Ageism is the quiet prejudice that sidelines people not for their ability, but for the number of years they’ve lived.
We talk about racism, sexism, class divides, but ageism quietly slips under the radar. It’s the bias of judging someone not for what they can do, but for how many birthdays they’ve had. Too young? You’re brushed aside as ‘immature.’ Too old? You’re written off as ‘past your prime.’ In reality, both ends of the spectrum are capable of far more than these labels allow. Ageism isn’t about talent or experience – it’s about perception. And in Pakistan, that perception runs deep, shaping how people are treated at home, at work, and even onscreen.
Ageism in Pakistan
In Pakistan, this bias shows up in ways we hardly notice, yet it runs deep. Our ageing population is increasing every year, but older people are still trapped in limited images – fragile, dependent, or irrelevant to modern life. Their wisdom, resilience, and lifelong contributions are rarely acknowledged. On the other end, younger voices are often silenced simply because of their age. This two-sided bias shrinks the space for both young and old, reducing people to stereotypes that have nothing to do with their true worth.
Ageism often begins in our own households. Elders are told, ‘Ab aap samajh nahin saktay, chhor dein‘, as if age automatically cancels out their judgment. Families make big decisions without consulting them, assuming they’re out of touch. This quietly strips older people of agency, when in reality their lived experiences could add valuable perspective. On the other side, young family members are dismissed with lines like, ‘Tumhe zindagi ka kya pata, abhi chhote ho.’ Their voices are muted even when they bring fresh energy and new ways of thinking. At home, both generations end up unheard, one because of “too many years,” the other because of “too few.”
The workplace isn’t any different. Younger employees are often the ones who suffer when older colleagues, seen as ‘resistant to change’ or dismissed with comments like ‘Naye tareeqay samajh nahin aate inko’, continue to hold decision-making positions. At the same time, no matter how skilled they are, young professionals are told, ‘Abhi tum tayyar nahin ho’. This kind of thinking robs organizations of balance — the innovation younger employees bring and the seasoned perspective of older ones. Workplaces that break these barriers and build age-diverse teams are stronger, more creative, and better able to adapt. But until the stereotypes go, many offices will keep running on assumptions rather than ability.
Ageism in Entertainment and Media Narratives
Entertainment holds a special power because it reflects and shapes what society believes. And here, ageism plays out in the most glaring ways. Youth is often glorified as the only currency of relevance, while ageing is treated almost like a weakness. On-screen, men can continue to hold leading roles well into their 40s and 50s, but women are quietly edged out once they cross a certain age. The imbalance is obvious: storylines overwhelmingly revolve around the young, while older characters, when shown, are usually slotted into predictable roles – the parent, the elder, or the background figure.
This isn’t just about casting choices, it’s about the narratives being created. Ageism in entertainment disproportionately targets women. While men often continue to land leading roles well into their 40s and 50s, women are quietly sidelined once they cross a certain age. The imbalance is striking: men are allowed to age on screen with dignity, while women are treated as if their relevance has an expiry date. This isn’t just a local issue. Hollywood too has long been criticized for glorifying men as they age while shrinking opportunities for women. When screens fail to show strong, central roles for people in their 30s, 40s, and beyond, they reinforce the idea that ageing reduces worth. It also deprives audiences of the richness of real life, where women lead companies in their 40s, men reinvent themselves at 50, and people at all ages continue to love, struggle, and grow. Writers and producers need to move past these outdated formulas and create space for fuller, more authentic stories.
Emma Thompson once revealed she was told she was “too old” to play Hugh Grant’s love interest in Sense and Sensibility, despite being only a couple of years older than him. Cameron Diaz, too, spoke about how turning 40 in Hollywood made her feel “no longer valuable,” eventually stepping away from acting because of the industry’s bias against women ageing. These examples show how deeply entrenched the double standard is: men keep their leading roles, while women are stripped of theirs far earlier, not because of talent, but because of age.
What we need is not just token inclusion of older faces, but a genuine shift in perspective: stories where people of all ages are shown as leaders, dreamers, and decision-makers. When the media normalizes this, it doesn’t just change entertainment , it changes how society views ageing itself. And that shift matters, because ageism doesn’t only silence actors or workers, it silences whole chapters of human life.
Sources: American Psychological Association, Dawn Images, Glory Magazine, FAID
