LA Times: Prof. Keefe Calls Out Nikki Haley’s “Grumpy Old Men” Campaign for Ageism
Nikki Haley’s viral “Grumpy Old Men” campaign pokes fun at the ages of President Biden and former President Trump, causing many to question whether these tactics are ageist. Prof. Bronwyn Keefe from BU School of Social Work shared her expertise on why society considers mocking the aging socially acceptable, but previous attacks on people with disabilities unacceptable.
Excerpt from “Is Nikki Haley’s ‘Grumpy Old Men’ Campaign Fair Play, or a Cheap Shot?” by Steve Lopez:
‘It makes me think about that time when Trump was making fun of a person with a disability, and there was a real outpouring of “this is not OK.” There isn’t that same outpouring when somebody makes fun of somebody who’s stumbling and is portrayed as an old fumbling adult,’ Keefe said.
You’d expect a sharp satirical take from ‘Saturday Night Live’ on the age of presidential candidates, Keefe said, but in the context of a campaign attack ad, it’s ‘pejorative and harmful.’
While it’s OK to talk about mental acuity, Keefe said, ‘age is an arbitrary kind of thing in many ways,’ with people living longer and more productive lives and starting new chapters at what was once considered the washed-up age of 65.”