Older women's relations to bodily appearance: the embodiment of social and biological conditions of existence

Abstract

Our purpose in this paper is to explore and deepen the understanding of older women's relations to bodily appearance by looking at two different conditions of existence. Recent research has touched on the experiences of older women in societies with youthful norms of beauty, but the diversity of older women's experiences has been little explored, and there has been little dialogue between theoretical writing and empirical research on the topic. It was therefore decided to conduct an empirical study of older women's relations to bodily appearance, applying Pierre Bourdieu's sociological theory and particularly the concept of habitus to the body. Qualitative, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 51 francophone women aged 65 to 75 years from working-class and affluent neighbourhoods of Montréal (Québec, Canada). The findings showed clearly that, despite the social differentiation associated with variations in economic and cultural capital, older women's relations to bodily appearance converged as they aged. Two previously unidentified and overlapping processes of attitudinal change were recognised: (1) differentiation by social class, and (2) convergence with increasing age. In conclusion, we discuss the embodiment of women's social and biological conditions of existence in the context of personal ageing. The notion of age-habitus is introduced to explain how older women maintain their social value in the context of omnipresent youthful ideals of beauty for western women.

“Yes, I worry about my weight … but for the most part I'm content with my body”: Older Women's Body Dissatisfaction Alongside Contentment

“…Similar to younger populations, older women are generally dissatisfied with their weight and body shape and are preoccupied with dieting and weight loss (Allaz, Bernstein, Rouget, Archinard, & Morabia, 1998;Clarke, 2002;Tiggemann, 2004). The research that has begun to address older women's body image, however, suggests that their attitudes, priorities, and the outcomes of poor body image are different than for younger women and girls (Dumas, Laberge, & Straka, 2005;Ferraro et al, 2008;Halliwell & Dittmar, 2003). The current study was designed to address gaps in the literature by exploring older women's body image using qualitative methods to allow for a broad, multidimensional definition of body image.…”

“…While some researchers have begun to explore body image among older women (e.g., Clarke, 2002;Dumas et al, 2005;Ferraro et al, 2008), the experience of body image in a mature woman's life is a complex concept, and many aspects are still unclear. Using meta-analysis, Tiggemann (2004) concluded that, in general, women's overall level of body satisfaction remains relatively stable across the life course.…”

Older Women and Everyday Talk about the Ageing Body

“…Clarke's (2001) qualitative interview study in anthropology used grounded theory and produced a model of the ageing body as an older outer shell with an inner younger identity, the 'mask of ageing' (Featherstone & Hepworth, 1991). Using the ideas of the French sociologist Bourdieu (1984), who talked about bodily dispositions in terms of both physical and social capital acquired from the individual's immediate social and cultural context, Dumas, Laberge and Straka (2005) consider how the 'ageing capital' of older women can influence their experiences of growing older.…”

Expanding the Agenda for Research on the Physically Active Aging Body

“…Consequently, recent years have witnessed a growing commitment to "bring the body back." This has certainly been so in the wider field of gerontology (e.g., Dumas, Laberge & Straka, 2005;Gilleard & Higgs, 2000;Grenier, 2005;Hurd, 2000;Paulson & Willig, 2008;Twigg, 2000) and also the sport and health sciences literature (e.g., Cox & Thompson, 2000;Hockey & Allen Collinson, 2007;Monaghan, 2001;Sparkes, Partington, & Brown, 2007). Curiously, what appears to be lagging is a perspective that spans both of these fields-that is, the embodiment of aging and physical activity.…”