The Platform

Start Right Here with Karen Williams on Why It's Time to Dismantle Ageism and Include BIPOC Women in the Depictions of Aging in Fashion and Beauty

Multimedia / Audio

19 March 2021

What does it mean for a society to be truly inclusive? And why is aging left out of that conversation? These subjects are at the heart of the discussion with the model, producer, and pro-aging advocate Karen Williams. Karen was discovered by a photographer in a Toronto airport and began modeling at 13-years-old and she continued to model until she completed graduate school. From there, Karen went on to have several successful careers. At age 54, Karen was lured back to modeling by her former agents, who saw a gap in the marketplace. With stunning gray hair and an eye on the industry, she has a platform through which she can talk about how the US, and other countries, have made ageism one of the last 'ism' to be dismantled. And to make a case for positive aging advocacy. After all, it is a privilege to grow older. During this episode, we question why there isn't a Black, Latin, Asian, or Indigenous version of the iconic silver model, Carmen Dell'Orefice. Why the beauty industry is reluctant to ban terms like anti-aging (even though the beauty bible Allure did), why tackling aging could positively impact our country's infrastructure, how we lump together all people over a certain age (when we don't do that for younger generations). Karen also brings up the idea that older women are rendered invisible and question how hiding factors into that reality. We discuss the stigmas and fears attached to going gray, why fashion and beauty companies seem reluctant to embrace consumers of a certain age, and why some of them are more interesting in performative support than actually being allies.

Decade Action Areas

Combatting Ageism

Source Organization

KSEWilliams Productions

Organization's Country

Global

Sector

Private Sector

Other Information

VOICES, interview, women, womensvoices, empowering women, proage, proagingmovement, bipoc, beauty, fashion, advertising, diversity and inclusion, diversitymatters, over50, silver hair, grey hair, empowered aging, aging, ageism

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