AGEISM IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD RESIST

When was the last time you saw a magazine headline that read “50-year-old woman looks stunning in red dress” or “man publishes award-winning novel at 65”? It is not a secret that modern America idolizes youth culture, although it is often not talked about or viewed as problematic. We are bombarded by images that portray youth as sexy, fun, and cool, every single day. 

Most everybody in the media, whether a politician, an actress, or a music artist, has most likely had some form of cosmetic enhancements done to their face and body. Take Madonna, for example: The material girl is 63 years old, but with cosmetic surgery, she looks as if she is in her 30s. According to the Baylor College of Medicine, the U.S. spent $16.7 billion on cosmetic procedures in 2020. 

In contrast, there was a time when looking older was indeed sought after and considered fashionable. In the 1700s, men and women would wear white or gray wigs to indicate wealth and prestige. They also used white hair powder on their natural hair, to appear older. For example, the iconic image of former president George Washington shows him with white hair. He was naturally a redhead, in fact, and used white hair powder to look older and wiser.  

Our culture is laden with negative aging stereotypes that can influence how we see ourselves and others. Examples are television depicting elders as cranky, slow, and forgetful, the dreaded “over-the-hill” birthday card, or the phrase “you look good for your age.” Furthermore, who can flip through a magazine without seeing several anti-wrinkle cream ads? Our society has shown that old age apparently equals physical and mental weakness. Ageism is engrained in our society and is not typically seen for what it truly is, discrimination.  

This bias causes many issues in the workforce that include down-putting comments in the office, denied advancement opportunities, and older people being overlooked for employment. Age discrimination by employers is illegal, but plenty of evidence suggests it still exists. According to the 2019 Hiscox Ageism Workplace Study, employers paid $810.4 million to settle numerous age discrimination charges filed with the EEOC (federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) between 2010 and 2018, aside from litigation.  

Issues such as age-related workplace discrimination can cause seniors to develop a sense of worthlessness, driving them into isolation, and the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbates the issue. The American Psychological Association states that when older individuals believe in these negative stereotypes, their will to live decreases, memory is impaired, and their interest in healthy preventive behaviors wanes. 

Beauty is also very much tied to youth in our society. Most of the models seen in beauty ads are teens up to age 25, and the few older faces on magazines have been retouched to remove any signs of aging. We rely on the media to set the standards and criteria of beauty, although the media’s view of beauty is distorted and unrealistic. We all are a bit vain; let’s be honest – most of us want to look attractive. I have personally considered having cosmetic enhancements done. However, why should we have this mindset that beauty and relevance are over at age 25? How can we start changing this perspective and realize that beauty and success can be found at any age? If we allow this traditional mindset to hold us back from accepting the changes of aging, we may not achieve the confidence and a feeling of happiness that most want to experience. Why be nervous when we know that everyone will age along with us? 

It may come easy for some of us in the U.S. to overlook older folks when we are young, but age comes for us all, no matter how many Botox injections or anti-aging creams we slather on our faces. Addressing ageism and its many problems is not just the right thing to do, it can also positively impact our health and society. We must become aware that older adults are a multifaceted group with a lot to offer, no matter how many candles are on their birthday cakes.