This is Part One of a three-part discussion. Why are middle-aged women these days subject to so much rage and hatred – frequently from people who see themselves as kind and ‘on the right side of history’? What explains the popularity of the Karen meme, which references a stereotypically privileged white woman whom everyone feels entitled to loathe? Why does this age-old misogyny feel so very now? As writer Victoria Smith approached middle age she made her peace with her sagging neckline and having to cope with ageing parents. But the disdain and vitriol she experienced as a woman in mid-life came as a shock. In her acclaimed book Hags: The Demonisation of Middle-Aged Women she traces the prejudice that has been directed towards older women down the ages and explores the prevalence of witch hunts in recent years. Smith joined us on stage at The Tabernacle in London in March 2024, where she was joined by fellow writers Hadley Freeman and Sonia Sodha. Together they explored why women who have the temerity to exist beyond the age at which they are conventionally deemed desirable to men are seen as superfluous to society; and they looked for solutions which can benefit all women – whether they are hags or hags-in-waiting.
This is the first of a three-part discussion. Intelligence Squared Members can listen to all three instalments, including the Members-only Part Three, immediately.
If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all of our longer form interviews and Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.
For £4.99 per month you'll also receive:
- Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts
- Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series
- 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events
- Our member-only newsletter The Monthly Read, sent straight to your inbox
...
Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99:
- Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts
- Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series
...
Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more
...
Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more.
https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
India at 75 – Secularism and the Rise of Hindu Nationalism, with Rana Ayyub
Jamaica's Culinary Journey, with Melissa Thompson and Riaz Phillips
The Sunday Debate: What does Giorgia Meloni mean for Europe?
The Fulcrum of History: Margaret MacMillan, Sir Max Hastings and Peter Frankopan on the War in Ukraine
Ready for Rishi? The Treacherous Road Ahead for the UK’s New Prime Minister, with Matthew Goodwin and Camilla Cavendish
War and Politics in the 21st Century, with Sir Lawrence Freedman
India at 75: Can Britain and India be friends?
Party’s Over: Liz Truss’s Resignation, with Sonia Sodha and Sherelle Jacobs
Food, Land and a Farming Revolution, with Sarah Langford
Unstoppable Us: How We Can Shape Humanity's Future, with Yuval Noah Harari – Part Two
The Sunday Debate: Ian Fleming vs John le Carré
The Story of Russia, with Orlando Figes
Unstoppable Us: Rethinking the History of Humanity, with Yuval Noah Harari – Part One
Prince Andrew's Newsnight Interview: Behind The Scenes, with Sam McAlister
The Sunday Debate: Can We Rely on Nuclear Deterrence?
The Last White Man, with Mohsin Hamid
The Unravelling of Alex Jones and America's Battle for Truth, with Elizabeth Williamson and Jon Ronson
Ukraine’s Best Known Novelist Andrey Kurkov on Life, Literature and the War in Ukraine
The Sunday Debate: Free Market Capitalism is so 20th Century
Advertising Will Save Us: Ending Gun Violence, with Leo Burnett’s Sam Shepherd and Ashley Geisheker
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free