On September 27, 2017, PLOTINA attended a conference on “Women meets Age: Health Between Rollers, Age and Invisibility” organized by the Vienna Women’s Health Program.

The interdisciplinary conference focused on the prevalence of negative age stereotypes and skeletal stereotypes as well as their effects on the health of women.

Women are “made old” by society at a young age. The devaluation of women has historical roots. Prejudices and age discrimination, so-called ageisms, have a long “tradition”.

Older people are part of life and affect both sexes equally. Nevertheless, women are judged stronger than men according to their appearance. They do not experience aging as equally, and are consequently confronted with negative stereotypes more and earlier. Other standards are applied. Wrinkled or gray hair is seen as attractive in men, for women it means loss of youthfulness.