"she's pushing 60 (or 50, or 70 or whatever)" ageist or not?

[ElizabethPurley]

At work a few weeks ago a manager, when talking about a colleague, said "she's in ill health and pushing 60..."

Would you consider this ageist or not? Interested to hear views.

thanks for all these comments- I think’ the majority are saying it’s not discriminatory, just factual, which is fair enough!

I’m sure you know perfectly well that in the context you provided the colleague’s age was being used to justify taking some negative (job depriving) action against them.

Not sure why you’ve brought this to MN. Are you the person being accused of age discrimination at work, @ElizabethPurley?

I’m past pushing 60, and I think it’s fine to say pushing any age.

Nope, not me so DFOD

In my work place it would be considered discriminatory language, especially if the age of your colleague wasn’t relevant.

For example if someone said ‘ X isn’t great at technology because she is pushing 60’, that would be seen as a derogatory, ageist stereotype.

I'm pushing 70, still not old to me. I do think it was a completely unnecessary remark, suggesting that her age means she can't work well.