🔗 Share this article

Women are rallying in defence of acclaimed star Catherine Zeta-Jones following she encountered criticism online about her appearance following a red carpet event.

She appeared at a promotional function in Hollywood last month where a social media clip featuring her part in the new series of the 'Wednesday' show was overshadowed by remarks about her appearance.

Voices of Support

Laura White, 58, labelled the negative reaction "complete nonsense", adding that "men don't have this sell-by/use-by date imposed on women".

"Men are free from this sell-by/use-by date imposed on women," stated the pageant winner.

Beauty journalist Sali Hughes, 50, stated unlike men, females are subject to unfair scrutiny as they age and Zeta-Jones should be free to look however she liked.

The Social Media Storm

In the video, also shared to social media and had millions of views, Zeta-Jones, who is from Swansea, discussed the pleasure of portraying her role, Morticia Addams, in the new episodes.

But a large portion of the hundreds of comments zeroed in on her age and were critical regarding her appearance.

The online backlash triggered widespread defence for the actor, such as a viral video from one Facebook user which said: "You bully women if they undergo too much work done and attack them for not having sufficient procedures."

Online users came to her defence, as one put it: "This is growing older naturally and she is stunning."

Some called her as "gorgeous" and "so pretty", while someone else said that "she looks her age - that is life."

A Statement Arrival

Ms White arrived on air earlier with a bare face as a demonstration and to highlight the absence of a "template" of how a woman in midlife is supposed to look.

Like many women of her years, she said she "looks after herself" not for a youthful appearance but in order to feel "better" and look "vibrant".

"Growing older is a privilege and if we can live the best we can, that's what really matters," she stated further.

She contended that males are not held to equivalent beauty standards, noting "no-one questions how old famous men might be - they simply are described as 'fantastic'."

Ms White noted it was a key factor she entered the competition the classic category, in order to demonstrate that females of a certain age continue to exist" and "still have it".

The Core Issue

Hughes, an author and presenter from Wales, stated that although the actor is "beautiful" this is "irrelevant", noting she should be able to appear however she liked absent her years facing scrutiny.

She said the online abuse demonstrated that no female is "exempt" and that it is unfair for women to endure the "perpetual story" which says they are not good enough or young enough - an issue that is "galling, irrespective of the individual targeted".

When asked if men experience identical criticism, she said "absolutely not", noting females are targeted simply for having the "audacity" to live on social media while aging.

A No-Win Situation

Regardless of the beauty industry emphasizing "youthful longevity", the author stated women were still judged whether they aged without intervention or underwent treatments including plastic surgery or injectables.

"If you age without intervention, people say you should do more; when you have work done, you are criticized for trying too hard," she concluded.