Yesterday morning I was interviewed by Helen Raptis and Dave Anderson on “AM Northwest” at KATU-TV, Portland, OR. What fun we had! They wanted my take on why midlife women undersold themselves on their dating profiles. They’d read “Are you arguing your limitations?” among other postings, liked what I had to say, so wanted me to share my thoughts with their viewers.
They also found it fascinating that I’ve gone out with 75 men in 2 years. Even the crew laughed when I shared that! I’ve gotten so used to it, I don’t think of it as being funny anymore. I felt like a slacker when a friend recently shared that she dated 300 men in 2 years! But she was in her 20s and husband hunting, so sometimes met 5 guys a day!
Dave also is co-host of one of the most-listened to afternoon fun talk show, “The Mark and Dave Show,” on Portland’s KEX radio. He invited me to be a guest on it, too. He’s also a stand-up comedian, so it was a hoot! Listen to the 7-minute interview.
In case I go back on AM Northwest, what do you think I should talk about? What postings have stood out or made a difference for you?
Comments
One response to “DG on AM Northwest”
Hi DG,
Congrats on your TV interview, that is very cool!!! 🙂 I think there is a simple answer as to why middle aged women undersell ourselves on or offline; (at least it seems simple to me as this issue crops up again and again in my circle of same age friends, unless we’re unusual or something and I don’t think we are); many of my friends, as well as myself, undersell ourselves because the media tells us day in and day out that unless we look 21 with a perfect unlined face and tight lithe body we’re basically worthless, at least when it comes to the dating and mating game. It’s sad to say, but it appears a lot of men who don’t know how to think for themselves are buying into this theory and discarding women left and right, “trading up” to what they feel they “deserve” – as this is what the media tells them that they, by virtue of their genitalia, are entitled to do (sorry for the graphic wording, but trying to make a point here). This is something I’ve experienced firsthand and have also been a witness to on more occasions than I can recount at present.
I am a firm believer in HAES (Health at Any Size) and the Size Acceptance Movement. No, I’m not a woman of size, in fact I’m pretty average size-wise, (a woman’s size 7-8 the last time I went shopping), but it’s my belief that if our weight loss obsessed society could only be educated about the importance of body acceptance then perhaps we’d be ready to tackle other acceptance issues as well, like the acceptance of ugly people as myself.
I think the importance of societal acceptance of persons of size and the HAES principles would be a great topic for a TV show. I, for one, would love to be able to live in a world without discrimination, either covert or overt, with regard to size, skin color, race, religion, ethnicity, gender or physical deformities/disablities. I know I’m a hopeless idealist, but I can’t change this part of myself, nor do I particularly want to to change it.
Sorry for the long post, but your essay really got me thinking about what’s important and what’s not, and, to me, working towards ending societal discrimination is at the very top of the ‘Most Important’ list.
Best wishes from bookyone 🙂