The following article was originally published on powerbrokernews.com

The scrutiny surrounding actor Jasmine Guy raises a larger question about beauty, respect, and who gets permission to grow older.

“Black don’t crack” is something we often say with pride. But what happens when a Black woman looks her age? Does the admiration disappear?

The recent criticism of actor Jasmine Guy presented an uncomfortable discussion point about aging. Guy, 64, recently became the subject of online commentary about her appearance following her return as Whitley Gilbert in Netflix’s “A Different World” sequel. The conversation prompted the actor to address the scrutiny on social media.

“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,” she wrote on Sept. 28 on her Instagram. “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.”

Her message raises a question that extends beyond television: Have we made looking young a condition of celebrating Black women?

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