Author Barbara Rose Brooker says she got so tired of ageism that she decided to do what she does best — write about it.
But getting it published was the tricky part. After everyone passed on it, Barbara, who has written more than a dozen books, took matters into her own hands and published it herself.
Now, that book — The Viagra Diaries — is not only selling well, it’s being turned into an HBO series.
But Barbara wasn’t content just to write about ageism, so she went to the birthplace of social activism — Berkley. In August, she organized the first Age March to highlight the positive aspects of aging. She says the event drew people from their 20s to 96.
Barbara, who is 74, says she doesn’t believe in age, only spirit. So she’s decided to try something new — acting. She’s taking acting classes and is even doing her first one-woman show, called The Viagra Diaries, based on her book.
She said it hasn’t been easy. When she goes on auditions, she says people say inappropriate things to her, call her sweetie, or push her to the back of the line.
Barbara says too many people over the age of 50 have been pushed out of jobs or they don’t know how to make old dreams or even new dreams come true. She wants to change that.
She’s trying to stop people from retiring and instead get them rehired if they want.
Find out what hiring practices Barbara is trying to change in this country and where she plans to hold Age Marches next.