Mumsnet paused a “boomer” thread this morning, and…

I wish people would stop using it. I find it extremely offensive, and its use is always followed by some contemptuous remark.

It is the "ism" that is allowed and it is infuriating

Our kids call us “boomers” and we’re only mid 50s. When I explained boomers are significantly older they looked slightly pitifully as if there were any material difference between 55 and 80.

Didn't see the thread but I find the boomer term irritating as although technically I seem to just fall into it, the stereotype isn't my life at all.

The term boomer is never used in a pleasant or even neutral manner. It is always derogatory. Used to write off a whole swathe of people. If I had been born 3 years earlier, I’d be part of that demographic, so I know loads of people who are. And guess what? They’re all different.

I think I know the thread you mean OP as I left a comment on it myself. Perhaps the fact the OP claimed to be 63 herself - so a ‘boomer’ - made a difference. It shouldn’t have though.

The term boomer is ageist

I hate the word boomer and the fact that it's most people apply it randomly - if you're going to be insulting the very least you can do is apply it to someone who was born in the correct generation. If someone said it to my dad I would take great delight in saying: "No, he's not a boomer, he's just a grumpy old silent generation chap actually!" To be fair he is fairly grumpy at present, that's not an observation of him all the time, but currently he is slightly taking the biscuit.

Was it an ageist post or did it just have the word boomer?

Have you not read posts about young people.
Type mumsnet young people of today into Google and pages of derogatory threads appear. Ageisim goes both ways.

I'm neither young nor boomer btw

They specifically give "ageist" as a reason for deletion in the talk guidelines.

You're right. It's nasty, goady, offensive and ageist. I reported it and was told that it "didn't break talk guidelines", which I thought was astonishing. The language and tone throughout have been vile.

It's definitely not taken as seriously as other 'isms'