Your X-Factor

The thing no one tells women about aging

Author

The Female Quotient
April 14, 2026 • Estimated Reading Time: 14 minutes

WHAT’S ON DECK

  • Tell Me More: Research finds women’s brains don’t hit their prime until their late 50s

  • FQ Leaders Spotlight: Katie Hill, Founder and CEO, Unlisted

  • Inside Track: Leaders on the move

  • Dear FQ: My colleague keeps delivering AI workslop and I have to spend time redoing their work

  • Poll the Pack: The feedback on feedback is in

TELL ME MORE

The X-Factor

Oprah once asked Cher how she feels about aging. Cher didn’t hesitate: “I think it sucks.” Getting older is difficult for anyone, but especially women. There’s menopause, loss of bone density, slowing of your metabolism, reduced muscle mass, not to mention having to deal with society’s gendered ageism that often tells women their value has an expiration date. While it might seem like everything is slowing down, it turns out that some things are just getting started.

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, uncovered something remarkable about women and aging: there’s literally an X factor. Women have two X chromosomes. One is largely “silent,” meaning many of its genes don’t actively express. But in studies of aging female mice, scientists found that this previously quiet X chromosome began expressing genes linked to cognitive function.

One gene in particular, PLP1, helps insulate neural pathways and improve communication between brain cells. In both mouse and human brain tissue, PLP1 levels were higher in females than in males. As Dr. Dena Dubal, Professor of Neurology at UCSF, explains, “In typical aging, women have a brain that looks younger, with fewer cognitive deficits compared to men.” So while culture often obsesses over youth, women’s brains may actually be aging better.

We’ve long been told that our cognitive peak happens early. Fluid intelligence, our ability to think quickly, reason, and problem-solve, peaks in our twenties. But if that were the full story, how do we explain that most people don’t reach meaningful career success until their fifties? The average Nobel Prize-winning work is done around age 40. Leaders, innovators, and founders often hit their stride in their 50s and 60s.

A 2025 study led by Gilles Gignac at the University of Western Australia, tracked 16 variables tied to success including emotional intelligence, financial literacy, cognitive ability, personality traits, and resistance to the sunk cost fallacy (the ability to walk away from something you’ve already invested time, money, or energy into when it’s no longer serving you). The finding? Overall mental functioning peaks between ages 55 and 60. The brain doesn’t slow down; it actually levels up. 

As Gignac puts it, “The mix of accumulated knowledge, judgment, and life experience is what shifts the overall peak of human functioning into the late fifties.” Maturity brings range, discernment, and strategic thinking.

And here’s proof:

  • Betty White didn’t become a comedic icon until she joined the cast of The Mary Tyler Moore Show at age 51.

  • Toni Morrison published her first novel at 39 and won the Nobel Prize at 62.

  • Julia Child wrote her first cookbook at 50.

  • Vera Wang designed her first dress at 40.

  • Kathryn Bigelow was the first woman to win the Oscar for Best Director at age 58.

  • Tina Turner released her breakthrough album, Private Dancer, when she was 44 years old.

These weren’t late bloomers, they were right on time. Yes, aging comes with physical realities. But it also comes with sharper judgment, stronger boundaries, more emotional stability, and the courage to stop chasing what no longer serves you. Betty Friedan said it best: “Aging is not lost youth, but a new stage of opportunity and strength.”

When someone turns 50, we joke that they’re “over the hill,” as if there’s nothing left but a steep descent from who they once were. But the truth is, the greatest summits still await us. Decades of well-being research find that happiness often rises with age. With age, our confidence strengthens, self-acceptance deepens, and the outside noise gets quieter.

There’s a stereotype that aging diminishes women, but talk to women in their fifties and sixties and you’ll hear something different. They’ll describe freedom, less people-pleasing, more clarity, and a sharper sense of what matters, and what doesn’t. In other words, giving zero f*cks. With age comes perspective, and with perspective comes power.

FQ LEADERS SPOTLIGHT

Troublemakers who don’t fit the mold, and don’t try to

Katie Hill is the Founder and CEO of Unlisted, an online database of every home in the United States, where buyers can express interest in a home, even if it’s not for sale yet. It’s transforming the real estate market, allowing buyers to communicate with the owners of their favorite properties. Prospective sellers can gauge the marketability of their home, and if the right offer comes their way, sell. Katie is a coach and adviser for startups at the Entrepreneurs’ Center and an adjunct faculty instructor at the University of Dayton.

What’s the worst career advice you’ve gotten?

I think the advice to rush back to work after having a baby is terrible. Our maternity laws are not great, but there is also this pressure to be a hero. I took 6 weeks. I went back quickly because I was an entrepreneur and I thought, “They can’t live without me,” but the truth is, everybody’s replaceable. And I mean that in a good way, as the team can step up. Heading back so soon took its toll over time. While I felt okay at first, I didn’t fully appreciate what I had gone through. If you have the privilege of taking maternity leave, take as long as you possibly can.

What’s the best piece of non-obvious career advice you’ve gotten?

I’m advised by some of the founders of kayak.com, and when they started the company, they entered a very competitive space. One of my advisers told me, “Don't worry about the competition, just put your head down and build.”

