Age discrimination is no laughing matter

Dear Amy: I’m a woman working in a very woman-dominated profession, as a registered nurse.

I enjoy nursing and working with patients. I work mostly with other women.

Some of these women are immature. Their ages range from 30 to late 40s. I am older.

I generally focus on my job and have been successful at ignoring their rude comments.

I heard them commenting about my appearance; they referred to me as “lunch lady.”

I was extremely hurt. I haven’t mentioned this to anyone.

How can I just let go of this? I just started back in therapy. I am already sensitive about my age.

Your advice? — Upset and Embarrassed

Dear Upset: First, a word about “lunch ladies.” Using this phrase as a mocking insult demeans other working women, who are (also) deserving of respect.

I hope you will address this issue with your therapist, your supervisor at work, and these immature “mean girls,” who need a course correction.

You interpret their remark as discriminatory bullying.

I hope you will find appropriate ways to respond. They should be called out. A more useful emotional response might be: “I’m not going to take it anymore.”

A response you might rehearse that will telegraph your own ire, but reflect your own professionalism is: “I suggest you get back to providing care for our patients.” And document the episode and report it to your supervisor.

They might deride this as a very “lunch lady” way to behave, to which you should think to yourself: “Yes! And you’ve been served.”