I saw this meme the other day and it really pissed me off. On one side we have the astounding Ernestine Shepherd. Ernestine is a 74 (actually she is 79 now, gasp) year old power house who looks to be half her age. The other side features the anonymous frail looking grandma who resembles what a 74 year old looked like about 20 years ago. The headline on the meme is “Both of these women are 74 years old…..The choice is yours to make”. So in addition to fat shaming, slut shaming, mom shaming and everything else we now add grandma shaming. Are you f*cking serious? Stop it.
Now I’m sure we would all like to resemble the powerhouse on the left. She looks amazing and I am sure that is due to a number of factors including a huge time commitment at the gym, running, lifting, whatever else she does to achieve that level of excellence. I mean how many hours a day does it take to achieve that? Great nutrition…I’m sure she doesn’t have a cheat day, ever. And genetics, there is some gold swimming in that woman’s gene pool for sure and God bless.
Now frail granny on the right, what’s her story? Is she depressed? Does she have some kind of disability or chronic disease? Did she eat bon-bons and sit on the couch for 50 years or did things just come unglued for the past decade. Maybe her husband died 10 years ago and she got depressed and didn’t keep up with the running club. Maybe she worked 16 hours a day at some shitty job just to scrape by…the point is we don’t know.
I’m tired of the digs that come up on my Facebook feed, insults pretending to be words of wisdom. Enough already people. Just do the best you can. More moderation, less judgement – please. Just remember no one here gets out alive, regardless of how much you bench. Relax a little, it’s all temporary.
I couldn’t agree more. You know what? As a grandchild, I never once judged my MomMom for having flabby arms, or an ample bosom. Not once. Her wrinkled, age spotted hands were beautiful to me, as she taught me how to de-string green beans we gathered together fresh with the morning dew from her garden. Her eyes twinkled with love for and delight in me, as she let me “help” her roll out the pie crust for the cherry pie she made just for me. Her white hair was soft and wispy as cotton candy, her voice soft and gentle, and her heart full of love. What more does a grandma need? Why must we strive so to be what we’re not, naturally, when it’s who we are that matters?
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Thank you Susan. Your comment is beautiful. I’m glad you have those happy memories of a loving MomMom.
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I’m with ya all the way! The new mantra — for us grandmas, at least — perhaps should be, “Grandma lives matter!” Stop the shaming of any degree, people, on any human being.
(And kudos to Susan for that lovely comment above. Wow!)
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So true! How sad that we are now shaming those who we should be celebrating.
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Totally agree, why must we shame someone else to make ourselves feel better…it is very sad..
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yup – thanks for stopping by 🙂
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I adore your sense of humor and take-no-shit approach. I have to refrain from shaming sometimes because fitness and health are so important to me and I tend to try and drag other people along on the journey. But I reel myself in when I remember that I am disorganized and downright lazy in other areas of my life. So while I make time daily for a good workout, my laundry lives in the dryer and will never have the privilege of being properly folded. I suppose you could shame me for that (and other things, believe me!).
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No one is perfect and we all have different priorities and available resources. I for one can not fathom making 7 small meals a day and spending 6 hours a day at the gym….not my reality. I do get to the gym about 4 times a week and that has been a constant for 30 years. Thanks so much for reading and taking the time to comment….makes me giddy!
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Okay – we can all do better on the physical fitness side, me, especially. But is shame going to get me off my backside? Not even close. I agree. It’s time to stop the judgmentalism.
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I’m over being guilt tripped about my exercise (or lack thereof) and beauty routines, and serums and goodness knows what else – all I want is to be complimented and told I’m doing fine – not too much to ask surely?
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I think you look lovely and clearly you are smart and confident as well.
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You know I love you, right???? I hate that same fucking meme!!!! ❤️❤️
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Ya sure that lady in the pic might have not been able to control the way she became due to a sickness. That’s not what is meant for the two ppl in this pic. Of course your not going to be able to do a lot becoming older and having some sort of sickness or disease that limits you. This is meant for the ppl who are healthy, have no medical issues and just plain chose to be lazy and not take care of themselves. That choice is totally yours.
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By the way, this pic is one I have saved as inspiration. Cause it’s totally true. If I am healthy, have no medical issues and am fully capable of taking care of myself, then there is no damn reason I can’t be strutting it like Betty White. Same goes for anyone else healthy enough to do so. No excuse other than laziness.
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If it inspires you that’s great Kay. I just think the expectation of eternal youth and beauty has gotten stretched a little thin. In addition to the socioeconomic differences that can have a dramatic impact on someone’s medical coverage, access to healthy food, hours available to exercise, etc. So many things to consider. I say this as someone who is fortunate enough to have the time and money to get to the gym about 4 times a week. Many people are not that fortunate.
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