to think older age is no excuse for sexism, racism and misogyny?

[taaay]

I have several older family members (75+) who frequently make comments that I find quite offensive.

Examples include saying that women do not cook these days, that children are badly behaved because mothers rush back to work, making negative comments about non white doctors, nurses and hospital staff, and suggesting that a husband leaving his wife is understandable if she gained weight after having children or did not give him enough attention.

Whenever these views are challenged, the response is usually along the lines of "it's their generation" or "they are old fashioned".

I understand that attitudes were different decades ago, but I struggle with the idea that age somehow excuses prejudice. Plenty of people from the same generation manage to treat women and people from different backgrounds with respect.

I am not expecting everyone to have the same opinions, but I do think there is a difference between having traditional views and making derogatory comments about women or other groups of people.

AIBU to think that being elderly explains where some of these attitudes came from, but does not excuse them?

And generalising from anecdote.

If I were to wonder if all people your age are as dim as you.....

If I were to wonder if all people your age are as dim as you.....

No the equivalent would be if you were to wonder that being young is not an excuse for being ageist.

It is amazing how many people are unable to comprehend what the OP is actually saying.

if I were to wonder if all people your age are as dim as you...

Pot. Kettle.

No, not racism, never.

But having opinions about how social norms have changed seems to be classed in with racism by the OP. She could have a conversation with these people about their views and why they hold them.

We are allowed to make negative comments about anyone, regardless of their race or colour. This very subject has been at the front of the news agenda over the last few weeks.

OP I hope you don’t have any unfashionable opinions when you get older.

The OP is not saying that all old people are racist misogynists

I agree there's no excuse. My psrents, aunts and uncles are in their 70s. They don't behave like that.

I don’t think people get more right wing as they get older, I think they no longer give a fuck about what people think of their opinion.

We are allowed to make negative comments about anyone, regardless of their race or colour. This very subject has been at the front of the news agenda over the last few weeks.

yes. But if you make negative comments BECAUSE of their race or colour you are being racist.

That they are stealing British people's jobs. It was his house so couldn't throw him out but I did leave.

I didn't generalise dimmy.

You’re not being ageist and you’re not wrong. My elderly family members wouldn’t dream of saying anything like that. It isn’t age related it’s morals and ethics

You're right to call out their dodgy views and things they say.
And no, age is NOT an excuse. Full stop. And it's not true that everyone used to have these attitudes. Nobody in my environment when I was growing up (I'm 60+) held these attitudes. We lived in an area largely populated by immigrants from various parts of the world (incl my parents) and any -isms were always called out. Women in my family have always worked full time, including in my grandparents generation. I'll say it again - age is not an excuse.

I completely agree. I wonder why people use it as an excuse.

Except OP didn’t generalise. In fact , she specifically said that she knows that not all older people speak and act like that , so age isn’t an excuse . That’s her whole point.

Who’s the dim one now?

How is it ageist?

Of course she isn't. She is talking specifically about her own family members who are old and making unpleasant comments about women and non-white hospital staff.

If she had said that all old people are prejudiced, that would be ageist but she didn't say that.

I've never known a forum so obsessed with seeing racism and misogyny around every corner. The times I've seen hints at bots when all I see are more dodgy I am better than you threads over and over.

And you sound like an apologist for racism, sexism and misogyny. Having 'life experience' doesn't justify those hideous attitudes.

Difficult to know how to vote, as obviously

YANBU in that using your age as an excuse to be downright rude, let alone racist is obviously wrong.

But YABU (and ageist!) to imply that being elderly explains where some of these attitudes came from . It's not 75 yr olds and their elders I'm seeing on the news standing outside hotels, threatening people.

There are - unfortunately - racists, misogynists, sexists, ageists, and homophobes in every age group.

OP’s whole point is that indeed it doesn’t excuse it or explain it. So people should stop using it. You’ll see it on here in the dozens whenever there’s a thread about an older person displaying these behaviours. They’re the ageist ones. Not OP.

Exactly, wasn't sure if the poster was waiting until everyone did an ageist pile on before pointing it out.
We can't help when we're born! One of the loveliest old women in our town, who used to be very welcoming to us-including gay members of our community- used terms that might now be called racist or homophobic, but that's because they were the polite, progressive terms then-it's no more something she should be judged for that still thinking everyone has landlines.
In my lifetime, terms such as "queer" have changed in meaning and acceptability, and if I live long enough to start showing signs of dementia, I might use terms deemed unacceptable today-and so will you,

Didn't see many over 70s burning houses down at the recent riots.

She's made s thread about people using age as an excuse. That's not agism

Op isn't saying all old people are racist/sexist, or that okly old people are racust/sexist. She's not saying its an age thing. She's specifically talking about her relatives who use age as an excuse to get away with bigotry

You understood this thread perfectly. Well done 👏