The Red Hat Society: Background information when reading Glory Be

The Red Hat Society

This article relates to Glory Be

"When I am an old woman I shall wear purple / With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me." These opening lines to the poem "Warning" by Jenny Joseph serve as inspiration (and uniform) for Glory Broussard, protagonist of Danielle Arceneaux's Glory Be, and for real-life members of the Red Hat Society, an international social organization for women "of a certain age" that began in 1998. Its founder, California artist Sue Ellen Cooper, was hunting for the perfect birthday present for a friend when she discovered a beautiful red hat in a thrift store. Wanting to encourage her friend to embrace later life with a sense of fun, she presented it along with Joseph's poem, and before long other friends and their friends and their friends were seeking out red hats of their own.

The women of the Red Hat Society are not just interested in aging gracefully. They are enthusiastically celebrating the next stage of their lives and fighting against the stereotypes that portray older women as dowdy homebodies who would be best-served knitting or baking cookies for their grandchildren.

They are also reaching out to offer companionship and empathy at a time in life that can be an emotional roller coaster for many women. Hormonal changes and the physical effects of aging can lead to increased feelings of anxiety, depression, and isolation.

The Red Hat Society is a social club and "hatters" participate in activities ranging from afternoon teas to giant gatherings, or "Hoots," with hundreds of members. Chapters can be started anywhere and are run by "Queens" who ensure that members pay dues and the positive values of the society are kept. While it began as an organization for women 50 and over, the group now opens its doors to younger women as well, on the condition that they wear pink hats and lavender attire, as opposed to the purple clothes and red hats worn by older members.

Glory spends much of Glory Be trying to find joy and acceptance among her peers, and she has clearly sought out the Red Hat Society in the hopes of experiencing connection. Singing the praises of later life and finding a little bit of happiness in every day has become the cornerstone of the organization, and hatters prioritize having fun and socializing. Chapters sometimes hold fundraisers and participate in community service events. Though "Hatquarters" are still in California, the society has grown rapidly in the 26 years since it began, boasting thousands of members and chapters all over the world.

Anyone interested in joining the Red Hat Society or establishing their own chapter need look no further than the group's website, where you will find membership forms and everything you need to get started.

Red Hat Society women of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Photo from Dmgerman (CC BY-SA 2.0 )

Filed under Places, Cultures & Identities

This article relates to Glory Be. It first ran in the January 10, 2024 issue of BookBrowse Recommends.