Ageism: age discrimination and its causes

Elderly people also have the right to live with full freedoms.

One of the characteristics of situations of discrimination is that the person who suffers it often does not have the necessary means to denounce this injustice.

And the fact is that there are certain conditions in which they are not even in a position to organize themselves in a sufficiently large and well-managed number of people so that the voice of the victims is heard loud and clear, as well as their demands. Ageism, or ageism, is one of the clearest examples of this.. Let's see what it consists of and in what ways it is embodied in day-to-day life.

What is ageism?

In itself, ageism is a fairly simple concept, and its definition could be, simply this: discrimination against the elderly, i.e., those who belong to thethose who belong to the fourth and third age. As with racism or sexism, in ageism there are large groups of people who are alienated from making the most important decisions, so that it seems that other generations have "colonized" their living environments.

Moreover, ageism is a problem that occurs in virtually all cultures. While in Western countries aging people are not abandoned to die without consuming the community's resources, it is true that older people are still subjected to clearly discriminatory measures and attitudes.

Examples of ageism in our daily lives

Here are some examples of ageism expressions of ageism that are so common that many of them pass as something normal..

1. Lack of representation in television and movies

Beyond politics, virtually any content that makes it onto television or into movie theaters has a distinct lack of representation of older people. Either they appear very little, or they do not play an important role in what is being told. The reason is that in such image-based media, old age does not sell because it is considered unsightly.

Thus, the elderly lack referents and do not have do not have figures that make their own problems and situation visible..

2. Architectural barriers

Another aspect that clearly discriminates against the elderly is the presence of architectural barriers, such as steep stairs or the absence of public transport in areas where walking is difficult.

3. Discrimination in the workplace

One of the clearest signs of ageism is the discrimination suffered by many older people who want to work and who have the capacity to do it well. The simple fact of passing a certain age is an outright refusal to be hired, which means that it is difficult to get out of unemployment. Moreover, this is suffered even by people who have not yet reached the age of 60..

On the other hand, as older people often live more isolated than people of other age groups because of their lack of training in new technologies and because of problems related to architectural barriers, their political organization is complicated.

4. Stigmatization of sexuality in older people

This point is quite similar to the first one, since it is based on an ageist consideration of what is aesthetic and what is unsightly. The nudity and intimacy of older people is considered unsightly.The expression of it is therefore socially admonished, either with clear rejection or with mockery. Old age is conceived as a vital stage in which it is necessary to worry about things other than sex; however, those who support it are always young or middle-aged people, who can enjoy the privilege of living openly their sexuality.

5. Condescension

The old age is seen as equivalent of ignorance and of almost absolute lack of capacity to think. That is why in practice it is very frequent to treat those who have entered old age as if they were children of just a few years old and are learning children and are just learning how the world works. This, of course, is another example of ageism that can pass for a simple well-intentioned willingness to help others.

6. Control over their living conditions

Many older people are seen as people who are unable to make decisions for themselves and are therefore dependent on others to provide guidance. In other words, age itself is used as an excuse to restrict their freedom..

Types of ageism

Age discrimination takes shape at both the personal and institutional levels.

Personal ageism

Consists of beliefs, attitudes and prejudices that in practice harm older people. For example, the belief that older people should not be allowed to vote..

Institutional ageism

This is a type of discrimination that is materially present in objective aspects of how society functions. For example, in the policy of institutionalization in centers for the elderly, which can sometimes go against the will of the elderly, or in laws that place unemployed elderly people in a clearly vulnerable situation. unemployed elderly people in a situation of clear vulnerability..