A few months ago, my daughter’s girlfriend told me about a terrific blog called Yo, is this racist? Ask any question about race and get a straight answer, as long as you’re prepared to be mocked or skewered. It serves an important purpose, plus it’s hilarious. So I’ve started a companion blog: Yo, is this ageist?
New York magazine called ageism “the last form of prejudice available in the liberal sphere.” Unlike racism and sexism, it has yet to become taboo. No one blinks at “biddy” or “geezer” or “senior moment.” Yeah, that’s ageist. Send in your questions and help me put ageism on the cultural radar.
Love your new blog and how you spice it up with fun and wit! Thank you for demystifying and celebrating the dreaded process of (gulp) getting old.
This blog is great! At first glance from the title, I thought it might be a joke or an area where people would make comments or post videos that would just reinforce negative stereotypes. After looking through several of your posts, it really seems like people are asking serious questions and really aren’t sure if some things are offensive or ageist (e.g., use of the word “elder”, telling people they look young for their age, etc.). You bring up a few important topics that touch on elderspeak, the influence of culture on stereotypes, and also that there can be both positive and negative stereotypes. I’m also glad to see that your blog was recognized in the NYT for your comments on the Clint Eastwood speech—keep up the good work! I’ll definitely be following along and maybe even pose a question every once in a while.