Contrary to the ancient idea that beauty is linked to youth, the movement called Pro-Aging encourages a positive approach to aging. In this perspective, the famous “Anti-Aging”, is now replaced by a vision of acceptance and celebration of a natural process of the human body.
Youth culture
Even though the population is living longer than ever – according to the World Health Organization – and, consequently, facing aging for longer, the culture of youth (which makes beauty synonymous with youth) still exerts a strong influence on the population, especially in the West. Researcher at the Institute of Psychology at USP (University of São Paulo) Esny Soares says in an interview with the institution’s newspaper that “historically, the idea of getting older has always been rejected, getting old is synonymous with being outdated”.
Therefore, this pessimistic view encourages prejudice related to aging, which, according to the Global report on ageism, carried out by the WHO, hinders the process of accepting old age. This cultural construction associates an older appearance with something negative, which leads to its devaluation. “As if appearance had the power to reveal people’s value”, adds Soares, highlighting how this vision impacts the self-image and social role of aging individuals.
Pro-aging movement
In this sense, the Pro-Aging movement emerges as a response to this scenario, promoting a new perspective, in which aging is seen as a process to be embraced, not fought.
Social media, often criticized for promoting unattainable beauty standards, has also become a platform for Pro-Aging advocates who share unfiltered, genuine portrayals of aged bodies. These accounts encourage a diverse audience to value authenticity over perfection, helping normalize the aging process and fostering a society that sees beauty at every age. This shift benefits not only older adults but also younger generations, who gain a healthier, more inclusive understanding of beauty and life stages.
In Pro-Aging, natural marks that reflect the passage of time on the human body, such as wrinkles and gray hair, are no longer seen as “defects”. The idea is to encourage a balanced perspective of well-being and self-care, respecting the beauty of authenticity at each stage of life.
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The article above was edited by Gabriela Travizzanutto.
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