The Women Who Defined Themselves Do It Again
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by: Ariel Gobert
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Lexington, KY – Women who thrived in the 60’s are now over the age of 60. Each hour 165 more American women join the ranks of the over 60 crowd. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates there are now over 56 million American women who lived through a time of participation in the Vietnam War, Watergate and women entering the workforce.
“Our generation has been heroes in remaking our nation and our culture,” says Ariel Gobert, author of the booklet “Red Hot Revolution” (www.redhotrevolution.com). “We were told not to question authority and we did. We were told a woman’s place is in the home and we refused to believe it. Why is it now that because we are told we are supposed to behave like little old ladies we believe that?”
Gobert points out women over 60 were once the women in their 20’s or 30’s protesting the Vietnam War. Their parents never questioned the government, but they had the courage to.
These same women grew up watching Leave It to Beaver, but refused to believe a woman’s place was only in the home. These are the women that created the idea of ‘equal pay for equal work.’
“We did it once,” says Gobert, “we changed the way America thought about women. We need to do it again. Why can’t a grandmother be sexy? Who says we have to wear a housecoat and putter in the garden? Why can’t we say ‘my life isn’t over – it’s a new and exciting phase that’s just beginning?’?”
Blame Hollywood where, with a few exceptions, women over age 60 are cast in smaller roles as traditional grandmothers. Blame advertising where older women are featured in advertisements for menopause treatments, not new cars. Blame magazines where few retirement age women are shown in sexy slick ads.
Gobert says, “It’s time to be electric, not eccentric. Sexuality, passion and love can not be outgrown; they only grow stronger the longer we live.”
Some are already taking Gobert’s idea of a ‘Red Hot Revolution’ to heart. 15-percent are choosing not to retire. Many older women are now re-entering the workforce with second careers. While advertisers and Hollywood may ignore the new image of older women the 60-plus crowd holds the largest amount of discretionary income and women tend to make the purchasing decisions in those households.
Gobert says she accepts that some older women choose to embrace the typical grandmother role, but she wants others to know there is an alternative.
“Women our age once changed the face, direction and definition of females in America,” says Gobert. “It’s time for us to do it again.”
About the Author
Ariel Gobert lives in Lexington, Kentucky. She has one daughter and two ‘empty nest’ sons. Gobert is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and was the first woman hired for outside sales at General Mills, Hunt-Wesson Foods, Food Service Specialists and InterMetro Industries. She hopes to break down new barriers with her booklet Red Hot Revolution (www.redhotrevolution.com).
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