Age is NOT just a number!
When people say ‘age is just a number’ it’s meant to be encouraging. It implies we should not limit what we believe is possible based on age. As someone who has taken up both running and horse riding as a ‘senior’, I wholeheartedly endorse this. Although I have to admit to having various conversations, both with myself and others, along the lines of; am I ‘too old’, and, have I left it ‘too late’ to start these activities.
The truth is that sometimes phrases like ‘age is just a number’ rather than being nice, may in fact be an indication of underlying ageism. An attitude that reflects a negative bias perpetuating the idea that individuals are only valuable if they present as youthful. Another example is saying that someone is ‘good for their age’. While it may be intended as a compliment it reinforces the notion that age is something to be opposed.
Anti-age is a term we have come to accept without considering the underlying assumptions.
Being ‘anti’ something generally means being against, or not supporting it. When someone is described as ‘anti’ something, it typically indicates a stance or attitude that is contrary to or in disagreement with that concept. The term ‘anti’ is often used as a prefix to create compound words that describe specific opposition.
For example:
- Anti-war: Opposed to war.
Anti-smoking: Opposed to smoking or against smoking practices.
Anti-racism: Opposed to racism and advocating for racial equality.
‘Anti-age’, usually refers to products, treatments, or lifestyle choices aimed at slowing down or reducing the effects of ageing. While this has positive connotations, especially concerning health and fitness, it still suggests youth is superior to maturity.
The truth is that ageing is something that we are all doing, every single day. While estimates for longer life expectancy are a generalisation, more of us are living for longer. So ageism, perhaps the only ism that is not taken that seriously, will eventually affect an increasing number of us.
Many of the females I coach are senior managers and executives at the top of their professional game. And often they are unfortunately subject not only to sexism but increasingly to ageism too.
I’d like to see a shift in attitude. Rather than ‘anti-age’ how about ‘pro-age’?
Or even not having to mention age at all? How revolutionary would that be? Just valuing individuals for who they are and what they do rather than because of characteristics such as how many years have elapsed since their birth.
Until then … one of the things I shall continue to ponder is my personal experience of being a 62-year-old female, who is certainly getting older and hopefully, maybe, perhaps wiser.
