Tag Archive for "Ageism"

Posts Tagged Ageism

Older women, blacks unhappy with their portrayal in films

Some new research provides definitive proof of what many media watchdogs and feminists have been saying for awhile: media representation matters, and especially in regards to portrayal of sex and sexuality, certain groups seem to continuously get the shaft (NO pun intended, I swear). In this case, older women and black people expressed the most discontent, with most women aged 50-75 saying they wanted more focus on their sexual desire, and most black people desiring less.

From the Guardian article:

Sixty-one percent of women between the ages of 50 and 75 questioned for a UK Film Council survey of 4,315 people said women of their age were portrayed on the big screen as not having sexual needs ...

By Chloe Angyal • 14 years ago

Young women are the future of feminism

On Wednesday night, I attended a panel at 92Y Tribeca called “Young Women, Feminism and the Future: Third Wavers Then and Now.” It was convened to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the publication of Manifesta, by Amy Richards and Jennifer Baumgardner, which the pair wrote together to draw attention to the ways that feminism was being done by a generation of women who had grown up with feminism “in the water.” Richards and Baumgardner were joined on the by Debbie Stoller, the editor in chief and co-founder of BUST magazine, and by Allison Wolfe, a musician, teacher and one of the founders of the Riot Grrl movement. Veronica Chambers, author of Kickboxing Geisha, was scheduled to speak ...

By Jessica • 14 years ago

The pro-choice movement would fail without young women

Activists (ages 15-18) from Wisconsin, at the 2004 March for Women’s Lives.

Given how popular “young women don’t care about reproductive rights” articles are, you would think by now that I would be used to it. After all, it’s a media favorite. But no matter how many times I see this tired old theme, it never fails to really piss me off.

Take this latest article from Newsweek, “Remember Roe! How can the next generation defend abortion rights when they don’t think abortion rights need defending?” The gist of the piece is this: young women are clueless about abortion rights and the majority of work is being done by older women, ...

Activists (ages 15-18) from Wisconsin, at the 2004 March for Women’s Lives.

Given how popular “young women don’t care about reproductive rights” articles are, you would think by now that I would be used to it. ...

By Jos Truitt • 14 years ago

Bristol Palin: Don’t get pregnant unless you’re privileged

Bristol Palin has shot a new PSA for the abstinence pushing and just generally creepy Candie’s Foundation. And it is so not OK:

Transcript after the jump.
Even entertainment website E! Online recognizes that this add is messed up, saying the message is:

“I’m privileged, so it’s OK that I got pregnant, but you’re not, so don’t.” (We paraphrase…but just barely.)

Apparently you should keep your legs crossed (Candie’s Foundation’s preferred method of birth control) if you’re poor, don’t have family support, or are not a celebrity. What a despicable, classist approach.

Bristol Palin has shot a new PSA for the abstinence pushing and just generally creepy Candie’s Foundation. And it is so not OK:

Transcript after the jump.
Even entertainment website E! Online recognizes that ...

By Jos Truitt • 14 years ago

Stop Social Security discrimination against same-sex couples

Limiting legal marriage to heterosexual couples has a clear discriminatory impact on gay and lesbian seniors. While people with same-sex partners are required to pay into Social Security, they are not eligible for key benefits. Same-sex couples are denied spousal benefits and cannot claim survivor and death benefits if their partner dies.
A new campaign called Rock For Equality is working to change this. At rallies on April 11 in Los Angeles and April 18 in Washington, DC advocates will protest this discrimination, raise awareness of the issue, and push for change. The rallies will include an action that’s new to me – rock-ins, with folks protesting in rocking chairs.
Visit Rock For Equality’s website to learn more, ...

By Jessica • 15 years ago

“Sweetie,” my ass

The New York Times had a really interesting article up yesterday about the condescending language some use addressing older people, “In ‘Sweetie’ and ‘Dear,’ a Hurt for the Elderly.”

To study the effects of elderspeak on people with mild to moderate dementia, Dr. Williams and a team of researchers videotaped interactions in a nursing home between 20 residents and staff members. They found that when nurses used phrases like “good girl” or “How are we feeling?” patients were more aggressive and less cooperative or receptive to care. If addressed as infants, some showed their irritation by grimacing, screaming or refusing to do what staff members asked of them.
The researchers, who will publish their findings in The American Journal of ...

The New York Times had a really interesting article up yesterday about the condescending language some use addressing older people, “In ‘Sweetie’ and ‘Dear,’ a Hurt for the Elderly.”

To study the effects of elderspeak on people ...