Digital Divide, Ageism, and Harmful Stereotypes in Social Work

First-level digital divide

Lacking access to the internet or devices

Second-level digital divide

Having access to technology but lacking the skills or support to use it well

Digital exclusion

Being left out of services due to a lack of tech access

Access vs. usability

Just having access doesn't mean it's effective or helpful

Carceral logic

Using control or punishment to respond to problems instead of care

Structural racism

When systems disproportionately harm communities of color

Ageism

Discrimination or assumptions based on someone's age

Strong Black Woman stereotype

The idea that Black women must always be strong and self-sacrificing

Internalized pressure

Feeling the need to push through struggles without asking for help

Racial microaggressions

Subtle insults or stereotypes based on race

Myth of 'real rape'

The false idea that rape only counts if it is violent and by a stranger

Normalization

Treating harmful behavior as acceptable or not serious

Institutional betrayal

When a trusted system fails to protect someone who is harmed

Systemic neglect

When people are excluded or harmed because of how a system is built

Respectability politics

Feeling pressure to act a certain way to gain respect from the dominant culture

Example of Racial Microaggressions

Jessica noted that realtors and contractors assumed she was uninformed because she was a Black woman.

Social Work Response to Microaggressions

Educate professionals on implicit bias, validate clients' experiences, and intervene when microaggressions occur.

Thornton's Key Argument on Ageism

What we call 'myths of aging' are often just ageist stereotypes in disguise.

Common Stereotypes of Older Adults

Older adults are senile or mentally slow.

Additional Stereotypes of Older Adults

They are unproductive, lonely, or sexless.

Learning and Adaptation Stereotype

They can't learn new things or adapt to change.

Myths of Aging

Are based on false generalizations and ignore the diversity of aging experiences.

Influence of Myths on Treatment

Influence how older adults are treated in healthcare, employment, and media.

Self-fulfilling Prophecies

Can shape how older people see themselves.

Cognitive Science Insight

Our brains naturally create categories and stereotypes to make sense of the world.

Harmful Categories

When categories are based on fear or misinformation, they become harmful.

Language and Ageism

Language like 'greedy geezers' or 'golden oldies' may reinforce ageist frames.

Example of Ageism in Employment

An older adult is denied a job interview because the employer assumes they're 'too old to learn new tech.'

Social Work Response to Ageism

Educate employers, advocate for anti-discrimination policies, and empower older adults to assert their rights.

Normalization in Thornton's Argument

Ageist stereotypes are disguised as 'myths' framed as common knowledge.

Metaphors and Ageism

Metaphors shape cultural expectations of decline, embedding ageism into everyday thought.

Institutional Normalization

Policies often assume dependency based on age, reinforcing the idea that aging equals burden.

Impact of Internalizing Myths

When older adults internalize normalized myths, it can negatively affect their health, confidence, and social participation.

Social Work Response to 'Real Rape' Myth

Educate staff on trauma-informed definitions of sexual violence.

Normalization in Job Interviews

An older adult is denied a job interview based on ageist assumptions.

Social Work Response to Respectability Politics

Affirm Jessica's expertise and autonomy.