To achieve an anti-ageist future
for a culture on trial,
the whole society needs to hear,
in many media,
not how wonderful or dreadful
being old is,
but how destructive ageism is.
Margaret Morganroth Gullette*
While truck driver whistles as a
young woman were never appreciated; as an old woman I admit missing
them or, better put, simply miss being noticed. This is reflective
of my own internalized sexism. The 'ism' that has valued women for
their youth and beauty. Today, with no more winks from handsome
strangers, the 'ism' I deal with is 'ageism.'
All of this is reflective of the ageism that runs rampant in our culture and which many have internalized. I recognize my own internalized ageism when someone tells me, “You don't look 71.” Initially, I hear it as a compliment, I then catch myself and politely respond with: “This is what 71 looks like” or “You mean I don't look like your concept of 71.”
Unlike the protest movements of racism and sexism; ageism has yet to catch on. I can't help but ask myself is it because we olders fail to recognize the subtleties of ageism in our own lives. I end today's blog with asking you to examine your own awareness of how ageism impacts you and how you may have internalized it.
###
*Gullette
Morganroth, Margaret:
Ending Ageism or How Not to Shoot Old People (page 201)
Ending Ageism or How Not to Shoot Old People (page 201)
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Note:
Last blog, 12/5/17, found me a 'witness' to the ageism of our
culture; today's blog finds me a 'victim'. Whether 'victim' or
'witness' (though witness feels better) -- the important point is
that ageism is abusive and is an 'ism' to be reckoned with.
So glad to see you back! While I hope your time off was restful, it was a pleasure to find you once more in my inbox.
ReplyDeleteWow... I noticed my no-agism bumper stick starting to glow last week. A friend said 'I like it' making no reference to a window full of other bumper stickers. Now I know why it is glowing again. Glad to see Blair's Blog is back to life! ;)
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