Is ageism a form of bigotry?

Bigotry is the irrational and unreasonable attachment of a set negative beliefs, stereotypes, or opinions to a group of people based on characteristics such as race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or disability. Bigotry often manifests as prejudice, intolerance, or hatred toward those who are perceived as different.

Bigotry is characterised, by a refusal to consider evidence, reason, or opposing viewpoints and can lead to discrimination, social exclusion, and violence.

So, on either of those definitions, is ageism a form of bigotry?

Bigotry is often rooted in prejudice, effectively preconceived opinions which are not based on reason or actual experience. It involves attributing negative qualities or behaviours to an entire group based on the actions or characteristics of a few. So, under this definition, age discrimination probably should be considered a form of bigotry.

However, bigots often display a strong intolerance toward people who are different from themselves. This can include verbal hostility, social exclusion, or even physical aggression. At the extreme, bigotry dehumanises its targets, seeing them not as individuals but as representations of the group to which they belong, making it easier to justify their unfair treatment and abuse.

Bigotry can have severe social, psychological, and economic impacts on individuals and communities. It can lead to marginalisation, social unrest, and even violence, yet while age discrimination, especially at work, involves stereotyping, it may not always come from a place of hatred or deep intolerance. For instance, someone may assume older people can't use technology, but this belief, though discriminatory, is often based on cultural norms rather than malicious intent.

Which, overall, would suggest that age discrimination, particularly at work, is not a form of bigotry in the form that most people would associate with the word.

While ageism involves stereotyping, it may not always come from a place of hatred or deep intolerance. Ageism is frequently embedded in societal norms and can be more about overgeneralisation or a lack of awareness than active hostility, while bigotry typically implies an extreme and overt expression of prejudice.

Perversely, whilst age discrimination may not be considered bigotry, that may make it harder to address.

Ageism is so ingrained in our culture that it often goes unnoticed. Stereotypes like ‘older people are bad with technology’ or ‘set in their ways’ are common and widely accepted, without pushback. These casual assumptions don't always feel as severe as racism or sexism, so they often go unnoticed and certainly don’t provoke the same level of outrage or calls for change.

Also, unlike other forms of discrimination, which typically target a specific group, for example, racism against a particular race of people, ageism can affect people of any age. Young people might be dismissed as ‘inexperienced’, while older people might be seen as ‘outdated’. This broad scope can make it harder to rally a specific group around combating ageism because everyone can be a perpetrator and a victim at different life stages.

The same double standard can be aimed at legislative prevention. Anti-ageism laws are not as robust or as commonly enforced as laws against other forms of discrimination.

The Australian Age Discrimination Act 2004, by way of example, does not include a ‘positive duty’ requiring employers to proactively prevent age discrimination. Unlike the Sex Discrimination Act, where a positive duty was introduced to address sexual harassment, the Age Discrimination Act primarily relies on a reactive, complaint-based system.

Essentially, this means that action is only taken when an individual lodges a complaint about experiencing age discrimination, rather than mandating employers to take proactive measures to prevent it. By contrast, implementing a positive duty would require employers to conduct regular reviews of their policies and practices, and to increase their compliance obligations, both positive steps that have significantly improved organisational response to gender-based discrimination.

So, Ageism and bigotry are related but distinct concepts. Age discrimination is generally seen as a type of prejudice or discrimination, while bigotry is often reserved for more extreme, hate-driven forms of intolerance.

However, whilst the distinction lies mainly in the intensity and underlying motives behind the prejudice, we should not underestimate the impact age discrimination can have on an employee. In addition to reduced satisfaction, reduced engagement and increased absenteeism, people experiencing age discrimination can be disadvantaged financially and see both their physical and mental health suffer.

Age discrimination at work can have severe repercussions, affecting not only the individual employee's health, motivation, and financial stability but also the organisation's culture and performance. Companies that fail to address age discrimination may face lower employee morale, reduced productivity, and potential legal issues due to discriminatory practices.

Ageism my not fit most people’s description of bigotry, however promoting a culture of inclusivity and valuing intergenerational working, can help mitigate the impact of age discrimination; enhancing overall workplace satisfaction and performance.