MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT GROUP: Ageism is related to mental health....

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Yeah, it's really infuriating sometimes.

I'm older than you are, and while there are some things I don't want to do any more (because I don't have to and they're too damn much work), and some things that I'm not in good enough shape to do (like bicycling; my knees wouldn't like it), I'm not mentally old (except that I'm worse than ever at remembering names and where I left my car keys). I can do the things I want to do and I don't give a crap if somebody thinks I'm too old. Actually, one of the nice things about getting older is you start not giving a crap about a lot of things.

But one thing that I do give a crap about is when an older person does something unusual or interesting, and somebody talks about how "cute" that is. That's condescending, ageist bullshit.

OLD PEOPLE ARE NOT CUTE.
OLD PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE.
DO NOT TELL ME I'M "CUTE" IF I GO SKYDIVING OR HAVE A RELATIONSHIP OR DYE MY HAIR BLUE OR DANCE IN PUBLIC.

And while you're at it, get the hell off my lawn.