In November, Threads of Change discussed ageism. For those who don’t know, ageism is stereotyping, prejudice, or discrimination against individuals based on their age. While we tend to think of ageism as something that only impacts older people, it can also be something that younger people have to deal with as well.

Although most of us would like to believe that we’re not guilty of prejudice, we may find ourselves using language or echoing ideas that enforce the idea of ageism without even being aware of it. For example, referring to a lapse of memory as a “senior moment.” Maybe there’s an assumption that a person who looks young is not the manager or leader of a team. Our culture gives us messages that reinforce ageism every day, and it’s easy to slip into those attitudes without being aware of what’s happening.

Breaking it Down: Gendered Ageism

Ageism is a problem that can particularly impact women. While men can, and do, face ageism, the problem of ageism and women is so prevalent that it has its own name: gendered ageism. This type of ageism lives in the place where gender and age intersect.

As discussed in the podcast, women are often most valued for their looks, fertility, or appeal as a partner, and all those things can be viewed, in some quarters, as decreasing when a woman ages.

One of the issues that comes with gendered ageism is “lookism.” Basically, lookism is a construction of a standard of beauty and attractiveness, and judgments made about people based on how well or how poorly they meet this standard.

For younger women this might mean being catcalled at a trade show or being hired for a job because they’re considered “decorative.” In more extreme situations, it can lead to sexual harassment or assault. Younger women may also have issues with being taken seriously, being heard, and being respected for their knowledge and ability.

Older women, on the other hand, may find that lookism makes them invisible. This phenomenon has a name, too: “invisible woman syndrome.” This syndrome finds women becoming less noticeable or being considered less relevant as they age. Unlike men, who are often considered to gain in wisdom or status as they age, women find that they are often socially and professionally dismissed, overlooked or made to feel irrelevant as they get older. In addition to the changes that come with menopause, older women may also find themselves dealing with feelings of being unseen and unwanted in their social and professional lives.

Unlike reporting rates for other forms of prejudice, the rates of reporting cases of ageism are not high. A 2024 survey found that 90% of employees said they had experienced workplace ageism, but the rates of reporting those experiences are much lower. An AARP study discovered that only 3% of the women who participated had reported the ageism they experienced to the appropriate department. Reports may not happen because of fear of consequences, a perception that the company HR department won’t care, or a desire not to bring focus to the age of the person doing the reporting.

So, we know ageism happens. We know it has real consequences. We also know that it can disproportionately impact women. The question now becomes; how do we change things for the better?

Tips to Avoiding Gendered Ageism

First of all, examine your own attitude. We all want to believe we don’t have any prejudices, and we treat everyone equal, but stereotypes and attitudes can take root without us being entirely aware. Listen to what you say when you talk about someone who looks very young, or someone who appears older.

Do you buy into the ideas about older people and technology or younger people and leadership?  Make sure you get to know people based on who they are and not based on how they look or what their age appears to be.

Second, make sure everyone in your organization is aware of unconscious biases they may have. Yes, we all want to believe we take everyone at face value and have no prejudices, but that’s not really how humans function. The best way to combat prejudice is to be aware of it and to understand how it impacts people’s everyday lives. Make sure whatever training is given is more than just a list of what to do or not to do. Explain what ageism and gendered ageism look like through real world examples.

Third, make an effort to actively pursue a diverse social group and/or workforce. We can all benefit from spending time with people who aren’t exactly like us. Hearing different ideas and sharing different viewpoints can be extremely enlightening and valuable.

One of the values that is often attached to becoming older is wisdom, which is a stereotype that may be true. As people age, they have more experiences and have learned to navigate more of life and thus will have more knowledge to share. Assuming someone that’s older is less vital or less interesting than their younger counterparts means that you might be missing out on a great employee and possibly a great relationship.