AIBU to Think MNHQ needs to tackle the ageism on this site?

[LastGoldenDaysOfSummer]

The venom and hate aimed at older people on some of the Covid threads is disgusting. If the same was aimed at disabled, TW or BAME people then the posts would be deleted immediately, and rightly so.

But because it's the elderly it's left to stand, even after being reported. This isn't new, MNHQ has always been a hotbed of ageism but it's usually dealt with when reported.

But not any more. Should they be doing more?

I have a genuine question about ageism. Can only older people experience ageism or can younger people too?

I am a young person and I can definitely say I have experienced older people being agesit to me and writing me off because of my age. I can say that there appeared to be an institutional ageism against the younger generation by the last few governments. Young people seemed to get hit disproportionately by cuts and governmental policies.

Maybe just don’t take things so personally?

I'm not. I'm engaging in an interesting discussion. I have a teen DD about to take GCSEs I'm frustrated by the Govt's handling of her education and my Niece's first year at university being disrupted and my Nephew's struggle to find work. They are young and resilient so I don't think their lives have been ruined.

They have some advantages that older generations couldn't have dreamt of. And vice versa. I just want some people on this forum to stop being divisive and ageist. And yes it works both ways. Let's call it out.

Ageism like any other ism is about prejudice and streotyping. eg old people are right wing, racist, brexiteers, old people are wealthy and don't care about housing problems because they are okay, young people are irresponsible and rude, students are all party animals and drink like fish, old people are judgmental and interfering. It can all be very unfair to individuals, people are pre-judged and dismissed as unimportant. One point I do agree with is that the generations have been successfully set against each other to detract from the real issues.

Maybe just don’t take things so personally?

FFS! Would you say that to someone who was reporting racism? Or sexism? Or disablism/ablism?

@Paintedmaypole

Ageism like any other ism is about prejudice and streotyping. eg old people are right wing, racist, brexiteers, old people are wealthy and don't care about housing problems because they are okay, young people are irresponsible and rude, students are all party animals and drink like fish, old people are judgmental and interfering. It can all be very unfair to individuals, people are pre-judged and dismissed as unimportant. One point I do agree with is that the generations have been successfully set against each other to detract from the real issues.

^this

Maybe just don’t take things so personally?

Would you say that to somebody who was disabled and complaining abot ablist postings? What about somebody from a different nationality/ethnic origin?

It’s not Ageist to state facts.

‘Older people predominantly vote brexit and tory’ is a fact, not prejudice. Anecdotal evidence doesn’t matter.

@Whoiswrongg

It’s not Ageist to state facts.

‘Older people predominantly vote brexit and tory’ is a fact, not prejudice. Anecdotal evidence doesn’t matter.

No one has said it is. Factual statements about all groups should be allowed but they aren't always, unfortunately.

It's the othering and the implication that they are less worthy that is sickening.

I agree. I keep seeing the ageist and misogynistic term 'Karen' used on here. MNHQ should delete ageist posts.

As for 'Gransnet' - age isn't really an indicator of 'Gran' status. I'll never be a gran if I live to 100 as I don't have children. I looked at Gransnet once but it didn't seem very interesting.

@IwishIwasyoda

yes as long as MN also addresses the vitriol against 'the young'

Report it.

Uni students/school children and young people are demonised on the coronavirus board as well, the fact that older and those of us who are more vulnerable are suggested to shield while the rest of society carries on to pay for it is not in my opinion ageist. It's just a different solution to locking us all down.

^This

There's also plenty of ageism against the young, especially on coronavirus threads.

I've seen it suggested that under 21's should be banned from pubs because apparently that'll reduce infection rates (no scientific evidence of that, it's based purely on prejudice )

Students are being scapegoated for increasing infections cases when 1. they were told to go back, they've literally been doing what they've been told to 2. They aren't actually causing the massive rise when you look at the statistics. Look at Nottingham for example, they've recently spiked from ~100 cases per 100,000 to ~800 cases per 100,000. The return of students is being blamed for it and sure they've contributed but only about an extra 200 cases per 100,000 are students. The other extra 500 per 100,000 are coming from increases in the local residents and yet no one is talking about it and students alone are being blamed for the rise. That's discrimination right there. Throughout history the young have been blamed for things and it's just happening again, but now we can see from the data that this blame isn't fair and is purely prejudice.

Students are being scapegoated for increasing infections cases when 1. they were told to go back, they've literally been doing what they've been told to 2. They aren't actually causing the massive rise when you look at the statistics. Look at Nottingham for example, they've recently spiked from ~100 cases per 100,000 to ~800 cases per 100,000. The return of students is being blamed for it and sure they've contributed but only about an extra 200 cases per 100,000 are students. The other extra 500 per 100,000 are coming from increases in the local residents and yet no one is talking about it and students alone are being blamed for the rise. That's discrimination right there. Throughout history the young have been blamed for things and it's just happening again, but now we can see from the data that this blame isn't fair and is purely prejudice.

