Females Unite In Support of Catherine Zeta-Jones Amidst Age-Shaming Criticism

There is a groundswell of support for acclaimed star Catherine Zeta-Jones following she faced disparaging remarks online regarding her appearance during a industry event.

Zeta-Jones attended an industry gathering in Los Angeles recently where a TikTok interview about her character in the latest the 'Wednesday' show became dominated due to discussion about her age.

Voices of Support

Laura White, 58, described the online criticism "utter foolishness", stating that "men aren't given this sell-by/use-by date which women face".

"Men are free from this expiration date which women face," stated Ms White.

Beauty journalist Sali Hughes, 50, said unlike men, females are unfairly judged for ageing and Zeta-Jones should be able to appear however she liked.

Digital Backlash

During the interview, uploaded to social media and attracted more than 2.5m views, the actor, hailing from Wales, talked about her enjoyment in delving into her character, the Addams Family matriarch, in season two.

But a significant number of the hundreds of comments focused on her age and were disparaging about her looks.

The negative remarks triggered a broad defence for Zeta-Jones, such as a widely-shared clip online which declared: "You bully females when they get too much work done and bully them when they don't have enough."

Commenters also spoke up for her, as one put it: "She is aging naturally and she appears gorgeous."

Others described her as "stunning" and "so pretty", with another adding that "she appears her age - that is the natural process."

A Statement Arrival

Ms White arrived on air earlier without any makeup as a demonstration and to demonstrate there was no set "blueprint" for what a woman in her 50s should look like.

As with others of her years, she explained she "looks after herself" not to look younger but so she feels "well" and be "vibrant".

"Getting older represents an honour and provided we live gracefully, that is what truly counts," she stated further.

Ms White stated that males are not subject to the same aesthetic benchmarks, noting "people don't ask how old certain male celebrities are - they simply appear 'fantastic'."

Ms White noted that became one of the reasons behind her participation in Miss Great Britain's category for women over 45, in order to demonstrate that women in midlife continue to exist" and "still have it".

Unfair Scrutiny

The author, a writer and commentator of Welsh origin, commented that although Zeta-Jones was "gorgeous" that is "irrelevant", stating further she should be able to look in any way she chooses without her age being scrutinised.

Hughes argued the online abuse proved not a single woman is "immune" and that women do not deserve the "ongoing theme" which says they are insufficient or youthful enough - a situation that is "maddening, irrespective of the person involved".

Asked if men experience the same scrutiny, she answered "absolutely not", explaining women were attacked merely for demonstrating the "audacity" to live online as they age.

An Impossible Standard

Regardless of the wellness sector promoting "longevity", Hughes said females are still criticised whether they aged gracefully or underwent treatments like surgical procedures or injectables.

"When a woman ages without intervention, others claim more could be done; if you get treatments, you are criticized for not aging gracefully enough," she remarked further.