When I saw Jasmine Guy as Whitley Gilbert again on Netflix’s A Different World sequel, I was excited to see how the character had grown. I’m glad she became a beauty mogul after creating Glitter by Gilbert. The best part, however, is that she’s still witty and pronounces words dramatically, like when she told Deborah to watch Rashida because she was from Compton and how she said Connecticut.
At no point did I think the actress looked drastically different from her twenties and thirties, unlike what I’ve seen on social media. The comments about her appearance got so bad that Guy made an Instagram post addressing this unnecessary chatter on September 27.
The caption reads, “The internet can be brutal to women as we grow older. It asks us to celebrate life while criticizing every sign that we’ve lived it. Growing older brings change, and I won’t pretend every change is easy. But beauty, style, and joy don’t have an expiration date. Let’s spend less time judging ourselves and each other, and more time loving each other, making memories, and living the life we’re here to live ❤️”
So beautifully said, but she shouldn’t have had to say it at all.
Let women age in peace
Can we please let women age in peace? There shouldn’t be a think piece every time we see them on screen.
Celebrities get older and wiser like everyone else; the only difference is they’re in the spotlight. Fame or money doesn’t make harsh online comments about their appearance okay. They shouldn’t have to have “thicker skin” or “stop responding” because they have feelings too.
Jasmine Guy looks gorgeous, always has and always will. There’s a weird conversation that happens when celebrities, especially women, get older and don’t look how social media expects.
It’s like women can’t win. When stars get plastic surgery, it’s “Love yourself. Let’s all be natural.” And then when they are natural, it’s “Oh, she should’ve gotten some work done. She looks old.”
You can never please everyone, so you shouldn’t aim to. As Jasmine Guy said, let’s spend less time judging and more time living the one life we’re given. Aging is beautiful, and I won’t let anyone convince me otherwise.
Header image credit: Instagram/@iamjasmineguy
