What are some examples of ageist language?
Listen to how we talk about old people: “old bags,” “old hags,” “old biddies,” “old birds,” “old fogies,” “old fangled,” “old fashioned,” “old geezers,” “old and decrepit,” “over the hill,” “blue hairs,” “golden oldies,” “vulnerable,” “frail,” “declining,” “dowdy,” “doddering,” “fuddy duddies,” “out of touch,” “not getting any younger,” and “responsible for a mountain of debt that will become an intolerable burden on society.” No wonder no one wants to become old! It’s funny but it’s also ageist. It’s hurtful to all of us. But naturally, no one wants to grow old, right? Depends on what you mean by old. Naturally, we don’t want to be thought of as ugly or irrelevant but collectively, we have the power to change how society thinks about and treats old people. Naturally, we don’t want to get sick but “old” does not necessarily mean “sick.” And naturally, we don’t want to die until we in fact become ready to die, as many people ultimately do. Why should it matter to other people if I try t
