Ageism refers to discrimination against people based on their age. It most commonly targets younger and older people. Ageism is similar in nature to racism and sexism in that it discriminates against a particular group. The term "ageism" was first coined in 1967 with the passage of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) in response to widespread job losses among older workers due to age discrimination. While laws like the ADEA have attempted to address age discrimination, it remains a problem as older unemployed individuals still struggle to find work and ageist attitudes persist in media and society.