Laetitia Mugerwa Challenges the Notion of Women Losing Value with Age

Laetitia Mugerwa, writing in a personal commentary, has voiced concern over the persistent notion that women lose their value as they age and accumulate life experiences. She questions the prevalence of this idea and considers who benefits from such a perspective.

Mugerwa highlights the illogical nature of comparing women to depreciating objects, such as used cars, noting that such analogies are frequently applied to women but rarely to men, who also age and experience life's ups and downs. She asserts that instead of depreciating, women's experiences enrich them, leading to greater discernment, the establishment of firm boundaries, and the confidence to uphold their standards without apology.

The author argues that when individuals, particularly men, objectify women, they reduce them to mere objects devoid of identity and intrinsic worth. This objectification leads to relationships being viewed as transactions for personal utility rather than genuine human connections. Mugerwa points out that those most vocal about labeling women as "used" often exhibit significant personal shortcomings themselves, whether emotionally, financially, or spiritually.

She further elaborates on how this double standard can subtly damage marriages. Men frequently seek women who are perceived as untouched and without a past, while they themselves may carry considerable emotional baggage. This creates an expectation of purity and a flawless history that these men often cannot reciprocate.

Women, internalizing these societal expectations, can begin to devalue themselves. They may feel shame for having lived fully, loved deeply, or possessing their own personal histories. This self-diminishment stems from the harmful perception that equates women with objects that inherently lose value over time, rather than with individuals who evolve and mature.

Mugerwa advises women that when men express these damaging viewpoints, they are not defining the woman but revealing their own insecurities. Experienced women are feared because they are harder to manipulate; healed women are feared because they will not tolerate mistreatment; and women with rich histories are feared because they can recognize patterns of behaviour.

Ultimately, Mugerwa concludes that a woman is not an object or a tool to be assessed for wear and tear. She is a human being whose worth is not diminished by age, past experiences, or the accumulation of life's lessons. The tendency to struggle with this concept, she suggests, often indicates the imperfections of the person holding that view.