it also changes how I think about how I was treated before. I thought that was just normal, like that was how everyone got treated -- reasonably polite, decent service, respectful. But now I realize I might have been getting deferent treatment because I was perceived as being higher status (thin, attractive, UMC young white woman) and maybe now I'm getting what is actually "average" treatment. I hope it's made me more self-aware -- I work hard not to treat other people as I now get treated because it's demeaning.

+1000

I had no idea what kind of attention/privilege/power I was carrying around with my beauty until I aged and gained weight -- how I am treated by virtually everyone I don't know well drastically changed.

You mean your white privilege?

Exactly. White privilege. Not a privilege to most women on the planet.

I suspect a beautiful brown woman gets a lot of special treatment. Unless maybe she is in the Deep South.

Yep. Just ask my cute Hispanic wife.
Just last week she went out to shovel our driveway (while I was still inside putting my boots on)
And a guy in a snow plow drove by, stopped and said " Don't bother ill get that for you" and proceeded to plow our driveway..
If that was me out there he would have drove by laughing at me. Lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never had trouble being taken seriously by medical professionals. I know it’s a problem for a lot of women. I’m not sure why I’ve been lucky in this regard.

You may be: rich, connected, beautiful/thin, or part of a community that gives you status.

I was surprised when it started happening to me. But the truth is that women start really losing social status once they start visibly aging past childbearing age. I started noticing people's eyes glazing over when I spoke, even for short periods of time, like they couldn't be bothered to listen or like they assumed I was being dramatic or attention seeking.

I'm in good shape and reasonably attractive but not beautiful, and look my age. I think it's even harder for women who gain weight (everything gets blamed on their weight, they are treated as inherently at fault for all medical issues) but I've seen a real shift in the last 5 years as I've entered my mid-to-late 40s.

This has also happened in other areas of life. I can feel people becoming less interested in me as a person. Not friends or family but neighbors, colleagues, service providers. It's so eye opening because it also changes how I think about how I was treated before. I thought that was just normal, like that was how everyone got treated -- reasonably polite, decent service, respectful. But now I realize I might have been getting deferent treatment because I was perceived as being higher status (thin, attractive, UMC young white woman) and maybe now I'm getting what is actually "average" treatment. I hope it's made me more self-aware -- I work hard not to treat other people as I now get treated because it's demeaning.

+1000

I had no idea what kind of attention/privilege/power I was carrying around with my beauty until I aged and gained weight -- how I am treated by virtually everyone I don't know well drastically changed.

Yes, this. I think many women are at least subconsciously aware of this and it’s a source of anxiety.

And as silly as it sounds, this is why I like Taylor Swift. She has stepped into her power and made it a brand. She’s not overly sexual, she’s owning her emotional side and she’s not pining for men.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s been 11 pages, is everyone agreeing it’s our necks?

Nora Ephron wrote a book on this
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Feel_Bad_About_My_Neck

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My answer: Trumpers & Republicans

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s been 11 pages, is everyone agreeing it’s our necks?

Nora Ephron wrote a book on this
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Feel_Bad_About_My_Neck

There have been an unusually high number (AKA >0) of posts about Nora Ephron recently. Weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. I think it’s the rise of misogyny as an overt political platform of both parties. Both parties are openly throwing themselves into misogyny as a winning electoral issue. It’s frankly terrifying.

What is the Dem misogyny?

"The progressive wing of the party has leaned in hard on taking the side of using rape and sexual assault as a weapon of political terror. "

Can you explain to me what this means? Cause as a stand alone sentence it sounds like you are saying progressives are using rape and SA as a weapon of (political) terror. Read literally that sounds like progressives are raping women, is that what you mean?


"The refusal to unequivocally condemn the documented sexual violence from Hamas and the silence of progressive women’s organizations (which are all Democrat supporters) on the issue has been extremely demoralizing."

Minimization? Like this? https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4345978-democratic-divisions-deepen-over-hamas-sexual-violence-response/#:~:text=Democrats%20have%20expressed%20strong%20criticism,on%20Israel%20%E2%80%94%20toward%20Israeli%20women.

and this? https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/14/politics/senators-resolution-condemning-hamas/index.html

So Jaypal, of whom I am not particularly a fan, saying that “I think we have to be balanced about bringing in the outrages against Palestinians,” Means she doesn't unequivocally condemn rape? Because it sounds to me like what she's really saying is "remember that Israel is being terrible too".

"The Democrats have also been leading the charge in eliminating sex-based protections and spaces for women and they seem to be openly pretending that women haven’t been terrorized for millennia because of their biology. "

We are being terrorized NOW by the GOP taking away our abortion rights. I do not care about bathrooms or prisons or even what's inside the swimteam bathing suits. I care about my daughters.

You sound like a troll. BoTh SiDeS eh?

Um, yes. What happened to Israeli civilians was horrific on Oct 7, and the treatment of the hostages deplorable. And yet? The war and terror that Israel unleashed on Palestine in response, killing more than 20k— 20k—including women and children, the number is higher now, and I can bear to look it up— was even worse. Yes, the toll and cruelty is hard to fathom, but those are the facts. This is a genocide. Yes it is. Look up the definition.

And my husband is Jewish, our kids are half. We both wholeheartedly condemn this war and Israel’s actions as most of the world has already done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not being able to purchase the bottom half of the shirt.

In all seriousness, I think it's sandwich generation stuff... raising kids in a time where very hands-on parenting is the norm, often while working a full-time job, while juggling aging parents.

Also, marital division of labor issues in two working-parent families. Many women my age (40) were raised that they could do anything and that has turned into doing everything.

This is real. And it burns you out!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:50 something here, still raising a high schooler, and my trigger is abortion bans and how they might impact my child. She's not sexually active but all it takes is one mistake..... or SA.

I agree with this We came so far with reproductive rights just to now have it reversed. How come young women aren't protesting in the streets? And young men too!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:50 something here, still raising a high schooler, and my trigger is abortion bans and how they might impact my child. She's not sexually active but all it takes is one mistake..... or SA.

I agree with this We came so far with reproductive rights just to now have it reversed. How come young women aren't protesting in the streets? And young men too!

Shut up