The Language of Ageism : Why we need to rethink our words

I do think that when it comes to aging, we’re held to a different standard than men. Some guy said to me: “Don’t you think you’re too old to sing rock n’ roll? I said: “You’d better check with Mick Jagger.'”

THE BOOM

We’re a unique generation. We have always been above and beyond the norm of the day. In fact, we created a ‘new normal.’ We were and continue to be on the front lines of major social movements and change. Before us, generations had their share of societal and cultural milestones that shaped their generation and those that would follow. Our generation participated in and had front-row seats for the major societal changes we all felt were overdue. We saw first hand the demonstrations against the Viet Nam War. The marches for the Civil Rights Movement. The Summer of Love in Height Ashberry. The music of Woodstock. The Woman’s Movement. The impeachment of a President. Man’s First Step on the Moon. And the cornerstone – The computer. Oh, at least I forget…Free Love!

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The Twenty-first Century Woman is the new paradigm for women of all ages. As this new paradigm has taken hold, the pace of increased personal evolution has advanced in warp years. We stood on our sisters’ shoulders to see the future as we continued to push forward for our future. Our footsteps wove and continue to weave a path through the previously unmarked and uncharted territories in the corporate world. We re-worked the ‘Home Front,’ and on multiple personal levels, we accelerated. We have always possessed the willingness to expand ourselves personally and professionally and explore where no woman had gone before.

We are the first wave of our generation born between 1945 and 1964 to be in our late 50s, 60s, and 70s. Once again, we lead the way and break ground for a new paradigm in how our generation is viewed worldwide. We continue to break through other perceived norms, forging new paths that were not evident at a younger age. Or even open to us as a possibility. Many of us are not moving into the next phase of our lives with a gold watch attitude, we are heading into a new dimension of life, and we are doing it our way.

A War of Words

We all know the evolution is not over for us, but who knew we would be fighting a war of words at this time in our lives? The war has been waged against – Ageism – Yup, that ism, and other ism are still here.

“Language carries and conveys meaning which feeds assumptions and judgments that can lead to the development of stereotypes and discrimination. As a result, this study closely examined the specific language that is used to communicate attitudes and perceptions of aging and older adults.”

Unfortunately, many of the words we use are age-related. We slide into these words, sometimes without even realizing we are undermining ourselves. We need to be mindful and leave behind diminishing words. Concentrating, instead, on using words that are more impactful and inspirational.

• Here are a few phrases that we can do away with…
• “There are rules about how a woman my age should dress.” — Forget it! If you have taste and know your style – then dress to please you.
• “I’m too old to ‘zip line” — The question is – are you afraid to zip-line. Not that you are too old.

It doesn’t surprise me that we, boomers, are on the front line of taking on ageism. Both men and women around the world are reinventing what it means to age. We have a bit more to battle in the U.S… It is not easy growing older in a society that values masculinity and youth. We will prevail, and our voice will be heard. It won’t be fast, but we will alter the perspective of aging.

Right behind us (boomers – 1946 -1964) is Gen X – 1965 – 1980, gaining speed in age and visibility. These are the young men and women born and raised by boomers. Their age today is between 40-56yrs. Like us, they are not going to put up with ageism in the form of – invisibility, being referred to as a ‘senior citizen,’ being told they can no longer dress for themselves, now they have to dress for their age…No, No, No. Once again, we have sounded the alarm and voiced our discontent with outdated labels that in 2021 really no longer apply! And will definitely not apply to Gen X.

:X :Y: Z:

What separates Generation Y from X? And hey Gen Z, welcome to the party! What’s the cutoff? How old is each generation? Are they really that different? This is a terrific article about all 4 generations, with ages, wages, and worth…Take a read! Just click the highlight.

• A few outdated assumptions based on age…
• “She’s too young for that project.” — Reverse ageism. We have to call it out, no matter the age.
• “He’s never going to keep up here. We’re a young company.” — It’s not a 10K. It’s a job.
• “She’s running a marathon – at her age!” — YES

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A Tale of Two Mindsets

Embrace or dismiss… The view on ageism inevitably varies from one industry to another. I’m going to put my money on the companies that have a broader view of the world and the people – of all ages – that make up today’s workforce.

A (not so) Fashionable Example

“For too long the fashion and beauty industries have been bewilderingly resistant to recognizing just how fashionable and stylish the generation of older consumers are and want to remain,” Diane Kenwood, an ILC trustee, told The Guardian. “The potential of these consumers is huge and it has been shamefully sidelined. I do, though, sense a shift in attitudes starting to stir, and I’m hopeful that change will gather momentum.”

If boomers are already considered “older people” and Gen X is on its way there, then disregarding both not only further purports ageism that’s problematic for cultural and societal reasons, but also ignores what combined could be a trillion-dollar market. It seems the real question is not whether retailers and brands can effectively market towards both the “young” and “older” generations — it’s if they want to put in the effort to do so.

A more Rewarding Example

Companies like KPMG, General Mills, Pfizer, Kimberly-Clark, and Mindbody are all eager to hire mature employees and have all signed AARP’s pledge to recruit and support workers of diverse age groups. The best way for older workers to prepare for the future and silence the ageism haters is to invest in upskilling and training.

“This historic surge of 65+ workers in the coming decades is also likely to surface new challenges — most importantly, rising ageism in the workplace — that employers will be under increasing pressure to combat,” says Chamberlain. Glassdoor’s recent  2019 Diversity and Inclusion Study revealed that ageism is the most experienced or witnessed form of discrimination in both the U.S. (45 percent) and the UK (39 percent). Nevertheless, the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act protects individuals over the age of 40 in a range of employment actions, including hiring, firing, pay, promotions, job assignments, layoffs, training, and benefits.

We all know the power of words and we know how many social and cultural changes are swirling around us. It’s important that we all contribute to the demise of diminishing words and replace with impactful and inspireing words.

Just a little side note…the featured photo used at the opening of the blog – is a photo of me (on the left) and two very good friends. In this photo we are all 20 years apart in age…Friends have no age bounderies.

Do tell…I would love to know what words or phrases you’re planning on eliminating from your vocabulary.