đź”— Share this article Ladies Stand In Support of Catherine Zeta-Jones Amidst Age-Shaming Comments Oscar-winning actor Catherine Zeta-Jones faced scrutiny regarding her looks at an industry event recently. There is a groundswell of support for Oscar-winning actor Zeta-Jones after she faced disparaging remarks on social media regarding her looks following a industry event. The actor was present at an industry gathering in Hollywood on 9 November during which an online segment about her part in season two of the 'Wednesday' show was overshadowed because of comments about her age. A Chorus of Defence Laura White, 58, described the online criticism "absolute rubbish", noting that "males escape this expiration date imposed on women". "Men don't have such a timeline which women face," said Ms White. Beauty journalist Sali Hughes, 50, said in contrast to men, females are subject to unfair scrutiny for ageing and Zeta-Jones should be free to appear however she liked. The Social Media Storm During the interview, uploaded to social media and attracted millions of views, the actor, who is from Wales, discussed the pleasure of delving into her role, the Addams Family matriarch, in season two. However a large portion of the hundreds of comments centered on her age and were negative about her appearance. This criticism ignited significant support of Zeta-Jones, including a popular post from a social media user which said: "People criticize females if they undergo cosmetic procedures and criticize them if they avoid enough work." Online users spoke up for her, as one put it: "It's called growing older naturally and she appears stunning." Some called her as "stunning" and "lovely", with another adding that "she looks her age - that is reality." A Statement Arrival Ms White arrived without cosmetics during her appearance to "prove a point". Ms White arrived for her interview earlier with a bare face to "prove a point" and to highlight that there is no fixed "blueprint" of how a female of a certain age should look like. Similar to numerous females her age, she said she "looks after herself" not to look younger but to feel "better" and look "in good health". "Growing older is a gift and if we can age the best we can, this is what truly counts," she stated further. She contended that males are not subject to identical aesthetic benchmarks, stating "nobody scrutinizes the age of Tom Cruise, George Clooney or Tom Jones are - they just look 'wonderful'." Ms White noted this was part of the motivation for entering Miss Great Britain's category for women over 45, to "show that females of a certain age continue to exist" and "retain their appeal". A Fundamental Problem Welsh beauty writer Hughes argues females are often and harshly judged for ageing. The author, an author and presenter from Wales, said that although Zeta-Jones was "beautiful" this is "beside the point", noting she should be able to appear however she liked free from her years being scrutinised. She stated the social media vitriol demonstrated that no female is "protected" and that women do not deserve the "constant narrative" suggesting they are not good enough or of the right age - an issue that is "galling, no matter the person involved". When asked if men face equivalent judgment, she responded "absolutely not", adding females are targeted simply for showing "audacity" to live on the internet while aging. A Double Bind Despite the beauty industry advocating for "age-defiance", Hughes said women were still criticised whether they aged naturally or opted for procedures like plastic surgery or injectables. "Should you grow older without intervention, others claim you ought to try harder; when you have work done, you're accused of not aging gracefully enough," she concluded.