I often hear people ask why do people do what they do (yes, I’m guilty of this, too). I try to ask “Why not?” — of course, that depends on what those folks are doing!
In the [Sept/Oct, 2016 issue] of Oxygen Magazine, a women’s body building and strength training magazine, I read a 33-year-old reader’s letter to the editor [scanned image above]. I couldn’t help but shake my head in frustration.
The reader asked why would a 99-year-old woman want to still work out.
Ageism is Alive & Too Well
Three guesses how I reacted to this too-common example of ageism…and the first two guesses don’t count!
Why wouldn’t the 99-year-old continue to work out if she can and she enjoys it? Who’s to say it’s adding life to her years and years to her life?
Seriously, what are the elderly supposed to do? Wait around to die?
What really angers and saddens me is how pervasive and insidious ageism is in U.S. culture. The aging population experiences pity, dismissiveness, or obnoxious impatience. It’s as if reaching 50 years of age or more is the end of life and people are supposed to stop living. I remember hearing about some study that said millions of people (women mostly) dread turning 30!
Now, I don’t condemn the young woman asking her “Why” question. She — like the rest of us — has been indoctrinated into falsely viewing reaching one’s senior years is somehow a bad thing.
I think the “bad thing” is the alternative to aging! None of us know what our expiration date is so why not live each day doing the things we enjoy with people we love or who share our joie de vivre?
Addressing Ageism
I “get” Oxygen Magazine’s response to the reader’s question. The editors wanted to engage and connect with their target audience of women ages 25-54. But, I believe they missed an excellent opportunity to start a conversation about aging and fitness, and especially women’s fears about aging. Maybe they’ll take a deeper dive in an upcoming issue.
One way to fight ageism (besides speaking up when the situation calls for it) is to post photos of older people engaged in sports or fitness. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter reach the most people. Major media outlets pick up on those posts for feature stories, interviews, and the usual “Can you believe this?!”-type of commentary.
One thing I believe: By staying fit and healthy, I’ll increase my chances to live an active and independent lifestyle for as long as possible.
That’s a good enough reason to work out, no matter your age!
Updated & edited Aug. 30, 2023