'Not that kind of old person' : trans women and non-binary individuals' later-in-life beauty practices on digital dating platforms Article by Nika Looman, Ladan Rahbari & Katrien De Graeve This article explores how trans women and non-binary people aged 45 to 70 in Belgium experience digital dating, with a particular focus on beauty, ageing and gender expression. Based on in-depth interviews, the study looks at how individuals present themselves on dating platforms and how they navigate discrimination related to both age and gender identity. Participants described using beauty practices—such as clothing, make-up and hairstyle—not simply to attract partners, but to express who they are and to feel confident and desirable. Some chose to appear conventionally feminine in order to fit social expectations or avoid hostility, while others embraced androgyny or bold, playful styles that challenged ideas about what is considered “age-appropriate”. Dating apps emerged as spaces not only for finding connection, but also for experimentation and creativity. By playing with gendered and ageing norms, participants disrupted stereotypes that portray older women as asexual or invisible. While these acts of resistance were shaped by social and economic privilege, the study suggests that growing older can bring confidence, clarity and freedom. Rather than signalling decline, later life can open new possibilities for desire, self-expression and belonging. Looman, Nika, Ladan Rahbari, and Katrien De Graeve. 2026. “‘Not That Kind of Old Person’ : Trans Women and Non-Binary Individuals’ Later-in-Life Beauty Practices on Digital Dating Platforms.” In The Life of Beauty : Location, Experience, Methodology, ed by. Katyayani Dalmia, Dominique Grisard, and Anne Kukuczka, 235–246. Zurich: Seismo. Click on the link below to read the full text! http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-01KAZZKCZ5R4NFB0JQGSB02EAG