Should You Lie About Your Age?
Some women—and men—have been known to shave a few years off when looking for a date, especially in their online profiles. MORE Editor-in-Chief Lesley Jane Seymour appeared on the CBS Early Show to talk about it.
Join the debate: Have you lied about your age to get a date, get a job, or for another reason? Is lying about your age ever justified? Post your thoughts in the comments below.
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NEVER have I lied about my age. I'm proud of my appearance and age. In fact, I've more often added a year than removed one. However, I can see the justification in doing so for work. Face it. Companies do not want you if you are over 40. If you're over 50 salaries begin to push downhill, not up. A Wallmart greeter job is the only benchmark for over 40 in HR. The hiring powers can't push a mature person around and they know it. We know what we're worth. They can't lie to us. We don't gobble it up like the 20 and 30 somethings who will work themselves into a grave for a chance to succeed. I know I did. Companies know all too well their limitations with mature people and they ditch us while lying about it because ageism is illegal in our culture. LIE ABOUT YOUR AGE IF YOU MUST to get or stay employed. We don't make the rules. Why play by them? An HR woman once said to me, "I can't hire him. He's over 40." I said, "You're over 40." To which she replied, "Well, that's different.
I love researching genealogy and I recently ran across a census where my 4th great grandmother and her two daughters lied about their age. The younger daughter lied so much that she would not have been born while her father was alive. My mother told me after the two aunts survived an apartment fire, Aunt Tilly told the firemen she was eighty and mom asked her why she lied? She was actually ninety. She said, "I was not going to let those whipper snappers know my age, it wasn't any of his business. My great grandmother lied about her age on my grandfather's birth certificate, apparently her husband didn't know she was older than he. Who would imagine that research would be so difficult because I come from a long line of women who LIE about their age, even on a census? Frankly, I don't get it, but I do think it is interesting. I agree with Patti and Christina, tell the truth!
i've lied-i'm not a liar but i've lied---especially when i was newly single at 49-9 years ago-and VERY few women my age were out there---- men also lie-lots-not just about their age but their weight. Hre's one for you ladies, have you ever lied about your weight? i haven't-not ever-why? i'm not insecure about my weight-i have a great bod for a middle age gal and always have been quite fit---no need to lie here---no insecurity... instead of this being about a number, consider this: it's about fear.
I will be 53 in July and have never lied about my age and have dated men from 27 years old to 44 for the past ten years. I feel like people will wonder what else you have lied about....... Be honest! Embrace your age! I
Never Lie about anything! It will always come back to bite you and be proud of who you are!
