i’m not sure if this is youngism but one day i was talking with my mom about a famous person who does bad things frequently and refuses to admit it. My mom said “she’s young, let her make mistakes!” like, no? The person is still an adult and her age is not an excuse to the harm she does.
This is youngism that, ironically, seems to stem from/is being framed as trying to be against youngism & adultism.
Yes, people make mistakes - especially when they never learned better. BUT that doesn't excuse them getting away with it. If they're actively causing harm then it absolutely should be called out and they should get educated on it.
Saying "I am/was young" when messing up really only works if by the time it's said the person acknowledged it was wrong and they didn't know better. (aka. it's a reason - not an excuse)
From what you're saying, the person your mother is defending hasn't had that realization yet and is avoiding accountability. Therefore the phrase is more used an excuse (similar to things like "boys will be boys") rather than as an explanation.
