Article: I've had many professions: junior...

I've had many professions: junior banker, international television sales executive, business development in educational publishing, partner with my husband in starting a magazine, worldwide creative director for a children's cable network, founder of a television production company and, now, a novice writer.

But it was only when I decided to quit coloring my hair, an unremarkable event at best, that I stumbled onto a cause that led to profound changes in my life. Talk about unintended consequences!

I found out that I'm an activist at heart. It wasn't until I noticed I was often the only woman in a room with gray hair that I discovered first hand the profound bias that exists in our culture against women who proudly show their age. I'm not a sanctimonious recovering hair dye addict. Life is complicated and different choices are necessary for different people at different times in different places. But I do think it is essential as boomer women age that they feel like they have a choice in how they age. We need to open up space for women who may not want to hide their natural hair color and all their wrinkles, and to have conversations about how to age gracefully instead of clinging to an illusion of youth.

That one-second decision — not coloring my hair — has led to a book, recruitment by Yahoo for their team of health experts, writing a bi-weekly column on aging, and, maybe, becoming a voice for change.

Copyright © 2007 by Anne Kreamer