Definition

Noun: - Discrimination against middle-aged and elderly people: The practice of treating people unfairly, or having negative prejudices, based on their age, particularly when they are older or middle-aged. It involves stereotyping or excluding individuals because they are perceived as too old.

Usage

• Agism is a social issue that affects employment, healthcare, and media representation.
• It is often discussed in the context of workplace policies, access to services, and societal attitudes.
• The term is used similarly to other forms of discrimination like racism or sexism.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The company was accused of agism for only advertising jobs to "recent graduates."
  • Fighting agism in the medical field is crucial for equitable care for older patients.

Advanced Usage

• Institutional agism: Refers to policies, practices, or laws within organizations and governments that systematically disadvantage older people.
  • The mandatory retirement age was criticized as a form of institutional agism.
• Internalized agism: When older individuals accept negative societal stereotypes about their own age group.
  • Her reluctance to learn new technology was a symptom of internalized agism.

Variants and Related Words

• Ageism: This is the more common and standard spelling of the same word. "Agism" is a variant.
• Ageist (adj.): Characterized by or showing prejudice based on age.
  • That ageist comment about older drivers was offensive.
• Ageist (n.): A person who holds ageist views.

Synonyms

• Age discrimination: The unfair treatment based on age.
• Age prejudice: Preconceived negative judgments about a person or group due to their age.

Related Phrases

• To combat/fight agism: To take action against age discrimination.
  • The new campaign aims to combat agism in the tech industry.
• Victim of agism: A person who has been discriminated against because of their age.
  • He felt he was a victim of agism after being passed over for promotion.

Notes on Meaning

• While the core meaning targets discrimination against middle-aged and elderly people, the concept can sometimes be applied in reverse, referring to prejudice against younger people (though this is less common and terms like "reverse ageism" or "adultism" may be used for prejudice against the young).
• The focus, especially in legal and social contexts, is typically on the unfair disadvantage faced by older adults.

Noun

1. discrimination against middle-aged and elderly people