Stopped by old man

All of this. ^ Well said!

@florafaun

The combative posters who ignored the OP and waded in just to pull her up on mentioning an age range are just bullies.

100% agree.

100% agree. It’s ironic that the poster has been bullied so comprehensively, about the use of a benign descriptor. Including the inferences, that she “knew what she was doing.”

I’ve also made a point in my comments acknowledging the fact that I am actually older - and very aware of ageism. Because unfortunately, the people who have been bullying the OP in this thread are not giving us a good name. More irony!!

"X's daughter"
X's fat daughter"
X's thick daughter"
X's ugly daughter"

But these are all negative descriptors, ‘old’ isn’t negative. You are the one who, in this case, is equating the two. That’s not to say ageism isn’t a thing, I can certainly attest to the fact that it is, but it can also be a descriptor. Particularly in situations where the power differential is in place. Woman versus man, for example, young versus older.

🙄

OP. The old man engaged physically. You therefore have the right to defend yourself with a reasonable physical response. Next time give the trolly a good hard shove followed up with a verbal signal that his behaviour is inappropriate (e.g. a loud "No!").These people can't be reasoned with.

Yes, I think they are bullies too.

And if they are old bullies they should know better, but sadly probably won't change - after all you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

If they are young bullies we can live in the hope they may grow out of it as they acquire the wisdom that sometimes comes with age.

I'd be surprised if they returned. A fine way to treat someone who mentioned their social anxiety and panic in the OP.

Question whether mentioning the man's approximate age range had any relevance, after helping with the question she asked, fair enough. The combative posters who ignored the OP and waded in just to pull her up on mentioning an age range are just bullies.

I just love the word "busybody" 😁

Oh dear OP. You mentioned age. Also gender.

You should have said a human being and left it at that. No descriptors!

Didnt you say anything to him?

"Entitlement"? What "entitlement"? Strange choice of words.

Well the OP certainly got what they wanted with us all quibbling over use of the word "old". 🙄

"X's daughter"
X's fat daughter"
X's thick daughter"
X's ugly daughter"

Which of these may be true, but are neutral and which are fucking offensive and irrelevant?

Sorry, so you are saying being old is a bad thing? Hmm maybe it’s YOU who is being offensive??
I don’t see being old as a bad thing same as I don’t see being black as a bad thing. Maybe that’s where we differ 🤔

I’m not sure why the use of the word old is offensive either. It’s a reality that those of us fortunate enough to live long enough will become old one day, surely that is a blessing and not something that needs to be shut down.

Also, a woman who has mental health problems posts asked for support and sympathy after a very upsetting incident - most women would find a strange man physically grabbing their possessions and blocking their path to be frightening and upsetting.

Choosing to give a vulnerable upset person a good kicking (and the evident self-satisfied relish that those posters do it with) is just despicable behaviour.

I've noticed a trend on MN that if anyone mentions they have a mental illness or says anything to indicate they they're vulnerable, it often acts like a red flag to those who enjoy kicking others and substantially increases the chance of receiving an attack.

I would put money that there are some posters who only come here because they want to find an outlet for their rage, and they actively look for certain keywords like "anxiety" because they know those posters are more likely to be good targets.

It reminds me of those gangs of [redacted can't possibly reference someone's age or gender!!] who go around urinating on rough sleepers. Some people really really do get off on hurting others and will actively look for any chance to do so.

Was it Joe Biden? There have been several threads this week about his unacceptably advanced age. 😁

Seriously - given that someone who worked at the shop was also trying to get your attention and the couple were apparently (if clumsily) pointing that out, I'd let it go and not worry too much. When the alarm goes off on your way IN, it's pretty likely that you've got a leftover tag from another shop, and it's good to get it sorted out so you don't - much more suspiciously - beep on the way out.

But in general - all you can really do is be prepared to stand up for yourself if another customer/a member of the public unacceptably intervenes in your going about your business; probably the anxiety has made this more difficult.

Totally understand what you're saying but I don't think saying "old" is in the same category as fat or ugly.

Ignore the bullies with nothing better to do than go on Mumsnet to look for people to mass-attack because they have anger issues and derive pleasure giving strangers a good kicking. And for a forum where people continually whine about snowflakes being offended by everything, they sure are quick to play the "I'm so offended" card if someone doesn't word their posts in the very precise way they find acceptable.

It isn't ageist at all and his age is very relevant. An elderly man accosting you is clearly very different from a young man doing so.

If someone posted that that a strange man had physically accosted them, used his body to block her path, physically laid his hands on her possessions in an attempt to physically control her, every single post would be outraged on her behalf and calling it assault and misogyny.

It's clearly not acceptable for a man to physically accost a strange woman.

There is an article on Care.org.uk about children being allowed to self-identify as animals in schools.

Pretty much sums up every pro argument. ‘Fuck off if you don’t agree with me’

It wasn't relevant to the story.
Obviously.
But ageism is the last bastion of -isms on MN.

If she'd repeated he was black several times, (also factual) would it be OK? Would him being black (or old, or disabled, or ugly, or smelly) ever be relevant to him having behaved inappropriately with her? (Which he did)

Getting back to the OP, I'd have channelled my inner Billy Connolly and said 'What the fuck do you think you're doing!"