It’s often said ageism is the last socially-sanctioned prejudice. Our failure to confront it and make it as unacceptable as racism, sexism and ableism sets us up for our own future irrelevance.

Thankfully, a global movement to expose it and end it has become an unstoppable force. As more of us live longer and age differently – rejecting the dominant ‘old is awful’ narrative – more of us are embracing the cause. We find like-minded people and a vast store of inspiration and resources at online education hub Old School, the brainchild of anti-ageism activist Ashton Applewhite. Hear her 2018 turn on The Big Middle here.

This time, we meet Old School’s co-founders, therapist Kyrié Carpenter and gerontologist Ryan Backer. We hear how the anti-ageism movement is taking off, about Old School’s exciting collaboration with the World Health Organisation, why members of the ‘successful ageing’ brigade don’t feature on the site, and how they, in their 30s, swap age shame and denial for acceptance and pride. Kyrié calls herself a Crone in Training; Ryan an Older Person in Training.

Oh and we talk hair. Will I ever join others in seeing hair dye use as a badge of dishonour in the battle against ageism and sexism? I doubt it but you never know, ask me again in 10 years.

Links

• OldSchool.info
• Old School on Twitter
• Ashton Applewhite’s website
• Kyrié’s website
• Kyrie writes for and is Managing Editor of ChangingAging.org – the online platform of influential geriatrician-cum-thespian Dr Bill Thomas
• Kyrié on Twitter
• Ryan’s website
• Ryan on Instagram
• Christina Peoples’ gerontology blog Gero What?!
• Ashton’s Age Against the Machine interview with Kimberlé Crenshaw

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• Hosted + produced by Susan Flory
• Music: “Beautiful Day” by Sahin Koc