Humber College is committed to fostering a respectful and inclusive culture in which all members of the College community study, work and live free from discrimination and harassment. To this end, it is imperative that we understand the definition of key equity terms that will enrich our capacity to prevent all forms of harassment and discrimination. The Centre for Human Rights, Equity & Diversity will be providing definitions of key terms and concepts pertinent to our work in building a more inclusive College.
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Key Terms |
Definitions |
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Age |
In the Ontario Human Rights Code, “age” is defined as being 18 years or older, or age 16 or older in housing if you have withdrawn from parental control. The Ontario Human Rights Code protects people from discrimination under the ground of age in the five (5) social areas: accommodation (housing); contracts; employment; goods, services and facilities; and membership in unions, trade or professional associations. (Source: Ontario Human Rights Commission, Policy on discrimination against older people because of age) |
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Ageism |
According to the Ontario Human Rights Commission, “[a]geism refers to a socially constructed way of thinking about older persons based on negative stereotypes about aging as well as a tendency to structure society as though everyone is young. Ageism refers primarily to attitudinal barriers while age discrimination encompasses actions, namely treating someone in an unequal fashion due to age.” (Source: Ontario Human Rights Commission, Policy on discrimination against older people because of age) From an intersectional perspective, it is important to note that the experience of ageism and age discrimination may differ based on other components of a person’s identity. For instance, certain groups of older persons may experience unique barriers because of their age combined with their gender, disability, sexual orientation, race, colour, ethnicity, religion, culture and language. |
Recommended Readings
- Ontario Human Rights Commission - Policy on discrimination against older people because of age
- Wittenberg-Cox, A. (2020). Who Is Knitting Europe Together? 3 Smart Women
- City of Toronto - Anti-Ageism in the Workplace
- Lindzon, J. (2019). The insidious effects of ageism in the workplace
