I’M NOT DONE YET

Women have had to deal with stigmas and judgments throughout their lives. The woman who decides not to have kids: How selfish of her! If she wants to have children as well as a career: Something is going to suffer! Or, she is a workaholic neglecting her family. The women who advocate for social, economic and political equality of the sexes, well they are just perceived as being angry, fist-waving, men-hating radicals with armpit hair.

Sadly, there is mounting evidence that suggests there is another stigmatized club we have unwillingly joined – the older woman in the workplace who doesn’t want to retire.

Of course, men experience their own set of stigmas, but here’s the big difference: research shows that as men age they are viewed to be more valuable and competent in the workplace; whereas women are seen to lose their credibility and value with every new wrinkle.

In a recent study by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) 40,000 invented resumes were sent to employers who’d advertised jobs, then analyzed which applicants got callbacks. “The callback rate declined with age. But the age factor proved even stronger for women.”

A new book by acclaimed author, podcast host, and sought-after coach Bonnie Marcus – “I’m Not Done Yet! How women Over 50 Regain Their Confidence”, calls what older women experience “the double whammy of gendered ageism.”

“As a woman over fifty”, she says, “you may be wondering if there is anything you can do as you face down diminished responsibilities, decreasing visibility, and the looming specter of being aged out.”

I know first-hand the struggles that ageism can invite. So I read with great interest a pre-released chapter of Marcus’s book – she has a lot of answers – but my favourite, and one I’ve adhered to for years, is to “Be Your Badass Self.”

By “badass,” she writes: “I don’t mean an angry, chip-on-her-shoulder woman. “Badass” doesn’t mean “bitch.” Being a badass means owning who you are, owning your experience, your wisdom, your talent, your age. A badass mindset gives you swagger, and you need this now, more than ever”.

I have found there can be a mindset amongst employers that once women reach a certain age they are treated as if they are disposable. But contrary to popular belief, the scientific facts are that, for men and women, when it comes to aging and ability there is no gender difference. Yes, generally raw mental horsepower declines after the age of 30, but knowledge and expertise — the main predictors of job performance — keep increasing even beyond the age of 80.

There is also ample evidence to assume that traits like drive and curiosity are key catalysts for new skill acquisition, even during late adulthood. When it comes to learning new things, there is just no age limit.

Gender diversity has long been a “front and center” issue. It’s time that cognitive diversity becomes equally as important. Few things of value have ever been accomplished by individuals working alone. The vast majority of our advancements — whether in science, business, arts, or sports — are the result of coordinated human activity, or people working together as a cohesive unit. The best way to maximize team output is to increase cognitive diversity, which is significantly more likely to occur if you can get people of different ages (and experiences) working together.

It’s not all bad news. Today, there are more and more role models breaking stereotypes of aging. The saying – You can’t be it till you see it-- isn’t just for the young.

I was literally captivated and inspired by a TV interview with Cicely Tyson just days before her death at 96. A beloved actress, whose stellar career spanned more than six decades, stressed that continuing to take roles well into her nineties has been her sustaining force. (At 90, she appeared on Broadway in The Gin Game opposite James Earl Jones). Brushing off any concept of retirement Tyson stated, "You can't just stop or that'll be the end of you. I aim to live… It's what gets me out of bed, eager to do my pull-ups, and curious to discover the world anew."

Another favourite role model is designer Norma Kamali. At 75, she looks – and acts – half her age. She is best known for her “sleeping bag” coat and for designing the one-piece red swimsuit that made Farrah Fawcett an icon. The secret she writes, in her new book," I Am Invincible", is learning to age with power.

Its pages are filled with 50 years of Kamali’s twists, turns, triumphs, and failures while never failing to find the courage and conviction to race after her dreams and not look back.

Some women age gracefully. Norma Kamali doesn’t appear to age at all. It may be due to the fact that, at 75, Kamali still loves her work as much as she did at 28.

“Who knew that seventy could be the most active and exciting decade yet”, writes Kamali “This is the power of age!”

So maybe, to quote a headline from a Harvard Business Review article, “It’s Time to Retire Retirement”.

“Better than sitting home making butt prints”

……Cicely Tyson when asked why she’s still working at age 96