Eva Mendes Thanks an Age-Shamer, & Her Entire Age-Positive Response Is a Must-Read

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Got a birthday coming up? Well, even if you don’t, you should still hear Eva Mendes’ response to an ageist troll. We could all stand to use a little reminder about why growing older is never something to feel ashamed about — and in addressing an unkind remark directed at her on social media, Mendes eloquently underscored that age-positive message. At this point, it’s safe to say that this woman is a master class in, well, class (not to mention self-love, as her most recent quote-unquote clapback proves).

Here’s what happened. On Saturday, Mendes took to Instagram to show off her chic new haircut. “Back to work. Design meeting. My coworker getting her kicks and teasing me about my ‘cute’ new hair. Thanks to @giannadreahair for making my mom life a helluva lot easier,” Mendes captioned a quick clip showcasing her lob. Of course, there’s always gotta be that one person who takes everything to a negative place. In this case, it was a commenter who wrote of Mendes, “She’s getting old.”

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While there are many responses Mendes could have fired off, she kept it classy. “Yes, you’re right. Thank God I’m getting old. That means I’m still here. I’m gonna be 46 soon and grateful every day that I’m aging,” she wrote, adding, “Was your comment supposed to make me feel bad? It didn’t. It makes me feel grateful. So thank you for the reminder that I’m still here.”

Um, amen to that! There’s not one part of what Mendes said that we don’t adore. Her response obviously resonated with fans, too — some of whom came to her defense.

“Old?? ‘Old’ is woman on woman negativity. This one isn’t out there offending anyone or in some scandal. She’s out here living her dream, huss-a-ling when she probably doesn’t even need to! Bringing us good looks. If Eva’s old, put me in all the senior communities! Be better,” one fan wrote. Mendes replied, suggesting they “make it all about love for 2020.”

Another fan expressed her gratitude toward Mendes for normalizing the most normal thing in the world: growing older. “You are as lovely as ever and you rock your new haircut,” they commented. “Thank you for speaking up in a way that encourages the rest of us to embrace our aging and be grateful to be alive and well.”

This isn’t the first time Mendes has turned a troll’s negativity into a positive moment (and we expect it won’t be the last). In early January, a commenter insulted a dress from Mendes’ collection, saying the actress was “too pretty for these ugly patterns.” Mendes’ response? “I’m so sorry you don’t like this one. It happens to be my favorite piece of my new collection. But I’m sure there’s other stuff you may like. If not, @katehudson and @gabunion design some great things. So there may be something for you there. Sending love for 2020.”

As you can see, Mendes was serious about her commitment to put out nothing but love this year. And TBH, we’ve got nothing but love for that.

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