Why 'age is just a number' is gatekeeping disguised as liberation

The problem with pretending age doesn’t matter: why 'age is just a number' is a statement that makes me cringe.

For years, the hashtag #ageisjustanumber has dominated social media, mostly used by women, rather than men, over 50 or 60 showing off physical feats or dramatic weight loss. “Look, I can still do the splits!” “I changed my diet, joined a gym and look at me now!” Older models, in particular, seem fond of it.

I can’t stand it.

“Age is just a number” is a feel-good phrase that flattens real complexity into a cliché. In the context of older models, it glosses over the structural barriers they face, pretending age-based exclusion no longer exists.

It sounds empowering, but the phrase mostly serves to paper over ongoing ageism. If age were just a number, older models wouldn’t need comeback stories or special “niches” in the industry. They’d be present by default. This phrase shifts focus away from systemic inequality and implies the playing field is already level—it’s not.

When older women do get media attention, they’re framed as “ageless,” “defying age,” or “still beautiful at [insert number…