Harris has achieved what might have seemed impossible: She has changed the perception of what it looks and sounds like to be an “older” woman.
Kamala Harris has rapidly assumed the mantel of cool, youthful candidate. Among Gen Z voters, she is “brat” as decreed by Charli XCX, with pop culture legends like Olivia Rodrigo and Beyoncé lining up fast for the cause. Among the older crowd, longstanding debate over whether the vice president qualifies as a Baby Boomer—born in 1964, she is just on the cusp—rages on. It is apparently a hill Gen X is prepared to die on, citing her penchant for Chuck Taylors as proof.
All of which is to say that at nearly 60 years old, Harris has achieved what might have seemed impossible before this moment: She has changed the perception of what it looks and sounds like to be an exceptionally vibrant and eminently capable “older” woman.
The two of us write regularly about menopause as a matter of personal health and public policy. We know quite well what happens when ageism, sexism and racism collide—and focus our work on countering the resulting biases that permeate society, whether that be in the practice of medicine, the distribution of dollars for scientific research or political gamesmanship itself.
Not surprisingly, cartoonish tropes surfaced quickly when Harris entered the race—claims like those of JD Vance, who said that older women are akin to “childless cat ladies,” “miserable” and with no direct stake in the future of the country.
The public’s pushback has been swift, reinforcing Harris’ status as an authentically joyful warrior. With every new and resurfaced clip that makes the rounds—of Harris dancing down hallways, marching in parades and sharing humane interactions with her spouse, with President Biden, with the people of this country—we see a woman who radiates from the certainty of age and of knowing herself. Quite frankly, it is a gorgeous sight.
Yes, it is too early in the countdown to Election Day to say for sure if and how the perception of Harris will shift among voters. The mainstream media especially makes it hard for women of all ages, and especially women of color, to compete on a fair playing field when daily headlines debate their electability and rate their likeability.
But, here and now, this much we know: Harris is in very good company. A long list of powerful women—with Michelle Obama, Naomi Watts, Gayle King, Oprah Winfrey, Maria Shriver and Halle Berry among them—are not only at the top of their games professionally and personally, but are also embracing growing older and wiser, and becoming menopausal, unashamedly so. They have redefined what “women of a certain age” are supposed to look like and act like. These women are embracing midlife with vim and vigor, experiencing newfound successes while reinventing their careers in ways women of previous generations would have never imagined. Gayle King graced the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, refusing the cloak of invisibility that older women are expected to assume.
If menopause no longer means women hiding their true selves or pretending to be a younger version of themselves, what does portend for all of us? Beyond the benefits that come with the hard-earned credibility and respect we deserve, it can herald a new future for public policy and pop culture.
Already we’ve seen a surge in commitment to investing federal funding in research about women’s midlife health, including a national task force led by First Lady Jill Biden and four bipartisan federal bills recently introduced in the U.S. Senate and House. We reap the benefits from new companies and consumer brands that focus explicitly on ensuring essential access to menopause care and treatments. We get to revel in media that celebrates aging bodies and brains, like the continued dominance of 42-year-old Beyoncé herself and the award-winning Wiser Than Me podcast hosted by another veep, Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
Beyond the need to be seen and heard, it is also about flexing our clout. A 1992 New York Times opinion piece entitled “Mighty Menopause” posited that the then-unprecedented rise of Baby Boomer women in politics was a direct result of hormonal shifts—and the “biological changes wrought by menopause” ultimately serve to bolster women’s “interest in power and increase their ability to use it.”
We love to see it. And are here to declare that what’s old is new—in every way.
Up next:
U.S. democracy is at a dangerous inflection point—from the demise of abortion rights, to a lack of pay equity and parental leave, to skyrocketing maternal mortality, and attacks on trans health. Left unchecked, these crises will lead to wider gaps in political participation and representation. For 50 years, Ms. has been forging feminist journalism—reporting, rebelling and truth-telling from the front-lines, championing the Equal Rights Amendment, and centering the stories of those most impacted. With all that’s at stake for equality, we are redoubling our commitment for the next 50 years. In turn, we need your help, Support Ms. today with a donation—any amount that is meaningful to you. For as little as $5 each month, you’ll receive the print magazine along with our e-newsletters, action alerts, and invitations to Ms. Studios events and podcasts. We are grateful for your loyalty and ferocity.
