Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry is speaking out against the societal stigma surrounding women and aging, offering a compelling perspective in a recent interview. At 58, the Hollywood icon—known for breaking barriers as the first African American woman to win an Oscar—reaffirmed her belief in the “gift of aging” and the importance of empowering women to reclaim their narratives.
Berry, who made history in 2001 with her Oscar-winning role in Monster’s Ball, began the interview by addressing the enduring double standard regarding aging. “Historically, women, as we age, we just get old, right? Men get sexy,” she said. “They get gray hair and they’re silver foxes. We’re just old…we’re haggard.”
The actress, who has been a fixture of Hollywood’s beauty and glamour since the early 2000s, explained how society has historically marginalized women as they age, creating a perception that their worth diminishes. “Society tells us or has told us that our time is up. Well, I know that we’re just getting our groove, we’re just starting,” Berry emphasized, calling on women to “reclaim that narrative.”
For Berry, aging is a privilege that should be celebrated. “Aging is a privilege, and we should see it that way,” she continued. “We should feel like the crowned jewels of our society.” Reflecting on her own experiences, she added, “I have always known that I’m more than this shell that I walk around in. I’ve longed for someone to say something to me other than, ‘Oh gosh, you’re so pretty.'”
As a mother of two and a staunch advocate for women’s health, Berry has also championed menopause awareness. In May 2024, she joined bipartisan Senators in Washington, D.C., to push for $275 million in research funding for menopause therapies. “I’m in menopause, OK?” she boldly declared at the Capitol, stressing the importance of normalizing discussions around menopause, a topic she feels is often silenced by both society and the medical community. “The shame has to be taken out of menopause. We have to talk about this very normal part of our life that happens,” she said.
Berry also criticized Hollywood’s pressure on women to undergo cosmetic procedures, advocating instead for aging naturally. “As I’ve aged, I’ve been determined to age gracefully and naturally. It’s a shame that as women, we’re being told that we have to find a way to stay eternally young…forever 30,” she said. “We’re born to age and die. But somehow, as women, we have to do the unthinkable.”
Committed to promoting self-acceptance, Berry emphasized the importance of embracing one’s true self. “I’m committed to being a spokesperson for allowing yourself to age gracefully, knowing that you’re more than this shell you’re walking around in.”
Berry’s remarks are a powerful call for women to embrace their natural beauty and challenge outdated societal expectations, encouraging a more inclusive and empowering narrative for women of all ages.
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