The Age Old Question: Challenging Ageism for Women at Every Stage of Life

Last Thursday, 100 women gathered at Yotel Edinburgh for a powerful and thought-provoking event titled "The Age Old Question". The question? Ageism - and how it affects women across all stages of life, from early careers to retirement to everything in between.

Hosted by Kelly Ling, the panel consisted of 4 inspiring women, including:

• Elin Williamson - Head of Business Growth and Inclusion at City of Edinburgh Council

• Mercy Abel - Award winning Marketer and Early Careers Specialist

• Susan Hewlett - Brand and Marketing Director at St James Quarter

• Gayle Templeton - Human Resources Director

Susan Hewlett, Mercy Abel & Gayle Templeton on stage (2025)

The morning opened with a moment that captured the absurdity of age-based assumptions, as Kelly recalled a business contact saying to her “I have underwear older than you.” And while funny, it was a telling example of how youth can be dismissed in professional settings. Susan shared her own experience of being told she was “too young to be in charge of a development,” highlighting how ageism isn’t just about being older—it’s about being judged as either too young or too old to be taken seriously!

And that’s the problem with age discrimination – it is rarely taken seriously. Women face this issue not only at the beginning of their careers, but also in the middle stages when being viewed through the bias of potential maternity leaves. And as they mature, the dreaded menopause subject enters the arena. The maiden, mother and crone, facing discrimination at every stage!

With five generations now active in the workplace, the conversation around age needs to evolve. It was depressing to hear that many mature women feel the need to reduce the amount of experience on their CV just to appear younger when applying for jobs. It’s a stark reminder of how age can become a barrier, even when experience should be an asset.

The media industry was called out for its lack of age diversity: only 8% of employees are over 50, compared to 33% in the wider workforce. This disparity raises questions about representation, opportunity, and the value placed on experience within media.

So how do we move the conversation forward? We need to continually check our own bias – whether hiring, mentoring or collaborating. We need to harness the value of those with more experience and try different approaches like reverse mentoring, and the brilliant idea of implementing phased retirements with the opportunity to coach younger staff.

And what should we do when we face age discrimination? We should call it out on every occasion. If you don’t get the job and you think age was a factor, then request full feedback. Don’t be afraid to open the conversation around menopause policies in the workplace. Lead with your experience and don’t shy away from your years of knowledge and highlight them as strengths.

Ultimately, the event was a call to action: to rethink how we view age, to value experience, and to create workplaces where women of all ages can thrive. Ageism may be an age-old question, but the answers are evolving—and it’s up to all of us to keep the conversation going.