"I Have to Listen to This Old Body”: Femininity and the Aging Body

Sylivia Rutagumirwa; Ajay Bailey

doi:10.1093/geront/gnx161

"I Have to Listen to This Old Body”: Femininity and the Aging Body

Sylivia Rutagumirwa, Ajay Bailey

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

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Abstract

Background and Objectives

This study explores how older women with low socioeconomic status living in rural Tanzania give meaning to their (aging) body in relation to the ideals of femininity.

Research Design and Methods

Ten qualitative in-depth interviews and 10 focus group discussions (N = 60) were conducted among women aged 60 and older.

Results

The findings reveal that older women perceive their aging body as “a burden.” This characterization of the body is linked to the inability of the aging body to live up to the women’s gendered lives. The conflict between their physical limitations and the desire to perform gendered tasks (internalized feminine habitus) affect the women’s process of self-identification. This led to emotional distress and subsequently threatened their survival and well-being.

Discussion and Implications

The results suggest that older women need to be supported through interventions that are tailored to their cultural and socioeconomic context.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	368–377
Number of pages	10
Journal	The Gerontologist
Volume	59
Issue number	2
Early online date	13-Oct-2017
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnx161
Publication status	Published - Apr-2019

Keywords

Aging body
Bourdieu capital
African femininity
Poverty
AGE
GENDER
EXPERIENCES
BODIES
MEN

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10.1093/geront/gnx161Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

“I Have to Listen to This Old Body”Final publisher's version, 404 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

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abstract = "Background and ObjectivesThis study explores how older women with low socioeconomic status living in rural Tanzania give meaning to their (aging) body in relation to the ideals of femininity.Research Design and MethodsTen qualitative in-depth interviews and 10 focus group discussions (N = 60) were conducted among women aged 60 and older.ResultsThe findings reveal that older women perceive their aging body as “a burden.” This characterization of the body is linked to the inability of the aging body to live up to the women{\textquoteright}s gendered lives. The conflict between their physical limitations and the desire to perform gendered tasks (internalized feminine habitus) affect the women{\textquoteright}s process of self-identification. This led to emotional distress and subsequently threatened their survival and well-being.Discussion and ImplicationsThe results suggest that older women need to be supported through interventions that are tailored to their cultural and socioeconomic context.",

keywords = "Aging body, Bourdieu capital, African femininity, Poverty, AGE, GENDER, EXPERIENCES, BODIES, MEN",

author = "Sylivia Rutagumirwa and Ajay Bailey",

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"I Have to Listen to This Old Body”: Femininity and the Aging Body

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