Today, Vice President Kamala Harris turns 60. And the best years of her professional life are likely still ahead of her.
By presidential standards, of course, 60 is downright youthful. Harris’ current boss is 81. Her Republican opponent is 78. Both have fallen under intense scrutiny, with Donald Trump’s apparent cognitive decline casting an increasingly dark shadow over the election.
Compared to these much older men, Harris’ relative youth is palpable — even as she demonstrates the wisdom and pride that comes with age. As she celebrates on Sunday, Harris is actively shattering worn-out stereotypes about what 60 should look or feel like.
As she celebrates on Sunday, Harris is actively shattering worn-out stereotypes about what 60 should look or feel like.
I’ve scrutinized Harris’ campaign rallies and her September debate with Trump. It is very clear to me why he has refused to step back onstage with her.
For a moment there, right before their first (and only) debate began, I was worried. How would she hold up under the sometimes-cruel scrutiny presidential candidates typically experience? But almost immediately, my worries melted away. She owned that New York stage. Not just with her answers and her abilities — but with her posture, her joy, her eloquence and her control. Seeing Harris under those bright lights was inspiring — for women, and for anyone who has felt underestimated or marginalized.
She was magnificent. And that’s exactly what 60 means for women today: magnificence.
Indeed, Harris’ pride — in both her accomplishments and her experience — is clear whenever she steps up in public.
There’s no doubt that women over 50 face stigma and challenges associated with their age — especially in the workplace. According to a 2022 AARP survey, ageism is the most frequently reported type of discrimination among women 50 and older. This problem is even worse for women of color, with Black women over 50 reporting the highest levels of discrimination, according to the AARP, “with 70% saying they experience discrimination regularly.”
It’s a type of bias that, frankly, men don’t see as often. And it’s one more barrier many women face as they navigate their professional careers while also serving as mothers and caregivers.
Despite the importance of older women in the workplace, an analysis this year from the Center for American Progress suggests many women face professional headwinds as they age:
Median earnings for full-time women are highest among those in their early- to mid-40s and fall substantially at older ages: Women in their mid- to late-50s have earnings 5.6 percent lower than peak mid-career levels, and in their early- to mid-60s, women’s earnings are 8.0 percent below peak. By contrast, men’s earnings peak later—in the mid- to late-40s—and remain at that peak level for men about a decade older. When men’s earnings eventually begin to decline with age, they do so much more slowly.
Center for American Progress
But when I see Harris onstage, I don’t see someone “old.” I see someone fabulous. I see someone accomplished. I see someone capable of becoming America’s first woman president.
I’m 57 years old; 60 is right around the corner. But Harris has made me excited about the milestone. I thought my career was going to be over at 40. And here comes the Democratic nominee, showing all of us why the best really can be ahead of us. There is still time to do your best work, to get the promotion of a lifetime, or to fulfill your biggest, brightest dreams.
In 2021, when my women’s empowerment platform, Know Your Value, partnered with Forbes to publish our first ever “50 Over 50” list, Harris — alongside television producer and screenwriter Shonda Rhimes, founder Julie Wainwright and investor Cathie Wood — headlined our inaugural edition. Flash forward to today, and as the Democratic nominee, Harris is seen as the “younger,” fresher contender. Imagine that.
Women in their 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond deserve to be valued. They deserve to be recognized. And lists like “50 Over 50” are a reminder that impact has no age limit. Women don’t have to peak before menopause. Men certainly don’t. Seeing Harris turn 60 on the campaign trail during the election of our lifetimes feels, frankly, fitting.
I have so many women role models who are 60 and over: Hillary Clinton, Claire McCaskill, Jill Biden, my mom. Emilie Benes Brzezinski was a sculptor who pursued her art with a chainsaw in hand until she was in her 90s.
In other words, getting older no longer feels like a barrier, but rather an asset.
So enjoy your birthday, Madame Vice President. You deserve it.