To Dye or Not to Dye!

There was an article in the Guardian recently which talked about how more women celebrities were choosing to go grey. https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2026/oct/02/celebrities-grey-hair-olivia-colman-lisa-bonet-women-ageism-workplace-dye

All of them women. No discussion about whether men decide to have grey hair or not. It also raised the question of whether actresses who have grey hair will get less work. Sigh.

The article also raised the issue that 3% of people between 50-64 are unemployed and that employers start to regard a male candidate as less desirable after 55. For women this starts over 10 years earlier, from 40.

Why are women judged like this?

I have chosen to go grey, Anne still dyes her hair. So what? Isn’t that a personal choice?

We have both dyed our hair since our 20s. To me, choosing to be blond, white, blue, pink, purple or red felt much more of a personal statement. Sometimes friends would ask “what colour are you this week?” It was about having fun and choosing my outer skin than disguising my age.

In some other cultures, mostly Eastern, ageing is valued as a sign of wisdom.

What is wisdom? There are several theories. Sternberg’s Balance Theory says that it is the ability to balance “personal, interpersonal, and extrapersonal interests to achieve a common good”. The Berlin Wisdom Paradigm says that it is “accumulation of pragmatic and factual knowledge” and “willingness to accept uncertainty “. Do We Get Wiser as We Age? | Psychology Today

Sharon Blackie, a psychologist, folklorist and mythologist has brought together many different myths and legends featuring archetypal wise women. She wants to inspire older women with these ancient stories. Wise Women - SHARON BLACKIE

Ageing is a natural and inevitable process. We can fear it or embrace it. But it has nothing to do with the colour of our hair!