"boomer" thread

[Maireas]

You've hidden this evening's offensive, ageist thread, stereotyping "boomers". Will this be deleted? Can we have a robust response to ageism on MN?

Response from HQ about Karen.

"we don't tend to delete it unless it's used as a personal attack against another poster"

As the person using "Karen" was talking about a woman in a car park, it's been left.

Wtaf?

So basically discriminatory language is cool? Jeezo.

What?!

I hate Karen. It's just trying to put older women in a box.

we do delete Karen as a PA/general misogyny.

So this posted by Becky, MNHQ is not true then?

Make your minds up MNHQ.

Question. According to some opinions on here is Gransnet ageist?

No idea! I joined when MN launched Gransnet, to help get the numbers up, but haven't visited it for years.

Why don't you go and check it out and see what you think?

The existence of Gransnet is not ageist. Suggesting everyone over a certain age gets off MN and goes there instead is.

No idea either. I had a look last week but didn't open any specific threads. Just looked to see what the general topics etc were like and how busy it was.
I do remember when they started it opinions were split really as to whether it was a good idea. Same as Dadsnet, although that came first.

I imagine that the idea for both came from the numerous posts and threads asking people why they were on Mumsnet when it was clear they weren't mothers.

I do vaguely remember (@BIWI may recall?) that the MN moderator who oversaw/oversees Gransnet was/is Rowan who was always very good at her job so if there is any offensive stuff going on over there I imagine it will be given short shrift.

Goodness - I can't remember! I don't think it was Rowan, might have been Geraldine? But either way both of those mods are long since gone (more's the pity!)

Surely someone who is a grandmother is also a mother?

It's so long since I joined, I've forgotten all my details, and my account is linked to a now-defunct email address, so I've re-registered.

First thing I came across was a whole topic about ageism:

here

@YetAnotherBeckyMumsnet would it be possible to get further clarification on Karen please?

@greenhydrangea · Yesterday 22:41

Having a fashionable pale blue hair colour is not having a blue rinse.

Have to say, I LOATHE those pink, blue, and green rinses. On anyone. It looks ludicrous IMO.

@sunglassesonthetable · Today 10:40

The reality at the time as well was that loads of people who were breaking rules were saying that "it's only old and disabled people dying anyway" so I certainly didn't see huge amounts of respect for older people then either.

Yes. Totally shocking.

Agree. I remember many people (under 35) mocking and goading, and laughing at the 'Boomer Killer.' (Covid.) Horrific when you think their grandparents would have been in that demographic. And parents and aunts and uncles possibly.

When I see the vile, putrid, ageist bile on internet message forums and social media, I always think 'You must have parents... some who will be babyboomers You must have grandparents... they will almost ALL be babyboomers. You must have aunts and uncles who will be made of of SOME babyboomers... Why do you hate them so much?'

And vice versa. All the older people damning the young. Calling them lazy, feckless, disrespectful and stupid. It's just weird denigrating entire generations. The young at least have the ignorance of youth to blame. I can't understand how older people who have been young themselves doing exactly what older people said about them when they were young. Aren't people supposed to gain humility and wisdom with age?

We are going to run out of thread soon!

Started a part two for when this one is full:

www.mumsnet.com/talk/site_stuff/4886660-boomer-thread-2?utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=share

@ohboohoo - well I haven't seen those threads on here, but if you have, then report it.

Thank you, @IClaudine .

I'm not big on reporting. If something is truly vile I will but generally I find most people are reasonable and quite able to see rude, hypocritical and judgemental comments for what they are. Better often to let the comments stand so everyone can see the poster for who they are.

Great thread 👏

But @ohboohoo if you don't report it, you're leaving ageist (or other 'ist') posts to stand, which - by implication - says that MN allows such posts. So it compounds the issue

And if you challenge some of the persistently ageist posters they're sometimes unspeakably rude in their responses.

One of them told me to "speak to the hand" last week. She's been deleted over and over again yet at this point is still free to post.

@ilovesooty - you're right, and challenging bigotry and offensive posts isn't easy. I always think it's interesting that we're accused of being oversensitive/imagining it/silly/others have it just as bad etc etc. It reminds me of all those arguments about feminism that we're used to, or racism and homophobia.

Over to the new thread now!