Challenging the little old lady stereotype

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Lesley Manville as Susan Ryeland in “Magpie Murders” (PBS/Eleventh Hour Films/ Nick Wall)

This post examines why we need to keep challenging the little old lady stereotype, and how the TV series Magpie Murders successfully does that.

**How Magpie Murders challenges the little old lady stereotype**

Last weekend I binge watched Magpie Murders on BBC iPlayer. It’s a TV adaptation of an Anthony Horowitz’s murder mystery. In the story, book editor Susan Ryland is drawn into a web of intrigue when her star author is murdered, leaving behind an unfinished manuscript. It’s a great watch and I would thoroughly recommend you give it a go.

What really stood out for me though, was the fact that the lead character, brilliantly played by 67-year-old Lesley Manville, challenges all of the media stereotypes one would normally associate with a woman of her age. Rather than being frail, frumpy and invisible she has a wardrobe to die for. It includes Von Furstenberg wrap dresses, a tan biker jacket, silk-satin pyjamas and even a Grace Kelly style headscarf. Susan Ryland always looks feminine, chic, and well put together, with just enough of an arty boho vibe to keep it interesting.

She drives a red MG, attends international book fairs, and has a relationship with a hot Greek schoolteacher which she conducts very much on her own terms. She’s sharp, intelligent, professionally respected and independent. Admittedly, the character as written by Horowitz, was probably meant to be in her forties rather than her sixties, but as portrayed by Manville, she looks and acts very much as a well-groomed urban sixty-something would, and she’s a character that I can completely relate to. I would love to sit down for a glass of prosecco and a chat with Susan Ryland.

The point that I am trying to make is just how refreshing it was to see a woman of my age group represented this way. This is how women in their sixties actually are in the twenty-first century, but they are not often portrayed this way.

How older women are portrayed in the media

The visual media has long held sway over the way in which women in general are perceived. Youth and beauty are the celebrated ideal, and older women are often shown as unattractive, irrelevant and invisible. They usually operate quietly in the background, the support role to a younger lead. Someone’s mother, grandmother or wife ,dressed in a beige cardigan, sensible skirt and comfy shoes. The alternative is the crazy cat lady or the bitter old crone.

These portrayals are not only inaccurate, but also damaging. When women are constantly bombarded with negative images of aging, it can lead to a lack of confidence and self-esteem. The more we see this negative image of older women, the more it becomes ingrained in our consciousness, perpetuating a cycle of ageism and discrimination. I know I sometimes find myself questioning whether I should do or wear something, based on a stereotype of what is age appropriate.

How these negative images are being challenged

Thankfully, there has been a growing movement towards challenging this stereotype with more positive representation of older women in the media. Older women in business, like the parisienne chic Christine Legarde (67), president of the European Bank, feature frequently in the news. Similarly, politicians like Hilary Clinton (75) and media stars like Oprah Winfrey (69) are flying the flag for the active and engaged over sixty. Actresses like Meryl Streep and Helen Mirren, and models like Maye Musk and Yazameena Rossi are also doing their bit.

Older women are finally starting to be recognized, not just for their beauty but also their intelligence, strength and business acumen. But it’s not just important for older women to see themselves reflected positively in media. It’s also crucial for younger generations to see that ageing is a natural part of life, and not something to be feared or ashamed of.

Anyway, thank you Eleventh Hour Films, the BBC and Lesley Manville for challenging the stereotype of the ‘older woman’ and creating this positive representation of my often ignored demographic. I’m just off to get my biker jacket out and try it on with some baggy jeans and a Grace Kellyesque head scarf.

Thank you for reading, Sian.