Women Over 40 Share Their Photos To Help Others Stress Less About Ageing

Aging is hard. I know better than anyone because, on my last birthday, I turned thirty.

Before you laugh, hear me out! Thirty, in the grand scheme of life, really isn't the end of the world, but for me, it was the first time I ever felt... older.

No longer being in my twenties was hard to wrap my head around, and I wasn't sure why. The more I thought about it, the more I realized it wasn't even really my own vanity or fault that I felt this way; it's honestly the way Western society treats women as they age.

Men, if they are aging and single, become bachelors. Women, well, they're spinsters.

Men who are graying are considered incredibly sexy, while women with gray hair are often shamed, sometimes publicly. I vividly remember flipping through magazines (yes, remember those?) as a teen and seeing an entire spread of celebrities who were photographed with their gray roots showing.

Gray hair was the entire premise of that part of the magazine, and it was presented as a problem—a big one.

So, as you can imagine, the older I've gotten, the more scared of aging I have become—and I'm sure I'm not the only one. According to Dr. Shefali Tsabary, a renowned parenting expert, "Aging is a natural part of life, and embracing it can lead to greater self-acceptance and joy." Recently, she emphasized the importance of shifting societal perceptions about aging. This sentiment resonates with a viral thread inviting people to post photos to help prove that they can look fabulous, youthful, and gorgeous even after turning 40.

The thread has gone viral, and we have compiled some of our favorite photos that show age is merely a number.

"I'm 53. I don't live with anyone; my son has grown up, loved by my side, my heart is alive, and my head is my own. Freedom!"

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"Okay, I'll join the club too... 48 in a month."

mihali5144503

"That's my mom. The photo was taken a year or two ago. She is currently 42; we were once called sisters."

LieutenantChmo

"I'm 40."

Mu_ryska

"My dear mother, who is 54. I am proud of her and dream of looking just as lovely after fifty."

stvrgn_dahlia

"My most beloved woman, 40."

armysquirt

"I don't think I look super. Just normal at 55."

PevtsovaAvpavp

"Mother, 53 years old."

alex_rei_din

"In this photo, my mom is 53, and this is how I want to look without fillers at this age."

BlaBlaBla_Lab

"Me and my grandmother a couple of years ago. She is already over 55, but people still think she is my mom."

Regn0diCaria

"My mother (right) is 53, and this is the original photo without corrections."

Dadairee

"42."

ZimaNat

"I'm 40 years old with 4 sons. I haven't visited a beautician yet."

marsanna_k

"My mom, 48."

Opiuminy

"My mom is 47! And she is just incredibly beautiful!"

deadpieceofsh1t

"I'm 44."

OlhTata

"My incredible mom is 39 years old, but still."

shatteredhopes2

"Mom is 52 years old. A few years ago, she cut her hair short and stopped dyeing her gray hair. A month ago, my hands returned to the paint anyway, and now, here she is."

madkottek

"Mom, 49. Gorgeous madam."

great_cabas

"My mother is 43, and people always think we are not mother and daughter, but sisters."

vkrschn

"Mom turns 57, still pretty."

yanlogans

"My mom, 46 years old. I admire her and dream of looking as young at her age."

lublublebushek

"Mom, 40, looks younger than me."

daria_chenk

"My mom doesn't like it when I show her pictures without asking, but I can show my aunt, her older sister. She's very fit, so I don't think she'll mind; she's on all the posters herself in these pictures. She's probably 45 or 46. She's super cool and very pretty!"

Sewerin7

"I'm 45."

Okssanna

"Very good thread, all so wonderful! I also decided to join in—my beloved mommy, 45 years old."

StationPanik

"My sister, 40 years old."

PANYBONNEY

"Didn't clarify; I'm almost 46."

LrsPqsID1hYD044

"I'm 42; I dyed my hair for the first time this year."

polisandraluce

"My mom is still 37, but I couldn't help but share."

youngkenthusia1