Changes

{{quotation|Honestly, I think a lot of it comes from VERY young women who are only used to seeing older women as mothers and teachers. And yeah, of course young girls don’t want mothers and teachers spying on their hobbies. I sure didn’t when I was a young teen.

{{quotation|Honestly, I think a lot of it comes from VERY young women who are only used to seeing older women as mothers and teachers. And yeah, of course young girls don’t want mothers and teachers spying on their hobbies. I sure didn’t when I was a young teen.

HOWEVER. How young and sheltered do you have to be to think that older women are ONLY teachers and mothers? How self-centered do you have to be to think that older women SHOULD all revolve their lives around the wants or “needs” of kids? (I know it’s natural and normal for young teens to be just THAT self-absorbed, but honestly, it’s not a good look on anyone, so stop it.)<ref>{{cite web | url = http://ravenmorganleigh.tumblr.com/post/144557614520/ageism-in-fandom-too-old-to-fangirl | title = Ageism in Fandom: Too Old to Fangirl? }}</ref>}}

HOWEVER. How young and sheltered do you have to be to think that older women are ONLY teachers and mothers? How self-centered do you have to be to think that older women SHOULD all revolve their lives around the wants or “needs” of kids? (I know it’s natural and normal for young teens to be just THAT self-absorbed, but honestly, it’s not a good look on anyone, so stop it.)<ref>{{cite web | url = http://ravenmorganleigh.tumblr.com/post/144557614520/ageism-in-fandom-too-old-to-fangirl | title = Ageism in Fandom: Too Old to Fangirl? |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20181204132144/http://ravenmorganleigh.tumblr.com/post/144557614520/ageism-in-fandom-too-old-to-fangirl|archivedate=2018-12-04}}</ref>}}

Some felt that the expectations of younger fans were rooted in outdated beliefs

Some felt that the expectations of younger fans were rooted in outdated beliefs

{{quotation2|one more thing, i can’t help but notice that a lot of tumblr’s popular ideas about what 30+-year-old women — and it’s almost always women — should be doing instead of having fun online seem to line up pretty closely with very conservative beliefs about what women’s options should be. especially that women should have children and that once they have children their lives should revolve around those children completely, with no time for breaks or hobbies or internet discussion or other selfish, frivolous, unmotherly activities. to be a mother or a woman old enough to be expected to be a mother is to be a specially regulated class of person, judged by her performance as a self-sacrificing caregiver and exemplar of chaste maturity.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://enoughtohold.tumblr.com/post/166541699026/one-more-thing-i-cant-help-but-notice-that-a-lot | title = one more thing, i can’t help but notice that a lot of tumblr’s popular ideas about what 30+-year-old women }}</ref>}}

{{quotation2|one more thing, i can’t help but notice that a lot of tumblr’s popular ideas about what 30+-year-old women — and it’s almost always women — should be doing instead of having fun online seem to line up pretty closely with very conservative beliefs about what women’s options should be. especially that women should have children and that once they have children their lives should revolve around those children completely, with no time for breaks or hobbies or internet discussion or other selfish, frivolous, unmotherly activities. to be a mother or a woman old enough to be expected to be a mother is to be a specially regulated class of person, judged by her performance as a self-sacrificing caregiver and exemplar of chaste maturity.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://enoughtohold.tumblr.com/post/166541699026/one-more-thing-i-cant-help-but-notice-that-a-lot | title = one more thing, i can’t help but notice that a lot of tumblr’s popular ideas about what 30+-year-old women|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20181204143355/https://enoughtohold.tumblr.com/post/166541699026/one-more-thing-i-cant-help-but-notice-that-a-lot|archivedate=2018-12-04 }}</ref>}}

Or a lack of interaction with mature individuals outside a familial or professional setting

Or a lack of interaction with mature individuals outside a familial or professional setting

As parents and teachers (and doctors, and trainers, and counsellors, and so on) are first and foremost there to care for them, it’s quite possible that younger people in fandom have not yet come to the realization that there is a huge segment of the middle-aged population that is neither obligated nor willing to do the same, especially if that “caring” takes the form of special consideration, of prioritzing their well-being - their comfort, their interests, their sensibilities.

As parents and teachers (and doctors, and trainers, and counsellors, and so on) are first and foremost there to care for them, it’s quite possible that younger people in fandom have not yet come to the realization that there is a huge segment of the middle-aged population that is neither obligated nor willing to do the same, especially if that “caring” takes the form of special consideration, of prioritzing their well-being - their comfort, their interests, their sensibilities.

And that that segment of the population has wants and needs the same way they do, and that these wants and needs are not all that different from theirs, and that these wants and needs are equally valid and important.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://uniwolfwerecorn.tumblr.com/post/164016322795/part-of-fandoms-blatant-ageism-might-also-stem | title = Part of fandom’s blatant ageism }}</ref>}}

And that that segment of the population has wants and needs the same way they do, and that these wants and needs are not all that different from theirs, and that these wants and needs are equally valid and important.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://uniwolfwerecorn.tumblr.com/post/164016322795/part-of-fandoms-blatant-ageism-might-also-stem | title = Part of fandom’s blatant ageism|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20170815161109/http://uniwolfwerecorn.tumblr.com/post/164016322795/part-of-fandoms-blatant-ageism-might-also-stem|archivedate=2017-08-15}}</ref>}}

Others connected ageism in fandom to broader issues such as [[misogyny]] and the desexualization of older women

Others connected ageism in fandom to broader issues such as [[misogyny]] and the desexualization of older women

{{quotation2|Which seems to be tied to the idea that a woman has worth only when she is sexually active and on the “market” (which is wrong), and that a woman’s sexuality is limited to her twenties (this is also wrong). A lot of girls seem to think that they have a very short shelf life as a human being worthy of respect, and it’s all just terribly self-limiting.

