Are you discriminated against because of your age? Let's talk about ageism!

Imagine you are in an important meeting at the office. Because you are a little young, no one takes your good ideas seriously. Or, because you are a little older, you are pushed aside, saying, "Oh, you are too old to do this new technology, let's give it to someone else." Maybe even at home, you are prevented from doing something you want to do, saying, "Oh, you are too old now, you can't do that." This discrimination and marginalization based on age is what we simply call 'ageism.' This is something that many people in our society do without realizing it, but it hurts a lot.

Several ways we encounter 'Ageism'

This, like any prejudice, creeps into our lives in places we least expect. Let's see what this might look like.

1. Self-inflicted Ageism

This is a bit surprising. Sometimes these changes don't start with someone outside, but with us. You've probably heard your friends and relatives talk about their age as they get older. "Oh, I'm old now, I can't do that," "I'll look ugly when I wear this dress," they say. In other words, they limit the things they can do and the way they want to live because of their age.

To give more examples:

• When you forget something, you blame yourself by saying, "Oh, I'm old now, it's a 'senior mom moment '."
• Thinking, "I'm old now, so I can't wear the wrong clothes, go the wrong places, do the wrong things."
• Thinking that age is the cause of every illness you have. Although some illnesses are actually related to age, not everything is caused by age. It's best to talk to your doctor to find out for sure.

2. Workplace Ageism

This is something that affects both young and old alike. Often, in the workplace, people have multiple ways of thinking.

• For older people: They are not able to do fast-paced work that uses technology, they are not interested in new things, and they are assumed to be unable to do work that requires physical labor.
• For those who are younger: Because they are young, they don't have experience, they don't know much, and they think they can't be given big responsibilities.

Sometimes this has a bigger impact. For example, a person's age can prevent them from getting a promotion, a special project , or even a job.

3. Ageism in Media

There are countless instances in TV, movies, books, and even social media where the elderly are ridiculed, portrayed as helpless, forgetful, and incapable of doing anything. When we see these, those stereotypes are also ingrained in the minds of people in society.

Some common ageist ideas created by the media:

• Old people forget everything.
• Nursing homes are places where "no-can" people live.
• The elderly are lonely, helpless, and need someone to help them.

How do we respond appropriately to something like this?

The only big thing is being able to recognize this kind of discrimination. Being aware of it can help you to change your own prejudices. But talking about this kind of behavior in someone else can be a bit challenging.

1. Talk to the right person, in the right way.

If this is a family member talking about age, it's probably best to talk to them privately . But if it's happening at the office, you may need to talk to a higher-up or your human resources (HR) department.

2. Stay calm.

When we talk about something like this, we can easily get angry. The other person may try to defend themselves by saying, "Oh, I was just joking." But remember, anger does not solve these problems. If it does, neither of you will be able to think clearly and talk about this behavior. Take a deep breath and calmly explain the situation.

3. Instead of making accusations, have a conversation.

If you go straight and accuse them, "You're discriminating against me because I'm old!", the other person will either get angry with you or not listen at all. So, instead of making a direct accusation, start the conversation with a question. For example, you could ask, "Can you explain to me a little more about what you meant by that?"

What exactly do we want to say?

Okay, now you know what ageism is and how to talk about it. But what exactly are the words to say? Here are some practical ways you can use them.

Also, one thing to always remember is that there is no law that says experienced people can't think of new things, nor that young people don't have experience. When we look at people, we should all learn to remove the label of their age and look at their abilities and talents .