Jennifer Aniston Fights Against Agist Comments

Actress Jennifer Aniston doesn’t appreciate the ageism in our society. After celebrating her 50th birthday, she noticed a shift in the dialogue aimed at her.

The “Friends” actress told InStyle magazine, “Fifty was the first time I thought, ‘Well, that number.’ I don’t know what it is because I don’t feel any different. Things aren’t shutting down in any way. I feel physically incredible.”

She continued, “So it’s weird that it’s all of a sudden getting telegraphed in a way that’s like, ‘You look amazing for your age.’ I think we need to establish some etiquette around that dialogue and verbiage.”

Jennifer Aniston Fights Against Agist Comments

No matter how strong individuals being discriminated against are, messages like “you look amazing for your age” can have a damaging effect. In fact, studies have shown that certain words we stereotype as “older,” can cause a person’s mental to shift as soon as they hear them – their subconscious might cause them to walk slower, avoid an activity they were about to participate in, or see their image in the mirror in a different light than they would just prior to receiving a damaging comment.

It’s incredibly harmful to continue using this stereotyped language in our society, and we need to work together to educate and quell these discriminatory practices.

Celebrities taking a stand will help push positive changes in society, but we all need to fight against ageism in our own ways too. How are you planning to act to create change?