42-YEAR OLD GRANDFATHER......

I am irritated whenever I read newspaper coverage or see see television reporters use the lead, something similar to this:  "The 42-year-old grandmother...."  usually followed by a report of  some criminal activity. 

I swear I have never seen an article or report referencing a "The 42-year-old grandfather..." or any other aged grandfather, have you?  Just this week our local paper described a woman as a"grandmother" although it had no relevance to the accompanying report.  If being a grandmother were relevant to an article, I could understand the inclusion, but it rarely is.  

Is being a grandmother--to a woman of a certain age-- a woman's principal identity?  I don't think so.  I don't think so.  I have seen Hillary Clinton referred to as a grandparent, but not Bill Clinton!  I've seen Ruth Bader-Ginsburg so identified, but not Stephen Breyer!  Goldie Hawn but not Harrison Ford? Always! 

In an earlier BLOG article, I noted the THREE STAGES OF A WOMAN'S LIFE (which includes my humorous addition as I am not a mother).

1. SOMEBODY'S DAUGHTER
2. SOMEBODY'S WIFE
3. SOMEBODY'S MOTHER.

Well, I guess I can add another stage:

SOMEBODY'S GRANDMOTHER.