Anytime I find myself going down the rabbit hole of wondering what others are doing, I remember his advice and refocus my energy onto building my company. If you are coming up in a competitive space, it might take a while for established companies to catch on to what you are doing. Just keep building. By the time they notice, your company will be big enough that they’ll have to buy you.

What was a heartbeat moment for you in your career?

Taking the leap to quit my day job and go into an entrepreneurial venture full-time was a huge heartbeat moment. I was going to have to take a huge pay cut, and while we had won our first contract, the business was not fully on its own two feet, and it felt risky. I was waiting for an indicator that it was okay to move on, the perfect time, or when I felt “ready.” It wasn’t perfect, but I finally came to the conclusion that I could live with failure more than wondering “what if” for the rest of my life.

Who is one person you’d love to give flowers to from your career that influenced your journey? What advice or lesson did you learn from them?

Lisa Guglielmone Gillis. My first job out of college was at Leo Burnett, and she was the executive vice president of my department. She was such an important influence on me. She ran a tight ship, and I grew a lot under her leadership. The training I received was invaluable and has served me throughout my entire career. She had a sign over her corner office that read, “Flawless Execution.” She set this high standard and educated me on the importance of executing really well. She was supportive, led an incredible culture, and understood all the details of her 250-person department. I’d follow her anywhere.

Where have you caused some good trouble in your career?

I'm being a troublemaker with my current business, Unlisted. While the entire real estate industry is obsessed with homes that are selling, Unlisted is obsessed with homes that are not currently on the market. People either understand the concept or stare at me blankly. And I feel like that's exactly where I should be right now. It's disruptive enough that it's not totally obvious, but when it sinks in, people love it. In this industry, I’m swimming against the stream and gaining traction.

Want to nominate a “Troublemaker” you admire? You can do so here.

INSIDE TRACK

Leaders on the move

  • Rachel Epstein has taken on the new role of Chief Marketing Officer of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL)

  • Lilian Rincon has been appointed Vice President of Product Marketing for AI at Apple

  • Jill Cress has been named the first Chief Marketing Officer at Babylist

  • Béatrice Goasglas is now the first woman CEO of TAG Heuer

  • Tonya Wilborn-Rogers has been promoted to Chief Culture Officer at Deloitte US

  • Carol Reed was named the first Global Chief Innovation Officer at Ogilvy

  • Kleona Mack has the new role of Chief Marketing Officer at K18

  • Lena Petersen is the new Chief Brand and Communications Officer at Stagwell

DEAR FQ

Your burning career questions answered

Rachel Apirian of The Female Quotient weighs in:

We feel you here, and you are not alone. Getting "workslopped" is the ultimate productivity killer. For those who aren’t familiar, workslop is AI-generated content that masquerades as good work, but lacks the substance to meaningfully advance a task. It’s creeping into workplace deliverables, emails, decks, and reports that sound smart, but don’t actually say much.

In fact, it’s becoming so common that a BetterUp and Stanford University survey found that workslop came across the desks of 40% of employees in the past month. Your colleague probably thinks they’re a productivity wizard, but they’re actually placing a two-hour repair job onto your desk. Worse, they’re hurting their own reputation.

Next time they hand over a generic AI draft, try: "I noticed this is missing your expertise. It has the AI polish, but it’s missing the human nuance we need to move this forward. I’m spending a lot of time reworking the core thinking, so can you take another pass before I review again?” By focusing on their judgment, you’re calling out the laziness without calling them lazy. Instead, you’re sharing what they’re missing in the equation: critical thinking.

If the behavior persists, it’s no longer a peer-to-peer issue; it’s a threat to the team's operating standard. When speaking to a manager, don't frame it as a personal grievance. Instead, position it as a guardrail for excellence for your team.

It’s up to leadership to proactively train and empower employees to use AI responsibly. Clear, ethical guidelines and open conversations are non-negotiables. As you well know, AI is a powerful tool, but humanity remains the real advantage.

P.S. Got a burning career question? Serve it up here to Dear FQ to score advice from a powerhouse leader in our network.

POLL THE PACK

The feedback that actually helps people

The feedback on feedback is in. A resounding 54% of employees say that what helps them grow fastest is when feedback is constructive and specific. People don’t just want encouragement. They want clarity on what’s working, what’s not, and what they should try differently next time.

Vague praise might feel nice in the moment, but it doesn’t move the needle. Real growth happens when feedback is detailed enough to act on. Specific direction turns effort into progress because it connects expectations to next steps. Workplaces that prioritize clarity, context, and coaching perform better.

So what actually makes feedback stick? Naomi Winstone, Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Surrey, has found that evaluative feedback, thoughtful reflection on work that’s already been completed, tends to be the most memorable and useful. When people understand what landed and what didn’t after the work is done, they’re more likely to carry those lessons forward into their next project.

If you’re not getting clear feedback? Ask for it. And remember that feedback isn’t about tearing anyone down; it’s about building them up, with direction.

“Aging is an extraordinary process whereby you become the person you always should have been.” - David Bowie

Xo,

The FQ

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