to think ageism is targeted more at women than men

[ScottishDoll]

and wonder how it can be recognised as prejudice?

I try to call it out when I see it but feel like ageism is on the rise, especially towards women. I find it repulsive and ignorant.

I do hear ageism towards men or the more general "people" too but the real vindictive stuff seems really geared towards attacking women. Character and style assassination, unwritten rules regarding hair/clothes/company etc, not to mention the crime of being seen in public.

It absolutely is. I particularly hate the photos of people like Judy Finnegan when she’s just going about her business, they’re always unflattering and bloody mean.

Yes, of course it is. It always was. Under patriarchy, older men acquire social/economic/political power with age. Women, still denied equal access to these, are deprived by age of the sexual/ornamental power they are seen as benefiting from when younger. And unpleasantly, women buy into it, too -- see all those unpleasantly ageist comments about Madonna 'mutton dressed as lamb', ;letting yourself go' etc.

It's difficult, though, because it starts when women are young and simply continues throughout their lives; women are always judged and pitted against one another, as though their fundamental value lies within their face or body. And so many women subscribe to that way of thinking that they forget to value themselves and other women through any other means.

As women get older, other women are unkind to them. If women can't support women, you know full well there's zero chance of men reforming their attitudes.

The most severe ageism I’ve encountered has been from young women.

I absolutely agree that the judgement will be from younger women as well as men and the sad thing is that they will come to realise it when it's too late and so the cycle continues.

The most severe ageism I’ve encountered has been from young women.

Agree with this and is this part of the wider issue of sexism across the board? I hear younger women discuss fat shaming, victim blaming etc as wrong but why is it then acceptable to bully women for their age?

I actually think I hear less ageism from men than I used to and consider it part of the reduction in social acceptability of men commenting on women's appearance overall. There is still toxic media fuelled sexism but it is appears less in conversation.

Surely this has to come down to what is seen as acceptable socially? If ageist comments were treated the same way racist comments are would they stop being so prevalent?

In turn would this decrease mental health issues linked to image among younger women?

Ageism has always been more targeted at women than men. This is nothing new. There have been numerous cases of wrongful dismissal of women because of their age. The BBC and other broadcasters have got into deep water for this. You will always see more older male TV presenters and news readers than women.

Sadly, women are still judged on their appearance and society seems to be offended by the sight of an older woman.

The most severe ageism I’ve encountered has been from young women.

My experiences are that it's overwhelmingly been from men. Women might get catty, but men will literally ignore the existence of older women. They're invisible. And as men are the ones in power, it's much more devastating to a woman's career.

A women age the cloak of invisibility envelopes them.

The cloak of invisibility is very strange (as is the freedom that comes with it to an extent). I get most cross at the instant dismissal of a woman's opinion on the grounds of age (insert ageist undermining illness/condition reference here), that's quite a recent change to the "respect your elders" mantra.

I remember chuckling at a bit in The Power when a female news reader was asked to wear her glasses on air because they "add gravitas" whilst her younger male presenter was chastised for appearance related rot.