Ageism in Language
In 1967, the United States Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) was passed, creating protection against discrimination in employment issues covering hiring, firing, promotions and compensation for adults 40 years of age or older.
In 1990, the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act was passed, which further solidified the language in the ADEA and clarified age related protections for employed older adults.
While these 2 acts were milestone legislation in protecting against age-related discrimination in employment, ageism is still prevalent in other areas such as housing and healthcare, for example.
A more subtle form of ageism is ageist language.
School yard bullies know words can hurt. They can cut and diminish another person or group of people. Use of marginalizing language is sometimes intentional but sometimes the speaker oblivious to the message being delivered behind their words.
Increasing our awareness on how we may unintentionally use language to demean others is a step towards learning to use language to instead, better connect with human beings of all ages.
Ageist language consists of written and spoken words, phrases and ideas which perpetuate stereotypes and negative judgments of people solely based on age. Two examples are the term “elderly” to describe a broad class of people and the phrase “senior moment” to describe a lapse of memory.
Inherent in this language are assumptions or judgments about a person’s worth, abilities or value solely based on their age. However, ageist language is not limited to older adults. It covers the spectrum of the human lifespan. Referring to younger adults as “kids” when clearly they are adults or telling a younger adult “they’re too young to understand” are both examples of ageist language.
Ageist language can be used to discriminate and marginalize older and younger adults. This type of language often masquerades as humor such as birthday cards for older adults. Go to any greeting card section for older adults and you will find a number of cards depicting cartoon figures of “grannies” in rocking chairs bemoaning getting older or complaining about becoming senile.
If that’s how you view the human aging process, what assumptions will you form about the competence and worth of older adults?
Solutions to ageist language can start with eliminating language which references age.
Examples:
- Kid or “kids these days” (when referring to an adult of any age)
- “You’re too young to understand”
- Youngster
- “over the hill”
- “past your prime”
- Elderly
- Granny/grandpa unless that’s the family term for older relatives
- Senior moments
- “you look good for your age”
- Anti-aging, aging well
- The word “old” as an adjective like old woman or old man or the word “youthful” as an adjective “youthful lifestyle”
- Young lady when referring to any adult female
Substitute different language:
Use “older adult”, “older man”, “older woman” as well as “younger adult” “younger man”, “younger woman”.
Drop labels for categorizing human ability based on age. Evaluate and support people based on their actual capabilities, qualifications, characteristics, intrinsic worth rather than a biological number (age).
Aging does not automatically mean a steep decline in physical or mental abilities. Linking age to diminished capabilities is ageism. Human experience encompasses a very wide range of skill and ability unrelated to someone’s age. A person is neither “too young for this” or “too old for that”.
Instead, be more open-minded as to what the human being in front of you can accomplish rather than dismissing whatever is being discussed.
Biological age should not be a determining factor as to what is appropriate for individual human beings.
Rather, “appropriate” consists of many nuanced elements particular to that person and especially the person’s right to self-determination if possible.
In human aging, no one size fits all.
Language can be used as a sword to cut people down or a platform to elevate.
Let’s pitch the labels and limiting boxes and become more intentional with our words and communication.