You might have heard of the concept of ageism being discussed recently. This is something that occurs when someone is discriminated against because of their age. It can happen because someone is thought to be too young to be an authority in their field and it can also occur when someone dismisses another person because they’re “too old.” Read on to learn how to spot ageism and how you can fight it.
Spotting Ageism Is Simple
Generally, spotting ageism is going to be simple. Whenever someone is being dismissed or mistreated because of their age, this is going to be an example of ageism. You might notice people doing this casually and it’s going to be important to call it out when you see it. Making assumptions about people based on how old they are is simply not right to do.
Fight Stereotypes
Fighting stereotypes is going to be the most practical way to try to curb problems with ageism. Often, ageism occurs because people have a tendency to stereotype others. A group of professionals might assume that a young woman will have no clue about the industry or people might think that a man in his 60s has no chance of being tech-savvy. Stop stereotyping others and give individuals a chance to prove themselves.
Be Ready for Ageism
Another way to fight ageism is to be ready for it ahead of time. As an older person, you might want to make sure that you’re up on the latest trends so that you can prove people wrong when they assume that you’ll be behind the times. Younger people can work to be very professional and knowledgeable to combat the perception that they’re not ready to take on leadership roles. You can combat ageism by knowing that it exists and being ready to disprove the stereotypes that exist.
You Don’t Have to Be Silent
It’s also worth noting that you don’t have to be silent. If you feel that you’re being discriminated against because of your age, then you can make a note of what is going on and discuss it with certain people. There might be a human resources department that you can discuss your issues with. Sometimes, this can lead to change and there is no reason to simply allow ageism to continue.