I'm not blaming students when I say this but I don't think you are correct that only an extra 200 cases per 100,000 are students. In Nottingham the massive spike in cases is in the areas that students live in which is unlikely to be a coincidence. The rate on the campus itself is 2,000 cases per 100,000 which means that on the campus alone one in 50 have tested positive ..

Mean to say 1 in 50 tested positive between 3 and 10th October

actually is 1 in 20 according to this

coronavirus-staging.data.gov.uk/details/interactive-map

The thread was started to discuss ageism against older people on MN not argue about student infection rates. It's irrelevant

My ageism issue on here is the fact that once you get to a certain age, you are incapable of making decisions for yourself.

It's primarily covid-related. All the posts about 'shielding the elderly' - define 'elderly'

Should I stop my sister seeing our parents - ask them not decide for them

My mum/dad/aunty insists on going to the shops even though I've offered to do their shopping - they wear masks, they take precautions. Let them decide!

Etc, etc. Stop infantilizing people over the age of 60! You won't like it when it's your turn!

@MayYouLiveInInterestingTimes

I think that the entirety of the UK needs to tackle its ageism, never mind Mumsnet.

The inequalities between the lives of the baby boomers - the wealth and opportunities they had and have and have been steadily removing from those behind them - and those of us who have to work to support their luxury, is appalling.

This post exemplifies the ageist attitudes of some on here. Us boomers are no more homogenous than any other group.

I haven't supported any measures to remove "wealth and opportunities" from anyone. I've never voted Tory, I've campaigned to protect public services, employment rights and women's rights, and am still working at 65, supporting the poor and vulnerable. And believe me, that doesn't pay enough to support "luxury" in any shape or form.

People can't help the year they happened to be born in.

@Whoiswrongg

It’s not Ageist to state facts.

‘Older people predominantly vote brexit and tory’ is a fact, not prejudice. Anecdotal evidence doesn’t matter.

It’s not a fact actually. It’s a statistical extrapolation, generally based on an incredibly small sample size and usually couched in terms like “more likely to have”. That is not the same as a fact and it’s worrying that people think it is. Smoking can cause cancer. Not everyone who smokes gets cancer. Some smokers even get cancer from reasons unrelated to smoking.

@MayYouLiveInInterestingTimes

Please spell out exactly how each and every boomer is removing wealth and opportunity from those behind them?

I am talking about that group as a generation. Let's see. That generation would have been the people steadily dismantling the public sector since the 80s. Steadily dismantling employment rights. Cashing in on Right to Buy and privatisations of publicly-owned utilities. The generation that oversaw the great leap back into private renting and buy-to-let that had been dismantled by the earlier generations, which is causing widespread poverty everywhere. The generation that has welcomed huge levels of immigration from everywhere, which reduces wages and increases our population and pressure on the infrastructure they have dismantled.

And finally, that is the generation that have taken us out of the EU and removed our EU citizenship rights. So much to thank you for.

You're only talking about a proportion of that generation, but tarring the entire generation with te same brush.

My parents would be in their 80s if they were still alive. They didn't cash in on Right To Buy, because they believed it was wrong and that their house was a public asset, built at public expense and that it should remain so. My 82 year old MIL didn't buy her council house, either, for similar reasons.

My late father and I marched together on demonstrations against public spending cuts in the 1980s. None of us bought shares in the privatised utilities, because it was wrong. And I campaigned about privatisation of public services via contracting out, too, and against Brexit.

I've spent virtually my entire working life employed in the public and voluntary sectors.

And immigration has been a godsend to many sectors, the NHS and care sectors would have been stuffed without it.

And you can thank we elderly feminists for your right to choose. For equal pay legislation. For women's refuges. For free birth control. And so much more.

The inequalities between the lives of the baby boomers - the wealth and opportunities they had and have and have been steadily removing from those behind them - and those of us who have to work to support their luxury, is appalling

This is one of the more ridiculous things I’ve read here - and there’s some stiff competition. Not only has that generation collectively removed nothing but it is responsible for most of the women’s rights younger people take for granted. There would be no equal pay, sex discrimination legislation, maternity pay and leave, financial autonomy for women or entitlement to join a pension scheme if that generation hadn’t fought for them.

As for the younger generation working to keep them in luxury - engage your brain. Any luxury is as a result of a lifetime of saving, contributing to a pension and paying a mortgage that was at times at 15% interest. There’s no luxury for people whose only income is a state pension.

And thank you for so eloquently proving OP’s point, btw.

I haven't seen any ageism personally
Racism and transphobia on the other hand, yes

@Quaagars

I haven't seen any ageism personally Racism and transphobia on the other hand, yes

Perhaps you might like to read the post I quoted above.

I don't see transphobia on here. Just women stating biological facts to protect the sex based rights women fought for.

I don't see transphobia on here 🤣🤣🤣

Funniest thing I have read in a long time.