Naslov
Stereotypes and ageism as barriers to active sexual life in older age: a comparison of the USA and Croatia

Autori
Sinković, Matija

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, neobjavljeni rad, znanstveni

Skup
6th CAAS American Studies Workshop

Mjesto i datum
Zadar, Hrvatska, 15.06.2018. - 16.06.2018

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Radionica

Vrsta recenzije
Nije recenziran

Ključne riječi
USA ; Croatia ; older adults ; sexuality ; stereotypes

Sažetak
In Western cultures sexual activities and sexuality in general are usually considered as a domain of young and beautiful, while sex in older age is associated with negative connotations. It is considered inappropriate, shameful, laughable, disgusting, and, as a consequence, nonexistent. This is consistent with a more traditional model of sexuality focused on reproduction, which was dominant through history framing the myth of “asexual old age” and denying sexual expression in older adults. Complementary with the reproduction model of sexuality, aging bodies in youth-oriented Western culture of sexuality are stigmatized as sick and dependent which excludes them from the sexualized world. Until recently, there has been no research on the sexuality of older adults in Croatia and very little research on ageism and age-related stereotypes. On the contrary, American Association of Retired Persons’ survey of midlife and older adults and other research and literature provide important insights into the stereotypes related to the sexuality of older adults in the USA. In this presentation, I will look into these findings and compare them to the preliminary findings from an on-going qualitative study of sexuality and sexual health in Croatia. My focus will be to compare the effects stereotypes have on sexual behavior of older adults.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Sociologija, Interdisciplinarne društvene znanosti, Interdisciplinarne humanističke znanosti

POVEZANOST RADA