/
1x
Advertisement
Proudly Canadian, obsessively Toronto. Subscribe to Toronto Life!
Culture

Zoomer debate rages on like seniors at the early bird special

By Karon Liu
Copy link

The battle of the olds hit the airwaves Tuesday when Zoomer editor Suzanne Boyd debated National Post contributor Mireille Silcoff on CBC Radio’s Q regarding Silcoff’s editorial about the magazine’s hypocritical stance on aging.

“Why is it not OK to be an older person and relax?” Silcoff asked. “I don’t consider peer pressure the fact that you want to encourage people to live longer, healthier lives,” retorted Boyd. “We’re not telling anyone to have fab abs. We’re saying strengthen your abs so that you can have less back pain and increased mobility.” Yeah, sure.

In a letter to the Post, Zoomer owner Moses Znaimer accused Silcoff of being insecure about aging. Silcoff, who’s 37, explained that she’s been living with a spinal cord condition that rendered her a “frail 80-year-old woman,” and says her life was a living hell when she tried to wear heels and embody the zippy lifestyle Zoomer promotes. Snap. “As soon as I learned to accept and live with the deck that had been handed to me, a new horizon opened up and I learned how to live deeply and beautifully.”

A lovely thought, but lifestyle magazines are akin to Cosmo. Sure, they’re filled with mixed messages about aging gracefully while getting Botox, but we think readers (especially ones in their 60s) know to take advice with a grain of salt and a dash of humour. But if instances of elderly onset anorexia begin to rise, we’ll know who to blame.

The Zoomer debate [CBC Radio]

NEVER MISS A TORONTO LIFE STORY

Sign up for This City, our free newsletter about everything that matters right now in Toronto politics, sports, business, culture, society and more.

By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.
You may unsubscribe at any time.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Advertisement
Advertisement

The Latest

How this Corktown condo transformed from an everyday unit into a chic sanctuary
Real Estate News

How this Corktown condo transformed from an everyday unit into a chic sanctuary

Inside the Latest Issue

The June issue of Toronto Life features our annual ranking of the best new restaurants. Plus, our obsessive coverage of everything that matters now in the city.