{{quotation2|Which seems to be tied to the idea that a woman has worth only when she is sexually active and on the “market” (which is wrong), and that a woman’s sexuality is limited to her twenties (this is also wrong). A lot of girls seem to think that they have a very short shelf life as a human being worthy of respect, and it’s all just terribly self-limiting.

And then, of course, we can get into, if a sexless woman (as are apparently all women over 30) is not worthy of respect<ref>{{cite web | url = http://lapelosa.tumblr.com/post/30732777082/ageism-is-terrible-in-this-fandom-it-strikes-as | title = Ageism is terrible in this fandom }}</ref>}}

And then, of course, we can get into, if a sexless woman (as are apparently all women over 30) is not worthy of respect<ref>{{cite web | url = http://lapelosa.tumblr.com/post/30732777082/ageism-is-terrible-in-this-fandom-it-strikes-as | title = Ageism is terrible in this fandom|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20181204105025/http://lapelosa.tumblr.com/post/30732777082/ageism-is-terrible-in-this-fandom-it-strikes-as|archivedate=2018-12-04 }}</ref>}}

==You're middle aged and still have a tumblr?==

==You're middle aged and still have a tumblr?==

Often referred to as one of the primary examples of ageism on [[Tumblr]], on December 14, 2014, Anonymous asked a Tumblr user: {{Quotation|'''You're middle aged and still have a tumblr? LOL''' <ref>{{cite web | url = http://eeyore9990.tumblr.com/post/105585292478/youre-middle-aged-and-still-have-a-tumblr-lol | title = eeyore9990.tumblr }}</ref>}}  This post generated a great deal of discussion and older fans trying to enlighten others about their fandom history and continued engagement, as of June 2017 it had over 17,000 notes.  Some responses:

Often referred to as one of the primary examples of ageism on [[Tumblr]], on December 14, 2014, Anonymous asked a Tumblr user: {{Quotation|'''You're middle aged and still have a tumblr? LOL''' <ref>{{cite web | url = http://eeyore9990.tumblr.com/post/105585292478/youre-middle-aged-and-still-have-a-tumblr-lol | title = eeyore9990.tumblr |archiveurl=http://archive.fo/3Kcmh|archivedate=2019-02-21}}</ref>}}  This post generated a great deal of discussion and older fans trying to enlighten others about their fandom history and continued engagement, as of June 2017 it had over 17,000 notes.  Some responses:

{{Quotation2|[drgrlfriend]: I always wonder what people who make these comments think middle-aged people do. Like, sit around, doing their taxes and talking about escrow 24/7?

{{Quotation2|[drgrlfriend]: I always wonder what people who make these comments think middle-aged people do. Like, sit around, doing their taxes and talking about escrow 24/7?

Do they really expect not to have any fun or waste any time after age 30? Or maybe they think that people are just not awesome enough to be able to have a professional job, a family, and still waste time on Tumblr.

Do they really expect not to have any fun or waste any time after age 30? Or maybe they think that people are just not awesome enough to be able to have a professional job, a family, and still waste time on Tumblr.

Well, I’m here, friends, to tell you that it is possible! You can have it ALL — the career, the family, and the incredible time-suck of fandom! <ref>{{cite web | url = http://drgrlfriend.tumblr.com/post/105625527487/youre-middle-aged-and-still-have-a-tumblr-lol | title = drgrlfriend.tumblr }}</ref>}}

Well, I’m here, friends, to tell you that it is possible! You can have it ALL — the career, the family, and the incredible time-suck of fandom! <ref>{{cite web | url = http://drgrlfriend.tumblr.com/post/105625527487/youre-middle-aged-and-still-have-a-tumblr-lol | title = drgrlfriend.tumblr|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20170420225627/http://drgrlfriend.tumblr.com/post/105625527487/youre-middle-aged-and-still-have-a-tumblr-lol|archivedate=2017-04-20 }}</ref>}}

{{Quotation|[sertetlen]: Oh middle aged WOMEN in particular are just… not allowed to have fun, I think? We’re supposed to be past it, pathetic and devote the remaining dregs of our time, energy & attention to caring for others, and studiously avoiding anything that someone might find worthy of mockery. Then we die (or become invisible). (I mean, maybe we’re allowed to have fun if it’s APPROPRIATE fun. Like, a small sherry after an age-allowed exercise class? A couple of hours of watching BBC2? Not fandom. Never fandom!)

{{Quotation|[sertetlen]: Oh middle aged WOMEN in particular are just… not allowed to have fun, I think? We’re supposed to be past it, pathetic and devote the remaining dregs of our time, energy & attention to caring for others, and studiously avoiding anything that someone might find worthy of mockery. Then we die (or become invisible). (I mean, maybe we’re allowed to have fun if it’s APPROPRIATE fun. Like, a small sherry after an age-allowed exercise class? A couple of hours of watching BBC2? Not fandom. Never fandom!)