Harriet Harman MP famously wearing a stabproof vest in Peckham, 31 March 2009. Image from South London Press.
To celebrate the launch of Age UK (Age Concern and Help the Aged working together), Harriet Harman made a speech, talking about older people. Harman is the Equalities Minister.
The speech included a few lines about the Olay advertisement which featured an airbrushed Twiggy. It appeared in the press around July 2009. People complained. Olay apologised, the ad was removed, and they got a rap across the knuckles from watchdogs a short while later. Apparently such airbrushing degrades the older woman.
Airbrushing advertising images is also something the Liberal Democrats have been banging on about incessantly. Apparently when you can motivate 700 people to write to the Advertising Standards Authority to complain about old people being airbrushed, you’ve got a good point.
For those of us who were unaware, just as page 3 girls in The Sun, or glamour models in Nuts or other lad’s mags are generally airbrushed as a matter of routine, the politicians want to nanny us to a state where we feel it’s unacceptable for old people to be airbrushed. Now where’s the equality in that. What about those younger people who are airbrushed on a daily basis?
What’s the point of equality if it only applies to old people?
“There’s nothing wrong with women ageing. It’s just a different stage of their life. Many are just getting in to their prime in their working life – having taken off time work when their children were young. Many are newly at the heart of caring responsibilities within their families as they take on a role in caring for their grandchildren.”
Harriet Harman MP
Now I just can’t figure this one out. Everyone ages. Most women at a suitable stage of the ageing process that I know will tell me that they detest having their photograph taken, unless it can be photoshopped to remove the crows feet and other more obvious signs of ageing. I’m pretty sure that Olay, and other beauty products, just wouldn’t sell if they couldn’t add some glamour to their models.
Twiggy's Olay advert.
Harman then went on to attack the BBC. Remember that series on how politicians seem to think they can control the BBC, even though it’s supposed to be independent?
“The broadcast media is able to value the older man for his experience and wisdom but does not find it possible to value the older woman in the same way.”
“This is an outdated view which is resented not just by women in the broadcast media but also by women viewers.”
Harriet Harman MP
Arlene Phillips - a dance judge, not a newsreader.
Harman also said that the BBC should make more use of Arlene Phillips, the former Strictly Come Dancing judge, and Dame Joan Bakewell. Yes, those really well known newsreaders, that one that reads the news while dancing. Yeah, I’d like her to read my news please.
The realy irony is that these quotes from Harman were published on the day that Chris Evans took over the Breakfast Programme on Radio 2 from Terry Wogan. His newsreader, as was widely publicised in the week beforehand, is Moira Stewart. Remember that old lady who used to read the news on the telly? Yes, she’s back on the radio now, every weekday morning. How’s that for triumph in the face of old-age?
But no, instead of celebrating the diverse range of ages, faiths, creeds, colours, genders, sexualities and emotional states which make every single one of us unique, our equalities minister is still harping on about things that happened last year.
Maybe Harman’s looking old, as The Doctor said of an imaginary politician in an imaginary scenario…
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