Yes, we’re seeing double standards rearing their ugly face again, as critics slam a woman who went through IVF to become pregnant at the age of 63 — and is now the oldest woman to do so.
What is called ‘a miracle’ in your 40s has been deemed ‘selfish’ and ‘irresponsible’ by medical professionals and mothers around the globe.
This onset of outrage may be justified based on a range of arguments that date back to an earlier era with shorter life spans. These arguments include not being around long enough to look after the child and possibly leaving the child homeless and without a family in their teens.
However, when we are looking at life expectancies of well into the 90s — and more, if the person is healthy –- those arguments are outdated.
But the main point is the double standard applied to women vs men when looking at later-life parenting.
Such global outrage for a woman becoming a mum at 63 is in distinct contrast to the celebrations made and somewhat ‘impressed’ response recently given to Rolling Stones front man Mick Jagger when he announced he was going to be a father (for the eighth time) at the ripe old age of 73.
In fact he was congratulated for such an achievement in his 70’s.
So… why is it okay for a man to have a child at 73, yet it is not ok for a woman to have a child at 63? Of course not, a woman’s value seems to diminish at the age of 40.
So yet again men are measured with a different yardstick to women — and who do we have to blame for that? Ourselves.
We can’t expect the business world to change their attitudes toward women if society itself still believes the standards applied for men should be different than those for women.
