Older women--why can't they work?

Jenny Peters of Fashion Wire Daily wrote about Meryl Streep in a report that left my mouth hanging open after the first paragraph. Here's what she had to say: "She has been in our cinematic life seemingly forever, with 14 Academy Award nominations and two wins, and at 59 years old is ancient by Hollywood standards for female stars. At that age, she is supposed to go quietly out to pasture and let the teenagers take over." Holy heck! If that isn't insulting, I'm not sure what is. Did she just call her a cow? Why is it so amazing that an experienced, talented, beautiful woman can still work at 59? What about all of the male actors at 59? They're still being portrayed as hunks with young children. How about guys like John Belushi, Timothy Dalton, and Harrison Ford - 59 and older? It is so frustrating to see women treated as something less than men, something less than acceptable when older or larger than the "ideal." Isn't it time we say "stop this madness?"