Ashton Applewhite is an author, speaker and anti-ageism activist. Rachel discovered her work about three years ago and has been quoting her daily ever since. Ashton got a standing ovation when she did a main stage Ted talk called Let's End Ageism. She was invited to speak at the UN. She's recently republished her book This Chair Rocks, A Manifesto Against Ageism.

In this amazing interview we talk about:

• How Ashton never had a life plan or knew what she wanted to be
• Why we worship youth in Anglo-Saxon cultures
• The lack of products and services for older people
• How we often don't like to identify as being in midlife or older
• How facing the ageing monsters is useful
• How fears about ageing are totally out of proportion to reality
• Our attitudes towards ageing affect how we age
• The U-Curve of Happiness
• How midlife is a time of reckoning
• How ageism starts between our ears
• How we need to be more generous towards each other and ourselves
• When we compete to stay young we reinforce ageism, sexism and the patriarchy
• How raising consciousness about ageing and ageism is key
• Why we should be able to compete for 100% of the seats at any table
• How to stop reinforcing the shame associated with ageing
• Being aware of intersectionality when considering prejudice
• The importance of language relating to age
• Ashton's knees and not blaming non-age related issues on age
• Continuing the movement

And lots more!

Resources​

Ashton's website where you can find out about her appearances, how to set up a conscious raising group and lots of other great stuff.

You can watch her Ted talk here.

Ashton's Book