Females are uniting behind acclaimed star Zeta-Jones following she encountered criticism across platforms regarding her looks following a red carpet appearance.
She appeared at an industry gathering in LA recently during which a social media clip discussing her part in season two of Wednesday became dominated by comments focusing on her looks.
A Chorus of Defence
Laura White, 58, called the backlash "utter foolishness", stating that "males escape this expiration date which women face".
"Men don't have this sell-by/use-by date imposed on women," argued Laura White.
Writer and commentator aged 50, Sali Hughes, stated differently from men, females are unfairly judged growing older and she ought to be free to appear however she liked.
Online Reaction
In the video, uploaded to social media and had more than 2.5m views, Zeta-Jones, hailing from Swansea, discussed how much she enjoyed delving into her part, the Addams Family matriarch, in season two.
Yet a significant number of the hundreds of comments centered on her age and were disparaging about her appearance.
The negative remarks triggered widespread defence for Zeta-Jones, including a widely-shared clip from one Facebook user which said: "You bully women if they undergo cosmetic procedures and bully them when they don't have enough."
Online users spoke up for her, as one put it: "It's called ageing naturally and she looks beautiful."
Others described her as "stunning" and "very attractive", and one comment read that "her appearance reflects her years - which is simply reality."
Challenging Perceptions
Ms White arrived on air earlier makeup-free as a demonstration and to highlight there was no set "mold" of how a woman in her 50s is supposed to look.
As with others her age, she explained she "looks after herself" not for a youthful appearance but to feel "improved" and be "vibrant".
"Growing older is a gift and when we live as well as possible, that is what really matters," she stated further.
She contended that men were not judged by equivalent aesthetic benchmarks, noting "no-one questions how old certain male celebrities might be - they simply look 'great'."
She said this was a key factor for entering Miss Great Britain's category the classic category, to prove that women in midlife are still here" and "still have it".
A Fundamental Problem
Sali Hughes, an author and presenter of Welsh origin, commented that while Zeta-Jones was "beautiful" it was "irrelevant", stating further she should be free to appear as she wishes absent her age facing scrutiny.
She said the online abuse demonstrated no woman was "protected" and that females should not face the "perpetual story" that they are not good enough or of the right age - a situation that is "maddening, irrespective of the person involved".
Asked if males encounter equivalent judgment, she answered "no, never", explaining females are targeted just for demonstrating the "audacity" to live on social media while growing older.
An Impossible Standard
Despite cosmetic companies promoting "youthful longevity", Hughes said women were still criticised if they age gracefully or underwent treatments including surgical procedures or fillers.
"When a woman ages without intervention, commenters state you ought to try harder; when you have procedures, you're accused of trying too hard," she remarked further.
