LONDON, Feb 5 — Few artists draw crowds like Taylor Swift. Her Eras Tour drew hundreds of thousands of spectators, becoming the most lucrative tour in history, grossing more than US$2 billion. Yet, according to some fans, attending one of her shows is not for everyone, since there’s an appropriate age to go and see the American superstar on stage.

A survey* by the Age Without Limits campaign reveals that 24 per cent of adults in England think it’s “embarrassing” to see people over 50 attending shows by current pop stars such as Taylor Swift or Dua Lipa. This ageist prejudice is particularly prevalent among 25-34 year-olds (40 per cent) and men (27 per cent).

Similarly, a third of people (31 per cent) believe that those aged 50-60 should always dress appropriately for their age. This opinion is even more pronounced among 25-34 year-olds, nearly half of whom (47 per cent) feel that the over-50s should adapt their style of dress to their age. By contrast, only 23 per cent of 55-64 year-olds share this view.

No more crop tops, miniskirts or tight-fitting clothes after a certain age, then. Social norms expect the over-50s to adapt their clothing style to avoid being ridiculed for trying to look like something they’re not, i.e., young.

The idea would be to dress “age-appropriately,” without falling into the trap of looking too old-fashioned or outdated. This precarious balance between “too young” and “too old” hinders the freedom of choice and action of people over 50, especially women, who are far more exposed to sartorial pressures or judgments than their male counterparts.

The survey also reveals that 34 per cent of those polled think that people over 50 should slow down when it comes to certain physical activities. Alarmingly, these stereotypes are more pronounced among young people: 25-34 year-olds are up to four times more likely to judge their elders’ leisure activities negatively.

This attitude is not insignificant. It reflects a reductive perception of ageing and fosters the idea that certain pleasures are the prerogative of youth. With age, many people are forced to give up activities that were close to their hearts, thus limiting their personal fulfilment.

“As we age, we might encounter health, wealth or other barriers but ageism should never restrict us from wearing the clothes we want to wear, the music we want to listen to, the activities we want to do or the aspirations we set ourselves,” says Dr Carole Easton OBE, Chief Executive at the Centre for Ageing Better, quoted in a news release.

In a world where the boundaries between generations are becoming increasingly blurred, why should the over-50s stick to leisure activities deemed “of their age?” Combating ageism is not limited to the world of work or to the representation of seniors in the public arena. It also means recognising the obvious: enjoyment, whether musical, fashionable or sporting, should never be a matter of age. — ETX Studio

*This survey was carried out between December 12 and 17, 2024 among 2,057 people over the age of 18 living in England.