Discusses the "symbolic violence" of erasing older women from the cinematic canon and the "anxiety of authorship" for female directors. Older Women, Younger Men: Romantic Autonomy (2024)
The Aging Woman in Popular Film: Underrepresented and Stereotyped (1993/Updated) CORE / Markson & Taylor. milfsugarbabes
: A major 2025 study from the Geena Davis Institute found that menopause representation remains almost non-existent; of 225 films featuring a woman 40+ in a leading role, only 6% even mentioned it, and often as a joke. Discusses the "symbolic violence" of erasing older women
Curtis spent years in the "mom" wilderness ( Freaky Friday , Halloween: Resurrection ). But rather than fade, she doubled down. Her role in Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) as Deirdre Beaubeirdre—a frumpy, stiff, yet gloriously weird IRS inspector—earned her an Oscar. It proved that a mature woman could be absurd, sexy, funny, and pathetic all at once, without any "age-appropriate" filter. Curtis spent years in the "mom" wilderness (