Adultism and Ageism

I'll be honest, I really don't know much about the older population. Perhaps it's because I'm ageist. Perhaps it's because of an experience I had when I was about 12. My friend Sheena's mom took us to a nursing home to play our violins and to visit with the folks in the home. The older lady we went to visit with thought that she was still in World War II and was begging us for her brother. She made me cry. I didn't get debriefed about it, it was just really scary to me. I think it turned me off. I haven't sought out any further older population experiences.

But I do have a few things to say about adultism.

I think the biggest concern I have with adultism is a teenager's right to choose. (Sorry... this is where a lot of my experience and interest lies...)

I have three experiences I would like to share.

The first experience is an Objectivist Society lecture I went to on Wednesday night with Dr. Andrew Berstein titled "Pro-Choice is Pro-Life." I was cautioned by my favorite educator to "wear my bullshit goggles," but not knowing anything about Objectivism I thought, "It's about abortion; I'm going."

Wow, was she ever right. This man lectured for an hour about how everyone should have the right to choose their own destiny. Liberals want too much economic regulation, and Conservatives want too much social regulation. He said that Liberals nor Conservatives had the right to intervene in either of those arenas, that we should all just regulate ourselves. But then when someone asked him how he felt about minors having to get consent from their parent or guardian to obtain an abortion, he said he agreed with that law.

I just don't understand how any other person besides the person who is pregnant could be involved in that decision without willing consent from the pregnant party. Hopefully the minor is willing to speak with her parents about it, but maybe she knows what she wants and has other loved ones to speak with. I just felt like that position was so backwards from the 60 minute lecture I had just painfully endured. (He also made a statement about how he thought the state should take away children who are being abused, but he thinks that the government is too involved in economic issues. Not to mention his sexist comments to just about every female that spoke to him. Bullshit goggles need FOR SURE.)

Which leads me to my next experience.

When I interned at Whole Woman's Health, I learned about an agency called Jane's Due Process. Jane's Due Process helps minors receive judicial bypasses for parental consent if they feel their lives would be threatened if they told their parents. This service is given free of charge. I am so glad this service is available, but I just feel sad that girls have to go through all of that, prolonging their unwanted pregnancy and presumably their mental anguish.

I know that is a controversial statement, but I have faith in young girls decisions. Sometimes girls would come to the clinic and their parents would demand the girl had an abortion. Of course abortion clinics will not perform abortions on anyone without the pregnant person's consent. I'm just saying there are two sides to this coin. Some parents don't want their child to have an abortion, and sometimes they try to force it on them. I think the girls are capable of making choices for themselves.

And lastly, totally unrelated to abortion is my own personal relationship with my dad.

My dad has traveled extensively for his job my entire life, so now that he lives in California things are still pretty much the same. We make an effort to catch up every weekend. But I feel like he doesn't really listen. He is proud of everything I am doing, but he doesn't understand. When I won Senate Financial Director of the Year I excitedly texted him. When he called he said, "What's up Senator?" While I know he was trying to be loving, in Senate we don't call ourselves Senators, haha. I guess my point is although I know my dad loves me, cares about me, and supports me 100%, he never really LISTENS or asks for details about what I'm doing.

I guess it's obvious that I related more to the adultism section of this reading, but I look forward to y'all's thoughts on ageism.

Check out my personal blog. My last 2 posts include a recap of UT's White House Young America Series and a personal story about late term abortion.