“They Want Us to Be Silent and Disappear”: Paulina Porizkova, 61, Speaks Out Against Ageism

Czech actress and supermodel Paulina Porizkova, 61, has spoken candidly about the pressure women face as they grow older, urging them not to be ashamed of their age, conform to imposed beauty standards or give up their right to be heard.

On September 27, the star posted an emotional video message on Instagram addressed to her followers, as well as to women who stop her on the street simply to thank her for her honesty and support.

“This is a message to you ladies on Instagram, as well as to all of you who sometimes stop me on the street just to say, ‘Hi’ and ‘Thank you,’” the supermodel began.

Porizkova said she is still struck by how many women express their gratitude for her posts. In her view, they are primarily thanking her for helping them feel less alone in their reluctance to simply accept the changes that come with aging.

“I think they’re saying thank you for helping them not feel so alone in not being thrilled about getting older,” she admitted.

At the same time, Porizkova stressed that although living a long life is a privilege, aging remains a difficult experience, particularly for women. In her opinion, society gradually pushes women into the background, as though growing older means losing the right to participate fully in public life and express their opinions.

“Getting older is a huge privilege, if we’re lucky enough to get to do it. And yet, for women, it’s a particularly difficult process. As we get older, we are pushed away from the main table. We are expected to be quiet, step aside and essentially disappear from polite society,” the supermodel said.

“Those of us who refuse to give up our place are forced to resort to surgical interventions. And those who don’t care about it can simply step away and live perfectly happy lives. But it seems to me that there is clearly some kind of imbalance here,” she continued.

“Why are we being pushed away from the table? Because we have more to offer the world now than we ever have before,” Porizkova emphasized.

At the end of her message, the supermodel invited her followers to share what kind of content they feel is missing from social media, as well as what inspires them and makes them feel happy.

“Let’s make more of that kind of content,” she urged.

In the caption accompanying the post, Porizkova also said she feels inspired whenever she sees a woman who unapologetically remains true to herself and does not feel the need to justify her choices to others.

Paulina Porizkova is considered one of the most recognizable supermodels of the 1980s. She first appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 1983 and went on to grace its cover in both 1984 and 1985.