Activism & Advocacy

New Anti-Ageism Clearinghouse

 Want to be part of the anti-ageism movement?  Go Old School

Since its establishment last year, Old School, an online clearinghouse of anti-ageism resources,  is picking up steam and gaining partners (Senior Planet is one), tools and a growing following.  This comprehensive source of resources means to educate everyone about age discrimination:  what it is, where it is, how to recognize it, and what to do about it.  It’s the brainchild of anti-ageism activist Ashton Applewhite (author of the anti-ageism manifesto This Chair Rocks) and millennials Ryan Backer and Kyrie Carpenter, who happily describe themselves as “olders in training.”

Ashton, a well-known advocate of fighting stereotypes and discrimination herself, launched the website last summer while she was finishing This Chair Rocks.  Following in the footsteps of Pulitzer Prize winning writer and gerontologist Dr. Robert Butler, who coined the words “ageism” and “the longevity revolution,” Applewhite set out to dispel the constant barrage of derogatory comments about getting older.  Like Backer and Carpenter, she kept seeing ageism everywhere from cheeky birthday cards about getting older, to advertising billboards and pop culture. (And it’s not just aimed at the old, they claim dubbing 20-somethings as “kids” or being “40 and irrelevant” is equally offensive.)

Old School aims to “make ageism as unacceptable as any other prejudice” and wants the pro-aging community to join the battle. The sections offer Tools, Books, Blogs and papers, Campaigns, Speakers, Videos, Organizations and Podcasts for you to read, use and share.

The most encouraging aspect of Old School is its outreach to you.  The website explains itself as “….an ongoing, interdisciplinary collaboration that will only reach its potential with help from the pro-aging community.”  It urges visitors to participate: “If you have an ageism-related resource to contribute to Old School – not about positive aging or productive aging or healthy aging or conscious aging or creative aging, but explicitly focused on ageism” they want to hear from you. Scroll down the main page to the “Submit” section.

 

   

COMMENTS

4 responses to “New Anti-Ageism Clearinghouse

  1. Mr Davis: While everything you write about in your life is Wonderful with your Wonderful wife, two Wonderful children and Wonderful grandchildren, you completely miss out on the sensitivity and awareness needed toward people who don’t have a wife, husband, partner or children –those with No Family. You miss the sensitivity and awareness of seniors who struggle paying rent, utilities, medication and food, please do share how a poor struggling lonely senior turns their world into Wonderful. Thank you.

  2. I am a 66 yr old disabled man. I have a wonderful 65 yr old wife. we have health issues, but we enjoy life! our love is stronger than it has ever been, and we have been married 35 wonderful yrs! we have two beautiful children and , two beautiful grandchildren. I would love to learn and share with your resources on how to enjoy these years even more.

    1. Thanks for all your insightful articles. On the phone scam one, would you please give links to. The suggestions u made so all of us will know how to implement them?. There were several in the he article., the easiest one is probably how to check reverse phone listings. I’m no longer on the article, but there at least 3 other referenced suggestions w out explanations or instructions. Had no idea about one ring. Thanks.bea

      1. hi, we added the only free reverse-phone lookup we could find (it’s Zabasearch.com and only works for landlines) in the article.You could also enter the number on google and see if any complaints about it pop up.

Leave a Reply

Senior Planet’s comments are open for all readers/subscribers; we love hearing from you! However, some comments are not welcome here as violations of our Comment Policy. If you would like to express a comment about Senior Planet locations or programs, please contact info@seniorplanet.org. Want to continue the conversation? Start your own discussion on this topic on Senior Planet Community.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *