Shannon Mathews

[user1477282676]

This was a shocking case. The child was without a doubt a victim in terrible circumstances. Her own Mother stashing her away under the bed of her partner...drugging her, lying to the public and to her friends about such an awful thing.

But.

Does anyone here think that the press and the public demonised her in a far worse fashion than criminals who do worse have been?

She was pilloried, called terrible names...really made into a sort of figurehead for everything "unwomanly" when there are plenty of men who commit arguably worse crimes and who get away without the public disgrace.

Yes she did a truly awful thing but the fact that she was

A: A woman
B: Working Class
C: Ignorant
D: Unattractive

All added up to ensure that she was the perfect example of a demon woman. Can anyone expand or tell me more about this sort of thing? Do you agree with me? Are there other cases which are similar?

What is your point? The article about sexual prowess started off talking about how ageist the language commonly used about older people having sex is.

So far as the 74 year old woman who ploughed into a crowd of people- what is wrong with describing her actions as "confused"? The report reads as if that is what was said at the time. Or are you suggesting that perhaps she deliberately wanted to run over the audience at the event?

Because some old age pensioners are parents to teenagers and babies. Does that make them elderly?

I'm not the one who is suggesting Lass, you are.

Mick Jagger is an elderly father then.

Of course Mick Jagger is an elderly father his oldest child is middle aged.

I'm confused by what point Elendon is trying to make re "elderly" beyond that one may encounter ageist reporting in news items about people aged 70 or over and/or often the person's age is irrelevant to the news item.

I'm failing to see why the status in society of the 70 year old racist was not pertinent. I can see a case for omitting his age.

I'm not the one who is suggesting Lass, you are

I have no idea what you are trying to suggest or what point you are trying to make.

I have no idea what point you are suggesting either Lass.

Because some old age pensioners

I think you might find many "old age pensioners" object to being called "old age pensioners"

Or are 'trying to make'.

I was quoting someone else but the quote failed Lass . HTH

I have no idea what point you are suggesting either Lass

Maybe but I'm not the one who out of the blue started posting a series of random links to random incidents involving people over 70 with no explanation but apparently expects other posters to see inside their head.

I don't understand how a 74 year old OLD age pensioner is not elderly.

Old age pensioner?

I was quoting someone else but the quote failed Lass . HTH

I put quotation marks around comments I would not wish to associate myself with.

What is "HTH" ? Am I supposed to work out you can't use quotation marks?


I don't understand how a 74 year old OLD age pensioner is not elderly

You have evidently not met my mother,

Eldon

You produced a single example of of a 74 year old woman described as elderly, with precious little other information added. In the search results you will find similar context and descriptions. A brief news report of a presumed dead, or actually dead male, 74, described as elderly.

Which means your single example at the present time is not necessarily evidence of ..whatever you believe it is evidence of.

If you cannot see the point I was originally arguing Lass then that's your problem and not mine. It was simply to highlight how the mainstream media deal with women and men. Which, shall I remind you, is what this thread is all about.

Hope that helps.

If you cannot see the point I was originally arguing Lass then that's your problem and not mine

Unless your intent was to be persuasive.

In which case it is rather your problem. And part of the problem of whichever issue you were hoping to draw attention to, raise awareness of and work toward resolving.

No Elendon you produced a series of random links about different situations where elderly people were involved which somehow prove something. If it makes you happier to think I am simply failing to grasp your point (as opposed to failing to see what relevance a series of unconnected links to random and not comparable situations has) so be it.

However, as Online also pointed out , ageist language is used in the media about both sexes so is irrelevant to this particular thread.

One of your evidential links actually dealt with the problem of ageist language.

Hope that helps

Why not say Sorry I meant to put that in quotation marks because "HTH" is not particularly helpful.



What is "HTH"

HTH - hope that helps

On this, and some other, forums is mainly used in a rather snotty, passive aggressive, non genuinely intended way.

Sometimes used (here and elsewhere) in an entirely genuine fashion. But due to the preference of the snotty, PA use, can be misconstrued a dig.

"Old age pensioner?"

Why the question mark? Is your DM not an OAP. I don't need to meet her to know that she's elderly as I understand the word (=old). I only need to know her age.
What do you think elderly actually means?

Thanks Online I could not remember if it meant "hope that helps" or "has to be heard".

"I think you might find many "old age pensioners" object to being called "old age pensioners"

Not enough to give back their OAP pension I bet.
I thought elderly would be the preferred option in the cases where people don't like the world 'old', but it clearly means something different to some people.

Is your DM not an OAP. I don't need to meet her to know that she's elderly as I understand the word (=old). I only need to know her age
What do you think elderly actually means?

Many "OAPS" dislike being called "OAPS"

I actually agree with Elendon that the descriptor "elderly" was completely irrelevant to the incident of the 74 year old falling off the ship.

So far as "elderly" - generally I am struggling to think of many/ any situations where its use is merited at all.

So far as someone's age unless you are in the position of having to determine whether a person is entitled to do or not do something or to receive or not receive something solely because of their age then it is also irrelevant whether they are old and also "elderly" as you determine the meanings of those words.