What’s in a Name? Are We Seniors, Baby Boomers or Something Else?

If there’s one thing that people in their 60s hate, it’s being labelled. After all, we have fought back against stereotypes and boundaries all our lives. Now, as we get a little older, we want to be treated as individuals and tend to reject group names.

At the same time, this does raise an interesting question. What should people call us when they need to refer to us as a group? I’ve struggled with this myself as I write for Sixty and Me. For example, how can you tell someone that a travel article is written just for them, without using “senior travel” in the title?

If someone is talking to us 1-on-1, this is not a problem. The most respectful thing for them to do is simply refer to us by our name. But, we can’t call our generation “the Margaret’s” so what should we call ourselves instead?

The problem with the most common titles is that they come with quite a bit of emotional baggage. “Seniors,” while technically accurate, for those of us older than 60 conjures images of managed care facilities and walking sticks. “Boomers” has a nicer ring to it, but, it seems to say more about our past – how we lived in the 60s and 70s – then the reality of our situation today.

I’d love to hear what you have to say about this. Please the community know what you think in the comments section below. To kick things off, here are a few questions.

What do you think is the most appropriate way for people to talk about men and women over the age of 60? What do you think the terms “senior,” “boomer,” and “biddy?” Please let us know in the comments and “like” and share this article if you found it interesting. The only way that we can keep the conversation going is with your help!