Kali

“The Grandmother Theory”

Vibrant forty-plus something women may not like to see themselves as “grandmothers” or their identity linked to their biological function, but the theory starts with the question: why do women live so long after they successfully raise children? I.E. if they’re biologically redundant, why do they live on into old age? The reason seems to be, from all the scientific sources I’m privy to, that older women are crucial in two ways – ensuring their children are able to continue successfully raising their own families by supporting them physically and culturally, and by directly contributing to the care of the grandchildren, thus ensuring their genetic line persists. No, we don’t think in those terms in our day to day lives, but we are animals and the bottom line is that’s how it works, no matter what it is we do for a living. Recent studies show that children who have grandmothers living nearby survive and prosper better than those who don’t. Studies also show that children survive and prosper better the more genes they share with their grandmothers.

So while a group of older women are often perceived as not terribly useful as part of wider society, (how many television shows about older women can you think of other than The Golden Girls?) they are in fact crucial. They’re just, for the most part, “invisible”.

As we age, and become less attractive to the opposite camp, we become less “visible” in public fora. Arguably, women more so than men, who are simply louder. Women become “invisible” – on the street, in media, and in the workplace.

A group of women banding together and creating something that breaks those stereotypes (unless, of course, the series features only gorgeous, slim, briskly confident forty-five year olds), I would suggest, is a process of resurfacing, and becoming, once again, visible. So that’s my second series title idea:

“Becoming Visible.”

Cheers.

Ben Marshall

Congratulations on this new venture. It seems to me the name and brand are what the story is about: REINVENTING OURSELVES.

That’s my shot at it. Good luck.

Regards,

Scott Jolgen

I love this because it is the nickname for the source for second hand cars, it is also the nickname for a source for lawyers looking for a system of citation — and for marketing research services…

Anyhow, it has associations with a second life and second chances and some humor — and the underlying assumption that you may be “blue” but you could get a new lease on life as well…