Monday, October 30, 2017

How Early is Ageism Taught?

 © Imelda Maurer, cdp

"Ageism is the last socially acceptable prejudice."  This is a quote I've used before in this blog, coming from Ashton Applewhite who states this realization as the motivation for her becoming an activist to fight this socially accepted prejudice.

A Facebook friend posted a link to a commercial from ToysRus.  Yes, an ageist ad regarding TOYS! For YOUNG CHILDREN!

If you want to see the 20-second ad, click here.

Here's one review at the ad's website:

Sally Hopkins
Is this meant to be funny? Ageism is rife in society and this commercial (if you can call it that) denigrates older people by making fun in using the entrenched symbols of ageing - loose/false teeth, grey hair, large glasses, a comfy cardigan and fear by younger people of older people (which isn't correct). Lift your game (pun intended) TOMY. You're demonizing people. This is a thinly veiled swipe at the fictional crone image that again is also much maligned.

The issue here is not a trivial one to be shrugged off.  Ageism is a prejudice that is harmful to the well-being of every older person as well as those who HOPE to live long enough to become 'an older person'. It is a justice and dignity issue.

Monday, October 16, 2017

"No Donuts for You!"

Recently I've been focusing my reading on topics around ageism.  Part of that reading involves being part of an online discussion group.  Lisa Kendall, LCSW-R, CSW-G is, among her other jobs, a lecturer in gerontology at Ithaca College.  Her online discussion leads up to Ashton Applewhite's presence on that campus next week as the Gerontology Institute's Distinguished Speaker.

Applewhite has written the book, THIS CHAIR ROCKS: A MANIFESTO AGAINST AGEISM. I know I have mentioned on my blog before. It merits mentioning again!  I urge my readers to find a copy and read it.

One of the resources suggested for this online book discussion group was an AARP-produced clip about 'what does old look like?' I found the video was in fact ageist, and made online comments to that effect. Ashton responded with her own, more thorough critique and I was more than delighted that she agreed with me. In her comments, Ashton referred to another short (2:14 minute) AARP video in which "an impressively straight-faced actress disguised as an employee—she deserves an Oscar—refuses to serve anyone over 40. It’s a provocative, hilarious, and bitingly effective social experiment."  The link is here. I hope you will look at it and think about its message.