Thread by @MetroOpinion

'At 59, I'm thrilled with the rise of mid-life influencers like, but I wish people would stop saying I look good for my age,' says Jacqueline Hooton

🧵trib.al/8uqFOjr

'As a personal trainer nearing 60, I know people mean well in their attempts to compliment me.

'But I wish they’d just say I look good… full stop.'

'As a society we’re obsessed with ageing, and particularly how people – especially women – are handling the ageing process.

'Do we look older or younger? Is what we’re wearing ‘age appropriate’? Are we age-defying, or growing old disgracefully?'

'I’m a mum-of-five and I’ve been a self-employed PT with my own business for over 20 years.

'Being a busy mum was what started me along my own wellness journey, because I wanted to have energy for my family.'

'Working out makes me feel strong and capable, and when I approached mid-life and the menopause, I realised there are many ways you can support yourself through those changes.'

'I’m active every day because it makes me feel good and I mix up my routines as much as possible. I love exercising outdoors walking, running or cycling.

I also enjoy strength training four-five times a week, which is so important and promotes health and function in midlife.'

'I started my Instagram account a couple of years ago and I felt that there was a real lack of representation of women in mid-life.'

'Now, I like to think of myself as an ‘age disrupter’ or ‘pro-age activist’ – and with over 225k followers online, I want other women to look at my videos and see there’s so much joy to look forward to as we grow older.'

'As a society there’s a lot of gendered ageism; an expectation that women over a certain age should be tucked away indoors in a twin set, but I don’t succumb to that at all.

'Around 90% of my followers are women looking for age-positive role models.'

'I think nothing of wearing in a pair of denim shorts and cowboy boots, or dancing and lip synching in my videos.

'Life should be joyful at all stages, it doesn’t stop when you turn 50 – but I’ve had my fair share of abuse along the way.'

'We don’t have to be frightened of age or desperately try to hold it at bay.'

Read the full piece 👇 trib.al/8uqFOjr