Ageism should be against Talk Guidelines

[Somethingbland]

In the past there has been a lot of disquiet about the blatant ageism on MN.

Today I have been extremely annoyed by a blatantly and unashamedly ageist thread in AIBU about dressing " like an old lady"
I reported the thread and of course was told by MN the thread is allowed to stand because it doesn't contravene Talk guidelines.
But why doesn't it? Why does MN see ageism as perfectly acceptable? It's a total disgrace in my eyes.

I was amongst the first women who were affected by the change in retirement law and was so unable to retire at 60 as had been the norm previously. The discrimination I experienced as an older woman amongst predominantly younger staff was extremely upsetting . To be a figure of fun and contempt because of your age is no joke. And yet MN is apoarently happy to enable such views on this site

I don’t know why you bothered either really.

You are not answering the question asked at all.

Would've been difficult, since you didn't ask one.

I was trying to show you why comments like yours are prejudiced. I'm clearly banging my head against a brick wall, though, and I don't need a headache.

No I didn’t ask a question but the OP suggested ageism should be against MN talk guidelines sparked by a previous thread which used the term”old lady” as a descriptor for an item of clothing. You didn’t respond to the statement made, instead gave a polemic retort regarding clothing descriptors involving the choices black people, lesbians, Christians, Muslims autistic people and other groups and accusing me of prejudice. How is this a response th the OPs statement that “Ageism
Should be against MN Talk Guidelines”?

We are talking about clothing choices. in response to your veiled accusation that I am prejudiced, I’ d like to make it clear that I wouldn’t comment on anyone’s choice of clothing unless they asked for my opinion.

Regarding ageist descriptors of clothing choices retailers actually market their clothing to a particular age/cultural demographic. Shops like Patra , mentioned by yourself in the same context, market to older women. Abercrombie and Fitch or ASOS to younger ones. And if you lived in a city with a diverse population you would see there are shops specialising in clothing preferred by different cultural groups. There are shops which cater for people who have particular disabilities or difficulties in dressing.

Yes, anyone can wear garments from any of these sources. But they are marketing to a particular age/cultural/ethnic market. Using the logic you applied to my comment your they must be prejudiced too.

i think you are making an absolute mountain out of a molehill here, I’m not surprised you have a headache . I’ll respond to the OP statement for you - yes, ageism should be against MN talk guidelines.

I remember when golliwogs were normal toys and no-one thought anything of blackface. We now recognise that they were racist, we just didn't see it then because it was so normalised.

Maybe ageism now is in the same position ad racism was then. Most people don't see it, but that doesn't mean it's not there.

Mn is disgustingly ageist. Your opinion or life doesn’t really matter once you get past menopause and most things you do are mocked.

That's it exactly.

I didn't see the thread in question but I do see lots of ageism on MN.

Then again, I also see lots of racism, ablism and homophobia on MN as well. Much of it is left to stand, even when it is reported.

Oh, rubbish. I have been on MN over 20 years and can’t say that “ageism” is rampant. Yes, there’s the occasional rude remark, but were you ever young? I remember thinking that 50 was ancient - now it’s definitely a spring chicken!

People of any age can be stylish - but there are definitely “young people clothes” and “old people clothes”. And what’s wrong with that? Atm I’m wearing mostly Mint Velvet, and consider Seasalt a bit “old lady” - but I’m sure I’ll be there soon!

Other ageism - it’s a fact of life that we age. Pointing at outliers like 72-year-olds who pass for teenagers or marathon runners of 96 just isn’t helpful. Respect is good; wild attempts to deny the clock is setting yourself up for discontent.

My mid-50s and just dress in an ‘older’ version of how I dressed in my 20s - jeans, t/shirt, trainers, etc. will probably continue some version of this until I die 😂

i do know some older people and some are ‘frumpy’, but they probably always were. However, there is a typical ‘older woman’ style with sketchers, M&S classics etc. it’d be daft not to acknowledge that just as there’s a typical way teenage girls dress (not all, but a lot).

Who cares..i loathe 60+ women as thry are often bitter and moody biarches.

And here we have it - rampant ageism on a thread about ageism!

Lovely, measured and intelligent contribution @Inmyuggs

Don't know what age you are but you sound as though you are pretty bitter.

Loathing a big percentage of the population just because they are 60 or over is downright irrational prejudice. It says a damn sight more about you than the people you direct your hatred to.