Ageism means oppression or discrimination against people on the basis of their age. Even though we usually think of it in terms of older people, ageism can go both ways, and younger people can experience it, too. Brenda outlines some examples of ageism that senior citizens may face at work and shares her own personal experience with it.

Transcript in comment section below.

Transcript: [id: Brenda is sitting in front of a window with a closed window blind and a closed door with a calendar hanging on the back, signing her story.]

Hi, my name is Brenda and I’m 65. I will discuss ageism and what it means: discrimination or judgment against people who are 45 or older. Today, however, the definition of ageism can also apply to children, teens, young adults, and senior citizens.

The word ageism is not used in homes, but is used in the workplace. For example, young adults want to apply for jobs so they can get experience, but many bosses resist hiring them because they think they don’t have enough experience or skills. The younger people say they can learn, but they face resistance.

The same thing applies to older people who want to climb the career ladder. It’s hard. Second, if they want to change to a different job, it’s hard. Third, if they want to change careers, they have a hard time because bosses look at them and say they don’t have enough experience in their new field. If they want to climb the career ladder, they are accused of having old-fashioned thinking, views and knowledge.

These are types of discrimination that both younger and older people face.

For example, there is the stereotype of younger adults viewing those older adults who hold different positions and have lots of experience, as hogging jobs that they, as younger adults, feel that they deserve to have the opportunity to hold. They display an attitude of “your time is up”, move over and make room for us.

A second example relates to limited resources. Younger adults might believe that employers should invest in them and give them jobs, while older adults who have worked and contributed a lot feel they should be given the jobs. When the younger adults respond by telling the older adults they are too old and should get out of the way, that causes tensions between the two groups.

Another example of ageism relates to the identity of those older people who like new ideas and new technology, who want to look young and dress like younger people. They don’t feel old, but younger people scorn them for “copying” younger people. They tell them that they should act their own age instead. If you are 65 years old, act it (gestures like holding a cane). This kind of tension causes problems.

In fact, AARP identified that out of the U.S. work force, 1 in 5 workers is a senior citizen (age 55 and up), and 65% of them have experienced job discrimination. Most older workers felt that they started experiencing job discrimination around age 50.

I have experienced ageism. My lawyer found evidence of this. I got fired for no reason, other than my age and years of experience. I helped younger workers by explaining what they couldn’t do. They were sick of me, so they reported me, and that caused me to be fired for no reason. I couldn’t fight it because I had only been working in that new job for 100 days and I was 55.

After that experience, I looked for another job, but I couldn’t find one, either because I was considered too old or too expensive. People prefer to higher younger workers. I felt like I experienced double, triple or more discrimination, even with all my work experience, that didn’t matter.

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