Patriarchy, Ageism, and the Lesbian Experience: The Invisible Burden of Beauty Norms
In most cultures across the world, the female body is subject to an intense and unrelenting scrutiny, an evaluation that begins in youth and seldom ceases until death. While beauty standards evolve with time, one thing remains disturbingly constant: the widespread fetishisation of youth. This fixation is not merely a matter of aesthetic preference, nor is it harmless taste; it is a deeply ingrained socio-political phenomenon rooted in patriarchy, serving to maintain gender hierarchies, control women’s value in society, and perpetuate inequality. The idea that a woman’s worth is linked to her youth and, by extension, her physical beauty has severe implications for older women, who are often subjected to an unspoken but palpable devaluation. This cultural paradigm is most visible in heterosexual contexts, where men are socially rewarded for securing younger partners and women are subtly (or overtly) encouraged to remain youthful in appearance at all costs. However, what is often overloo...