Skip to main content

The Death of Jane Birkin: What It Tells Us About Ageism

by Charlotte Gollogly

Jane Birkin, an actress and singer most famous for dazzling us with iconic Parisian looks, tragically passed recently at the age of 76. 



While she stared in movies such as The Swimming Pool, Evil Under the Sun, and Death on the Nile, as well as enjoying a successful career as a singer, you may know the name Birkin from somewhere else. 


She was notably known in the fashion industry for her effortless French style which led to the creation of the Hermés Birkin bag that solidified her position as a fashion icon.

 

But how come no one can pinpoint what the ‘1960’s It Girl’ looked like in her old age?

 

Birkin’s death seems to be taking the media by storm, with magazines like Vogue and Elle praising her accomplished career. 


Despite all the well-deserved love, something seemed to be missing… pictures of an older Birkin. 


While scrolling down my social media feed I noticed a recurring theme of people posting tributes to Birkin exclusively using pictures of the actress from the 1960s and 70s. 


At that time, she would have only been in her twenties, ‘coincidentally’ her most sexualised age. Intrigued, I looked online and to no surprise, there was scarcely any pictures of her past her thirties. Which was more than 40 years ago!

 

While the twenty-first century has made exceptional strides towards inclusivity, ageing women still remain stigmatised. 


Aging is often implied to be a daunting process. Heavily rooted in misogyny, it pushes the agenda that women are less desirable once they reach old age and feeds into societies sexualisation of young women. 


Why do we panic about turning 30 when that is less than halfway through our expected lifespan? 


With the increasing presence of social media and advancements in technologies, we are flooded with images of unrealistic beauty standards. This creates anxiety about our beauty inevitably fading, pressures us cling to our youth as tight as possible. This is highlighted by the commonality of plastic surgery today.

 

Even after Birkin’s death, her image is still reduced to her physical appearance, contradicting what she stood for. 


She has been vocal about ageing naturally, wisely reminding us that happiness is the true secret to long-lasting beauty for years. 


Birkin told Vogue, “You take off about ten years if you smile.”


Her inspiring approach to ageing creates a refreshing and reassuring perspective for women struggling with these common anxieties, reminding us that wrinkles are often ‘smile and laugh lines’, which shouldn’t be something to be insecure about. 


When searching up ‘smile lines’, I found a ridiculous number of articles informing us ‘how to get rid of laugh lines’ which completely contradicts the name, reinforcing insecurities over our body’s physical signs of happiness.

 

In a 2022 film by Birkin’s daughter, Charlotte Gainsbourg, titled ‘Jane by Charlotte’, Birkin tells her daughter how she used to hate her wrinkles, revealing, “At one point, you no longer recognise yourself.”


She echoes the fears that many older women also experience. But, eventually, Birkin reached “that point of not caring”, reminding us that ageing is a natural process as it symbolises our unique bodily journeys.

 

Birkin was not only an inspiring figure for fashion but also an icon for older women, so the next time you’re worrying about wrinkles just think: What would Jane Birkin do?


Edited by Emily Duff

Comments

Most Popular

‘Make Tattooing Safe Again’: Sheffield Based Tattoo Artist Exposed for Indecent Behaviour

 by Emily Fletcher TW: SA, Animal Abuse, Transphobia Photo Credit: @ meiko_akiz uki Recently, an  Instagram account  has been created to provide a  ‘space to safely give a voice to those who want to speak out about the behaviour of one, Sheffield based tattoo artist’. A  total of 40+ posts have been made by the above social media account regarding  one of Sheffield's most popular tattoo artists .  Thankfully, all posts are prefaced with a Content Warning prior to sharing screenshots of the messages that have been sent anonymously to the page. The majority of Content Warnings refer to sexual behaviour, abuse, and sexual assault. It is clear that there is a reoccurring theme within each submission, as many clients appear to have had the same experiences with the tattoo artist. Women, mostly, are being made to feel uncomfortable while being tattooed. One of the most vulnerable positions anyone can be in, tattoo artists should make their clients feel comfortable and safe during the pro

Eurydice’s Last Words

by Kate Bradley I do not want to return To sit in the stalls, Of an empty black box Strewn with petals Leave the ghost light on, Let it shine like a call home, But I will not come back To turn it off alone. I learn this as we walk Our ever so solemn path Our thudding funeral march, You think we’re going back. As I trace my old steps, I fear of the day When the symphony swells, And I land my gaze On you, yet you will be Enraptured by the sound, If you did twist To turn around, You would not see me. So I am not sorry, I speak out into the empty air And I am not sorry. “Turn Around.” You do, you look You think  I fall But I run on, Arms wide open To fall in love With it all “Perhaps she was the one who said, ‘Turn around.” On the X45 bus, back from the Tyneside Cinema, I wrote a poem entitled “Eurydice’s Final Words”, after having seen “Portrait of a Lady on Fire”.  That poem was terrible, so I wrote a new one, as my response to the beautifully poignant film.  In one scene, Héloïse, an 18

Single Review: ‘Tell Me’ - Jay Moussa-Mann

by Ilana Hawdon The feeling of pure betrayal and heartbreak is perfectly captured in Jay Moussa-Mann’s latest single, ‘Tell Me’. Jay Moussa-Mann is the folk dream we have been waiting for. A favourite on BBC Introducing, Radio 6 and BBC Radio Tees, Jay ’s sound is easy on the ears but delightfully addictive. With a background in writing and film, she began her solo musical venture when she released her debut album, ‘Little Deaths’ in late-2019, and since then, Moussa-Mann has defined herself as an artist with unbelievable range and promise.    ‘Tell Me’ is completely timeless; with notes of Carole King and Joni Mitchell, Moussa-Mann creates a folk-inspired track which is simultaneously heart wrenching and strangely empowering. Beginning as a simple guitar tune, ‘Tell Me’ builds with layers of luscious strings and twinkling piano, tied together with Jay ’s vocal line which is equal parts melancholic and divine. The song feels unwaveringly intimate; the lyrics ask, ‘what was I worth?’