Lifestyle
Why is ageism so socially accepted?
Why are we so scared of getting old? We've come such a long way to close the gender and race gap, but the fear of old age seems alive and well, just as most of us are blessed enough to start living longer lifespans than our forebears.
Most older Australians know that it's harder to get work, be seen as attractive and stay relevant once we hit a 'certain age'.
American Ashton Applewhite says It's not the passage of time that makes it hard to get older - it's blatant ageism, a prejudice that pits us against our future selves - and each other.
"Ageing is not a problem to be fixed or a disease to be cured," she says. "It is a natural, powerful, lifelong process that unites us all." It's also a great privilege. And it beats the alternative, right?
Citro writer Carolyn Tate says ageism is everywhere in Australia. Her story is worth a read.
She says we owe it to everyone - young people, especially - to fight ageism by:
1. Calling it out when we see or hear it
2. Engaging in the world: don’t submit to what we think is being expected of us
3. Surrounding ourselves with people of all ages we can learn from
4. Offering our life experience so we can shift how older people are perceived in society and build a more inclusive future for everyone, regardless of age.
Watch Ashton Applewhite's awesome TED talk about ageism, and perhaps take some of her rallying cries into your next conversations with others.
Read more about ageism in Australia on Citro, including:
- 5 industries bucking ageism by employing older Australians
- Beauty knows no age limit
- 6 ageist stereotypes that can get in the bin