Well damn. As if aging isn’t challenging enough! We are already dealing with our own emotions and psychological issues related to our changing faces and bodies, so we really don’t need the extra crap. I couldn’t wait until Monday! I needed to talk about Ageism.
Now, my gray is hidden under some “Just Five” do-it-yourself brown coloring, otherwise I would be sporting a head that looks like a Christmas tree with too much tinsel. And for those of you too young to remember tinsel, Google it.
But wearing my natural gray would make me look much older than I am ready to look! Sadly this would open me up to even more discrimination than we as women, are already subjected to. We don’t even need to kick that up a notch by being a woman of color. That’s extra!
I’m struggling with this gray thing. Real talk! A man wearing his gray is distinguished and sexy. A woman, not so much, but we will save that for another upcoming post about the trauma that the transition to gray can be for women. Not all. But I know I am not alone here. Stay tuned.
This is about age discrimination. The New York Times did a story related to the corona virus about older adults, “increasingly seeing behavior and rhetoric that implies their lives are not as valuable as reviving the economy.”
For those of us not all dyed up and in that over 60 “higher risk for the Rona,” a/k/a Covid 19, age group, we don’t need youngsters eyeballing us, blaming us because they can’t go to the beach or hang on a bar stool. I’m fairly lucky to not have any of what is considered “high-risk issues,” but sadly, that is just not the case for many women in my age bracket. For men, I believe it’s statistically worse.
Age discrimination is quite real. I spoke with my part-time employer about resuming a full time position after having agreed to reduced hours a few years back. She suggested that I should maybe just get something else full time as the needs in the department I was in had changed. Only, it’s not that easy at my age to, “just get something else.” Late 50’s is not the time to be looking for employment.
Last time I was looking, I intentionally left years of work experience off my resume because it would draw too much attention to my age. I have been fortunate that most of my life, my work has been through referral. I think I have done three or four interviews in twenty years and was hired each time. But I’ve been with this one almost ten years and sadly, it’s quite different to be looking in your late 40’s, than it is in your late 50’s! And I was lucky in my late 40’s to not look it! It’s catching up and I’m tired of running.
Luckily I was offered a new position, but most are not that fortunate. I know other women just looking for work to supplement their retirement and they can’t “BUY” a job. Women with advanced degrees and impressive work experience can’t get a call. Ageism is a thing!
So the last thing we (and not all because I know there are many that don’t have these issues) needed on top of having to spend so much time and energy covering up our ages, is to be discriminated against behind the corona virus.
The world may not realize this, but ya’ll need us around! Most of us are pretty damn smart. We have had experiences that can benefit younger folks. Wisdom! That’s what we have that these young’uns don’t have yet. (The guilty people know who they are.) You have to earn that! You cannot order that shit on Amazon!
We know how to play real instruments. We know how to write real songs. (Don’t ya’ll cough on Stevie Wonder! And stay away from Quincy!) We can spell without spell check. (We still might have some typos. I never said we were perfect!) We can sign our names. We are educated. We are strong by default because we have been through it!
We are resilient. And those before us, endured even more. Unbelievable amounts of crap, so your life could be a little better. And we dealt with the residuals of the pain and struggle of those that came before us. So, uh we are pretty badass in terms of value! Don’t let these cracks and crevices fool you!
We might have polluted up a bit. Sorry. And the food industry poisoned us up a bit so we might not all be in the best of shape. (We are working on it!) If nothing else, this virus is highlighting how unhealthy we were to start with. (Most of us! Not just the older adults) It is exposing how weak our immune systems are. All of that can be addressed and improved upon. Information was not as easily available when we were coming up. We didn’t know what we know now.
We wouldn’t have invented plastic. Or maybe they (I had nothing to do with it) did know better. Greed has been around a long ass time too. But, we are a valuable part of society and you’re going to miss us when we are gone.
Again, I’m one of the healthier folks, so I ain’t scared of you. But don’t look at us as if we are the reason you can’t go outside and play. Our generation, for the most part was taught manners. I can speak for my girls at least. Try not covering your mouth at home when you coughed or sneezed. Just try it.
We didn’t come up with no damn time out. So we weren’t walking around coughing and sneezing on people spreading this mess. Men had handkerchiefs and women had packs of tissue in our purses. That handkerchief thing is kinda nasty in retrospect. At least we women threw the tissues out. We didn’t shove it back in our pockets! Ewh.
I have never been a fan of the handshake, but that was a result of seeing folks leave public restrooms straight out the stall! Then I have to be Bruce Lee and kick my foot up to open the door with my shoe! Those hand dryers seemed like a good idea for the environment, but not for leaving the restroom behind someone that skipped the soap and water thing! Maybe we will ALL become hand washers now! About time!
Any way, my point is you better recognize. We are a valuable part of society if you take the time to talk to us. Let some of this wisdom rub off on ya!
The lesson isn’t necessarily aimed at us, (my 50+ crew) and it might not pertain to many of you reading this, but feel free to share with those you feel need to hear it. If by chance you are guilty of feeling a certain way about seniors, (which just feels plain weird to even say! But AARP was right in the mail reminding me! Damn) go sit down and think about what I just said.
Check out https://www.weareageist.com/ for some interesting content!
Love ur remarks and yes, coming to terms with all of this is NOT easy. I am sad when I sense the discounting vibe you speak of – and want to scream…. hey, I’m still cool. Lol. Thanks
Thank you for your comments. We all need to start screaming. Or at least speak up.
To this day it is almost a greeting in my family … “Did you wash your hands?”… It’s amazing to me how some people would find that question offensive 😱😱😱😱