Working Women’s Double Dose of Discrimination: Gender + Ageism – GETTY

by Margye Solomon

“Mark Twain wrote:

“Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of 80 and gradually approach 18.

“Really? As a woman in her late 60s, I’m not sure I want to go back to my twenties or even my teens. Battles with sexism and ageism in the workplace aside, I rather enjoy the peace and happiness that comes with age.

“Everyone begins the aging process at birth. Then at some point in our lives (generally following our teen years), we begin to become wary of the process. The ancient Greek poet Homer called old age “loathsome” and William Shakespeare called it the ‘hideous winter.’ Each wrote their descriptions of old age while in their twilight years, leaving a legacy of loathing for younger generations to study. Over thousands of years, human beings have learned to see old age as a disease, something to be avoided even though we know it is inevitable.

According to the UN, the number of people over the age of 65 is growing faster than any other age group and is expected to double in the next 30 years, while the number of people over 80 is expected to triple. With the abhorrence and fear of aging instilled in us from birth, we are given a psychological platform from which to operate in the workplace:

“In with the new, out with the old.

Continue reading this article at Forbes magazine, click here.