Thinking About Yann Moix and What He and, No Doubt, Other Men His Age Are Incapable of…

I recently wrote this on my Facebook page called Inventing Maria McCabe Official: 

This is a response to the recent stories in the media concerning Yann Moix’s comment in an interview in which he said he was, “incapable” of loving women over 50, and that they were “invisible” to him, and then going on to say that he prefers women in their 20’s and Asian women. This guy is now all over social media and everyone is ripping him to shreds. Deservedly, perhaps…? Not sure. I can’t help but think he does have a right to his opinion. Artists, classically speaking, focus on painting, sculptors sculpt young smooth body parts, photographers focus on shooting perfect young female bodies. Rare is the Rubens that depicts the rounder more plump subject and far far less frequently a ‘woman of a certain age’. This guy’s words have struck a cord with me because I am nearing 50 and maybe a bit in shock about this fact because I don’t think I look or feel that age whatever my mind imagines that age to be.  depicts the rounder more plump subject and far far less frequently a ‘woman of a certain age’. This guy’s words have struck a cord with me because I am nearing 50 and maybe a bit in shock about this fact because I don’t think I look or feel that age whatever my mind imagines that age to be. Also being single isn’t helping- I am fully aware that men in my dating pool simply want something younger, less accomplished and quite frankly I’ve given up on romance and partnership almost by force the way time and circumstance has robbed me of the opportunity to have a child. I’m the first one to encourage my friends and people I admire to embrace their age ‘40 is the new 30’ ‘50 is the new 40’ but the truth is, that it’s not! 50 is 50. Believe me I embrace my experience in life and my profession and with the relationships I’ve had. There’s a wisdom that comes with age. I can accomplish anything I want at this age! Start a business, take on a new degree, move to a new country… but I can’t have a baby anymore and I can’t change the opinion of men like this guy… I’m convinced he’s not alone in his thinking. I’ve done and continue doing ‘the work’ of understanding myself as a spiritual being having a physical experience. I know what Moix says about women’s bodies isn’t true in every circumstance and I’m all for body positivity at any age, but I think it boils down to the fact that what he said is hurtful and offensive to women 50 and over.
I’m getting really tired of the way people are responding to him- and others who say things that cause us to cringe a little- the clever similes the extravagant or even base name calling – it’s the kind of language that, in my mind, negates the whole argument. It’s the kind of thing people do consistently whenever Trump tweets or appears on T.V. Which is to immediately revert to childish name calling and insults about his physical appearance. This is unkind and shows very poor debating skills! Let’s look at the situation, address what makes us so upset and try to address that directly. With intelligence. I have so much more to stay about this. I might start blogging again… HuffPost HuffPost Women Marie Claire The Independent The Guardian Jezebel The New York Times

Let’s begin again…