Age is only a number… as long as it’s the RIGHT number!
It’s time we talked more about the “ism” that will impact ALL OF US.
There’s no escaping it, regardless of our gender, our skin colour, or our physical abilities.
Because like it or not, from the day we are born all of us are ageing, and yet ageism is often overlooked when it comes to addressing discrimination.
What is ageism?
Simply put, ageism, or age discrimination, is when someone treats you unfairly because of your age. I’m sure you can think of a situation where you have already been subject to ageism, but there are likely to be other situations where it may not be so obvious, or the discrimination was kept a secret from you, such as in a hiring process.
Examples of older people experiencing ageism include:
losing a job or being refused employment because of your age
being excluded from company benefits and insurance based on your age
being asked your age at an interview when it’s not relevant to the work
being viewed as out of touch, less productive, or stuck in your ways
being subject to ageist jokes that imply you are less valuable or less worthy of respect, based on your age
But it’s not only older people that experience ageism either!
This is an “ism” that cuts both ways. Assumptions are made about younger people too, in terms of their experience, maturity, interests and capability.
Examples of younger people experiencing ageism include:
losing a job or being refused employment because of your age
being asked your age at an interview, when it is not relevant to the work
being viewed as entitled, lacking commitment, or incapable
being subject to ageist jokes that imply you are less valuable or less worthy of respect, based on your age
So, as a society we seem to have a very narrow sweet spot, where you can be considered both old enough to be reliable and capable, but still young enough to be productive for a length of service or period that is “acceptable”. However, even though ageism is often seen as a workplace issue, many people experience it in a multitude of ways in their everyday lives.
Interpersonal ageism
Interpersonal ageism is age-based discrimination that occurs in social interactions across all aspects of our lives. So, as well as the work-based examples above, it can also include:
being refused credit, car or travel insurance because of your age
receiving a lower quality of service in a shop or restaurant because of the organisation’s attitude to older or younger people
being refused a referral from a doctor to a consultant because you are “too old”
being refused membership to a club or association because of your age
being treated as though you are invisible, unintelligent, or expendable based on your age
having your wishes or concerns disregarded due to your age
having your age used as justification to undermine, deceive, or control you
From all these examples, you can see that ageism can vary according to a situation. These range from explicit ageism, such as holding openly hostile beliefs about age, such as that teenagers are untrustworthy. Or, holding patronising beliefs towards age, such as infantilising older people and limiting their autonomy and agency. To more implicit ageism, which may see us unintentionally behaving differently towards people because of our own assumptions about their age.
Ageism also includes the way that people are represented in the media, which can have a wider impact on the public’s attitude towards older and younger people, specifically women. (Because remember, we are not only one thing, and this is why intersectionality is important. You can read more about intersectionality here.) For example, the lack of representation of older women, or the over sexualisation of younger women.
All of this can, in turn, lead to internalised ageism, which is when a person internalises ageist beliefs and begins to apply these thoughts and behaviours to themselves.
Therefore, when you experience ageism it can have a huge impact on your confidence, your job prospects, your financial situation, and your quality of life. So, it’s hugely important to raise awareness of the instances and impact of ageism in society, and to ensure that people are not unfairly treated because of their age. Because ultimately, none of us are immune.
What can we do to combat ageism?
As I always like to say, we need to turn on the lights of learning for ourselves before we start taking action in the dark. So…
Here are 5 steps you can take to be an ally against ageism:
Listen: Take time to learn and understand how ageism affects others, by listening to the personal experiences of others, and researching the topic.
Reflect for yourself: Step back and consider how ageism might be showing up in your own thoughts, feelings and behaviours. How has what you have learned shaped your frame of reference? What do you want to think, feel, say and do differently?
Pause in the moment: What do you notice in situations around you? What is different now you have a new lens to view things?
Take action: How will you step up and challenge when you witness ageism? How will you step back and make space for the voices of others to be heard? What will you do differently?
Beware the saviour: Remember, being an ally is not about being a saviour. People don’t need rescuing; they need their voices amplifying. Be sure you remain part of the supporting cast in the fight against ageism, and not just looking for ways to step into the title role to secure the applause.