When sexism and ageism interact

This piece aligns with our Intersectionality eBook: A practical guide to creating an inclusive workplace. Researched and written by the Shape Talent team, January 2025.

“The disappearance of middle-aged women from our organisations is enabled through silence” — Dr. Lucy Ryan, author of Revolting Women: Why midlife women are walking out, and what to do about it.

The convergence of ageism and sexism culminates into so-called “gendered ageism”; which is typically a constant throughout a woman’s career – including for young employees at earlier stages in their careers. In fact, women under 30 are almost twice as likely as their male peers of the same age to experience unwanted comments about their age. Moreover, 49% of women under 30 have experienced ageism and describe how it influences their opportunities for advancement — ultimately contributing to the ‘broken rung’ phenomenon.[1] For midlife women – typically considered ages 40 to 55 – gendered ageism continues to systematically marginalise their contributions and limit their career advancement – or even push them out of the workplace altogether.

The “Invisibility” of midlife women

As women age, societal narratives – underpinned by ageist assumptions that are interlocked with sexist stereotypes – about their desirability and value shift, leading to diminishing opportunities in professional spaces. Unlike men, whose experience is often celebrated with age, midlife women frequently feel pushed into the shadows, overlooked for promotions and strategic roles. Ageism has had an uptick since the pandemic (with the number of age discrimination claims brought to employment tribunals having increased by over 30% in England and Wales in 2021), and evidence shows it is undoubtedly a gendered phenomenon. In the same year, findings in a survey by AARP showed that 64% of women aged 40–65 reported experiencing age discrimination in the workplace, significantly more compared to 59% of men. [2] This invisibility extends into quitting, which often happens quietly, as “the disappearance of middle-aged women … is enabled through silence”. [3]

Emotional labour and invisible work

Midlife women are often expected to shoulder additional workplace burdens that go unacknowledged, particularly in terms of emotional labour, so-called “great aunt responsibilities”. [4] This includes mentoring younger colleagues, managing team dynamics, or providing informal emotional support. While this work is critical for team cohesion and organisational culture, it is frequently undervalued and not formally recognised or rewarded.

This additional responsibility can be especially burdensome for midlife women, who may already be managing the demands of family life and personal health issues during a particularly trying life phase. The assumption that women are naturally suited to these roles contributes to the gendered nature of emotional labour, making it harder for women to advance professionally while also bearing the weight of this invisible work.

Midlife age discrimination

Alongside emotional labour, midlife women are also subjected to pervasive stereotypes about their adaptability and ambition. As they age, there is a prevailing assumption that women may be less willing to embrace new technologies or ideas, and that they are less driven to succeed than their younger counterparts. These stereotypes create significant barriers to leadership opportunities. Older women are significantly less likely to receive training, for example in the UK with 51% of those aged 65 and over reporting no training in the past three years, compared to 32% across all age groups.[5] Working part-time presents another obstacle to accessing workplace training. Many midlife and older women work reduced hours due to various responsibilities, such as caring for children and older parents or relatives. The perception that midlife women are “set in their ways” also often leads to their exclusion from projects that require new skills, training or innovative thinking, regardless of their actual capabilities.

Crucially, an intersectional lens also demonstrates how that ageism intersects not only with gender but also with race, amplifying its impact. For Black women and women of colour, this intersection creates a “triple burden” of ageism, racism, and sexism, which can profoundly affect mental health and job satisfaction. A 2022 UK study found that while older White British and Black British individuals encounter job limitations and reduced pay compared to younger White counterparts, Black British women face the highest levels of age-related discrimination. [6]

Ambition vs. challenges and lack of accommodation

Midlife is often a particularly critical juncture for women’s careers, marked by a convergence of biological, social, and psychological transformations. Challenges such as menopause, older motherhood, and caring for ageing parents, which typically follow traditional gendered caregiving patterns, create a perfect storm of responsibilities. In the UK 80% of women experience menopause during their working lives, with symptoms ranging from hot flushes to sleep disturbances, fatigue, depression and even impaired memory.  With symptoms that can seriously limit workplace performance and wellbeing, menopause further converges with the barriers women face. Yet, although menopause is a workplace health issue with serious implications, workplaces fail to provide adequate support and adjustments.[7]

However, challenges such as menopause do not equate to a woman’s desire to exit their careers. On the contrary, 70% of midlife women surveyed in the UK want to advance upward.[8] This desire for career progression underscores the rejection of the decline narrative often associated with ageing women.

Recommendations

Adopt an anti-age discrimination approach

• Integrate age into EDI initiatives: Include ageism, and its intersections with sexism, as a focus area in your EDI strategies. Use data to uncover disparities in promotions, pay, and training affecting older women and nonbinary employees. Revise communications and training to educate about how age and gender stereotypes combine to create interlocking biases.
• Revise recruitment and promotion practices: Update job descriptions to avoid language that implies age preference, such as “digital native.” Highlight the value of diverse experiences, and ensure hiring panels are trained to recognise and counteract age and gender biases. Consider anonymised CVs and skills-based hiring to reduce discrimination.

Address the silent departure (Midlife Employee Attrition)

• Conduct regular check-ins and career discussions: Establish structured conversations to uncover the unique challenges faced by midlife employees, particularly women and gender-diverse individuals. Use these to offer tailored support for career progression or transitions.
• Implement a menopause policy: Develop a comprehensive menopause policy that acknowledges the physical, emotional, and psychological impacts of menopause on employees, particularly women. Ensure that employees can access support, such as flexible working arrangements and private spaces for rest. The policy should also educate managers about the symptoms of menopause and provide guidance on how to support affected employees.
• Monitor and evaluate workplace culture: Gather feedback on why midlife employees, especially women, might be disengaging or leaving. Share insights with leadership to address specific triggers, such as lack of flexible work or under-recognition of contributions. Highlight success stories of midlife employees to foster a culture of retention.

Tackle the myths about productivity

• Promote flexible work arrangements: Position flexible working as the norm. These measures help dismantle myths about declining productivity in older workers.
• Use data to challenge stereotypes: Regularly share data and case studies that show the value and productivity of employees across all ages. Incorporate this into leadership training to challenge stereotypes and promote an age-inclusive mindset.

References

[1] https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/women-in-the-workplace
[2] https://employerportal.aarp.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/value-of-experience-age-discrimination-highlights_doi_10_26419-2Fres_00177_002.pdf
[3] https://shapetalent.com/gendered-ageism-understanding-midlife-women-leave-corporates/#:~:text=As%20Dr.,organisations%20is%20enabled%20through%20silence%E2%80%9D.&text=And%2C%20when%20lawsuits%20or%20criticisms,to%20address%20midlife%20women’s%20needs.
[4] https://books.google.no/books/about/Revolting_Women.html?id=9xmHEAAAQBAJ&redir_esc=y
[5] https://www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/Age_Immaterial_Women_Over_50_Report_2014_LR.pdf
[6] https://www.iza.org/publications/dp/15567/a-field-study-of-age-discrimination-in-the-workplace-the-importance-of-gender-and-race-pay-the-gap
[7] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/no-time-to-step-back-the-governments-menopause-employment-champion/no-time-to-step-back-the-governments-menopause-employment-champion
[8] https://books.google.no/books/about/Revolting_Women.html?id=9xmHEAAAQBAJ&redir_esc=y

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