I am petite; I am 5ft 3 inches; I am small; I look much younger than I actually am. That is something good in my opinion, especially in the young obsessed culture that we live in… but over the past week, I have been bombarded with, are you 17? You look so young!… looking young/younger than you actually are is a good thing, everywhere… except your place of employment.
The young obsessed culture has not yet reached the workplace. People in most professions prefer to see an older, more “mature” looking person handling their affairs. People equate inexperience and inadequacy to young and experience and know- how to older, more “mature” people… this pisses me off!
For heaven’s sake, don’t judge based on how I look judge me based on the quality of work I produce. If I don’t do a good job, then by all means, crucify me, but don’t assume that I am inexperienced and do not know what I am doing simply because I look “younger”!… There have been conversations about the issues women already have in the workplace, the struggles we have and how hard we have to work to prove ourselves, even harder than our male counterpart. Conversations have been around about race discrimination and breaking the glass ceiling, but enough is not being said about age discrimination.
Age discrimination in the workplace is a reality and affects so many, myself included. I have been passed over for a promotion of which I posses the right qualification and experience just because I look too young. Young professionals have to struggle to get ahead and get the jobs we want and are qualified for, but do not get, we have to wait until we are much older because we do not look the part… So now the challenges I face in the workplace are doubled,… I am a woman and I am young!…
Sound off, what is your opinion on this issue? Have you been affected by age discrimination?
Simply Marvia 
4 responses to “What’s Wrong with Looking Young?”
This is a very important topic and we as young adults need to discuss this, because that type of discrimination does exist and it can get worst if you are more qualified than your manager/supervisor & colleagues. I look young as well & my hair is natural, someone said I look 17 lol and its fine. I too face(d) discrimination at work especially being that I am a woman and I am more qualified than my colleagues. As you age in life your priorities will change/adjust as well, so you will need a job that pays appropriately in order for you to live life comfortably and make your ends meet. Its not right to be held back because you look young, its not your fault you have good genetics and it will not & should not stop you from learning new tasks & getting the job done and get paid fairly for it as well. Not certain what is going on but dem sound backwards hun. I will pray about the situation & I know God will change it. Remember to put your trust in God and not in man.
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Age discrimination is very prevalent, but many people shy away form talking about about of simply do not care. I am one of the most qualified in my department, and i am the youngest. People care not or second guess you because you look young. It is hard and pisses me off on a daily basis. but i am growing professionally and i am learning to not let it get to me, and see it as a learning experience, preparing me for bigger better things.
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It makes sense , what this post is about, and i can understand the challenges, but in my case its not so…. at all. i think its cause am a big bodied woman, with an even bigger ass…my problems lies on the side of sexual harassment!!! with both man and women and their eyes!!!! gosh!!!
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Yeah, I guess we all have some sort of issues dealing with! But if you feel uncomfortable, you should talk to your boss, sexual harassment is not becoming! and if that doesnt work, maybe you’ll have to check those who are checking you!
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