“Aging doesn’t mean losing youth; it is a new opportunity and strength,” notes Betty Friedan, author of The Feminine Mystique.
**Brooke Shields**
Despite stereotypes and double standards related to aging, Hollywood stars seem to view aging as a new opportunity. In a youth-obsessed culture, their attitude underlines how strong a woman must be to face such challenges on her own terms.
**Helen Mirren**
Pamela Anderson, Brooke Shields, Helen Mirren, and Beyoncé – these brilliant women prove once again that age is just a number.
Let’s start with Pamela Anderson, who has recently appeared at all fashion events without makeup and confidently poses for photographers in her natural look: “I’d rather spend my time exploring the beautiful architecture of Paris than spend hours doing my makeup,” she said in an interview with Vogue.
Sarah Jessica Parker – “Gray hair… Gray hair… I’m sitting next to Andy Cohen, and he has gray hair too, but somehow, it’s normal for him. I don’t know what to tell you, especially those of you on social media who write, ‘She has too many wrinkles’ or ‘She doesn’t have enough wrinkles.’ It seems people don’t want to see us comfortable in our own skin, enjoying the age we are and looking natural… I know how I look, and I have no other choice. Should I stop aging or disappear?” asks the Sex and the City star in an interview.
Gwyneth Paltrow never wanted to go back in time: “When I saw my first wrinkle, I wondered, should I fix it or not?” I’ve never wanted to return to my 20s or 30s. I like who I am, I love myself, and I am grateful for the wisdom that comes with age…”
Beyoncé, in celebration of her 40th birthday, wrote: “This is the first year that I truly understand what it means to be alive and live in the moment… Now I realize how short our lives are and how difficult it can be. I thought I knew this at 21 or 30, but I didn’t… The older I get, the more I learn and the more joy I get from life…”
Angelina Jolie has a very refined approach to aging: “I love growing older. I felt much more comfortable in my 40s than I ever did in my youth. Maybe it’s because my mother didn’t live long; I feel that aging is more of a victory and not something associated with sadness…”
Helen Mirren believes: “You either die young, or you die old. There’s no other option. Who wants to be 45 forever? No one, but when you get to this age, you realize how great it is. You don’t want to be 25 again…”
Brooke Shields says: “Aging is not something to be ashamed of. Of course, with age, you may be limited in physical activity, but I still do what I want. I’m getting new jobs, and there’s still so much more ahead… I want to tell women who have crossed 50 that this is a new beginning…”
