OLD ISSUE OLDER WOMEN

"I am troubled that the Women's Movement appears sound enough in its platform, but nestled deep down in there is the perception of older and old women. Are they viable? Do they have importance? Should they be seen and not heard? Are they worth their space in the world? Do we want to look at them? Are they appealing, beautiful and capable of competing against young women professionally? Romantically, what does a man need with one? Do they have sex appeal? Are they dried up? And then hostility erupts into the international forefronts of various professional organizations! 

There are old, ancient insights into age, process, death, magic and mysterious things immaturity cannot fathom that populations misunderstand because of their fears of dying, and ignorance about time, immortality, living, being present, and their deaths. Do I, or we answer them here in this forum?

No. The answer is within!" ~ Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 8.9.14

older woman, veteran broadcaster Joan Bakewell 

BBC's hostility to older women is damaging society, says Joan Bakewell

Joan Bakewell, the veteran broadcaster, has accused the BBC of damaging the position of older women in society by exiling female news presenters.

By Matthew Moore

3:06PM BST 19 Jul 2009

Bakewell's criticisms - in the wake of extraordinary condemnation by Harriet Harman, the Labour deputy leader - have particular bite because the respected journalist reports to the Government as the official "voice of the elderly".

The 76 year-old said that greying women journalists would have to dye their hair to remain on television because of the corporation's age bias.

"There are no grey-haired women on TV as there are grey-haired men," she said. "It's like they have all somehow died off."

Bakewell's rebuke – delivered in person to Mark Thompson, the director-general – comes after newsreaders Moira Stuart, 59, and Anna Ford, 65, blamed discrimination for their forced departures.

The BBC has also received around 2,000 complaints about its decision to replace 66-year-old Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips with pop singer Alesha Dixon, 30.

Bakewell raised her concerns at a face-to-face meeting with Mr Thompson and said she hoped her intervention would bring about a change in BBC policy.

"Television has this enormous influence and the lack of women over a certain age is damaging," she said. "Women would inevitably feel they had to dye their hair to appear."

The growing hostility to the BBC's perceived age discrimination was reflected by Ms Harman in the House of Commons last week.

Miss Harman, who is also equalities minister, described Phillips's sacking as "absolutely shocking" and called for her to be reinstated.

In a separate ageism row, a high-ranking BBC executive was yesterday (SUN) criticised for dismissing senior presenters as "silverbacks", a term used to describe elderly male gorillas.

Politicians and age campaigners rounded on the corporation for failing to appreciate the talents of its most experienced staff, after comments made by Emma Swain, who is responsible for commissioning television documentaries.

She reportedly told a meeting of independent producers that the BBC1 wanted more programmes aimed at young people, adding: "For example, we have a new arts series with a new presenter, not one of the silverbacks."

Sir Menzies Campbell, 68, the former Liberal Democrat leader, said her words reflected a culture of youth-obsession and shallow thinking at the BBC.

"Silverbacks are the elders of the tribe with experience and judgement," he said. "If a few silverbacks had been around, then perhaps Jonathon Ross would not have got into quite so much trouble."

Ms Swain insisted that her words were not meant to be derogatory, and the BBC said that female presenters still had a prominent role in its current affairs schedules.

"Our programmes always strive to reflect as broad a range of diversity as possible including age, ethnicity disability, gender and sexual orientation and from all corners of the UK," a corporation spokeswoman said.

"Kirsty Wark and Martha Kearney are regular presenters on BBC television and radio and we recently announced a new daytime BBC1 show about Britain's rip off culture which will be hosted by Gloria Hunniford, Jennie Bond and Angela Rippon. "

Kate Adie and Sue Lawley also have major presenting roles on Radio 4., the spokeswoman added.

older woman, Jolanda