The Woman’s Owncolumnist has her say on ‘old’ people, sweet stuff and sex on TV
Even kids are at it – but they are learning it from us
Of all the ‘isms’ and ‘obias’ there’s one that’s still totally acceptable. In fact, it’s so part of everyday life it’s printed through us all like a stick of Blackpool rock. And now, as we continue staggering into 2024, we learn it’s even getting worse. Because, now, four-year-olds are at it!
Got it yet? Well obviously, it’s - drum roll, please - ageism! Yep, the age-old (pun intended) trope of older people being viewed with negative stereotypes.
Say what you want about anyone over a certain age (and I’ll tell you which age in a minute, it’s shocking), and it’s all fine and dandy. There’s no social-media cancelling, no screaming headlines, no pressure groups pushing for justice. And this especially applies to women. Us lot. Again. Sigh.
Last year the Women and Equalities Committee started an inquiry into whether England needs a commissioner to support older people.
Well, the inquiry started bearing fruit this month with MPs being told by charity Age UK that half of those over the age of 50 (yes, 50!) had suffered discrimination in the last year.
Caroline Abrahams, the charity’s director, cited examples of drawings by children as an indicator of entrenched ageist attitudes.
‘What demonstrates how pervasive ageist attitudes are is when people have asked young children to draw what they think an older person looks like,’ she said. ‘You get little drawings of an old lady with a stick, when actually you have grandparents in their 40s. It goes to show children are picking it up.’
Depressing, isn’t it? But where are these tots picking up that attitude? Their own parents, obviously, what they see on TV, and society. A third of people hold ageist beliefs evidently, though I’d wager that the real percentage is much higher. Even when you try hard not to be ageist, how many times have you found yourself remarking, ‘Oh bless her,’ when someone older than you does something? Guilty as charged, I’m afraid. It’s patronising guff but it’s almost second nature.
But back to little kids learning this from the cradle. Think about the films and TV shows designed for them too. For example, Disney. All the heroines are young (to the point of being children themselves) and beautiful. They�
