Supermodel Paulina Porizkova has opened up about how getting older has made her a better version of herself.
The 57-year-old is known for being open and honest when it comes to ageing, often posing semi-nude on her social media with empowering captions about embracing her body.
In an interview with Women’s Wear Daily, Porizkova spoke on the invisibility that comes with ageing, despite being “a lot cooler now” than when she was younger.
“Before my husband died our marriage had disintegrated and we were already separated for two years and we were going through a divorce and the invisibility to my husband coincided with my invisibility to the rest of the world,” she said.
“I was suddenly a divorced woman who had no career, had no way of making money and also was completely ignored by the population at large and I thought that’s not cool because I’m actually a lot cooler now than I was 20 years ago.
“I am way smarter. I have more patience. I’m more intellectually curious. I’m more generous. Everything about me is better.
“But I have wrinkles and that does not make me ugly. I just thought that’s unfair.”
The supermodel highlighted the difficulties that divorce in your golden years brings, where women go through a process of finding a new version of themselves during a time when “nobody wants you”.
“For women who’ve gone through the grey divorce, which is now getting more and more prevalent, and then are out in the world maybe you did spend your time taking care of your kids and your family and now you’re reclaiming yourself and nobody wants you. Not fair and not cool,” Porizkova said.
Despite embracing her ageing body, the Czech-born Porizkova is often the victim of ageist trolls on social media who publicly criticise her, suggesting that she should keep herself covered up.
However, the supermodel has become a pro at torching internet bullies who like to frolic in her comment section instead of minding their own business.
In one bold move, the mother of two posted a screenshot of a nasty comment which accused the model of “falling from grace”.
“I’ve always thought that getting old and ugly is hardest on the pretty people. The fall from grace is so much farther when you were beautiful,” they wrote.
But the former face of Estee Lauder responded with measured grace.
“Here’s a good follower comment- echoing a few others,” she wrote in a caption.
“A woman of 57 is ‘too old’ to pose in a bikini – no matter what she looks like. Because ‘Old’ is ‘Ugly’. I get comments like these every time I post a photo of my body. This is the ageist shaming that sets my teeth on edge. Older men are distinguished, older women are ugly.”
Porizkova concludes her post with: “PS. I’m not posting this because I feel bad and need sympathy- quite on the contrary! I’m posting this because this is a pervasive sentiment that needs to be done away with. So we can be proud of aging, as we deserve to be!”