If you saw this piece in Yesterday’s Telegraph, you will know why this letter was written. Pity really, the piece itself was quite good!
Posted it here in case they don’t publish it!
Dear Sir
You illustrated your piece on the need for Business to value the new older age workforce 24/6 with this.
Why? Not really cleverly ironic is it? More like unthinking ageism? And certainly helpful in reinforcing the negative image of later years that contributes to the issue?
Some editorial rethinking needed?
Maybe could have found this?
You were right, the need to reduce ageism in business is an urgent issue. But dont help fuel it!
Sincerely
Joyce Williams Banks MBE
Campaigner for #AgePride #AgeProud
From my iPad
Joyce
Thank you for doing this! The man in the photo will be in his late eighties/nineties rather than 50 or 60 or ‘even over 65’ and how very old that is! This is all so depressing & it shows that for a younger person there is no differentiation in the older population, we are just all grey wrinkly & past it. No wonder older people in the public eye do everything they can to look and act younger so they will be taken seriously!
Author
Absolutely.! Thanks Let’s hope we can get it changed
I wonder if they published your letter? Or if they even understood it? I wrote to the chief of staff of a newspaper about a blatantly ageist article recently. I received a return email which denied ageism and disrespect. #Age Pride has much work to do.
this is all spot on. the two things i hate most are that everyone seems to think that as you pass that “age 55 barrier” (1) you suddenly become “old” ~ which is treated the same whether you’re super-fit or much-struggling-with-health; and (2) that you similarly become “old” with no differentiating preferences used “pre the 55 barrier”, eg a cyclist, climber, swimmer, bungee jumper, sofa surfer, wave surfer, reader, writer … nothing … just old!