The Anti-aging Practices of the Elderly and their Gendered Implications

• Main Authors: Yun-Hwa Lin, 林韻華
• Other Authors: Ming-Li Chen
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/78471987479460271222

碩士 === 世新大學 === 性別研究所 === 99 === Most of the research on body issues has focused on young women’s body image and their gendered implications. The experiences of aging bodies were relatively less concerned. This research attempts to explore how elderly people are involved in the physical activities of exercises and the interrelationships between ageism, youth myth and agency. The data were collected by qualitative in-depth interviews with 6 women and 5 men, aged from 57 to 84. All informants have ever participated in a swimming club for several years. Through physiological changes or recessions, wrinkles and age-spots, the elderly become aware of the aging of their own bodies. On one hand, they understand and believe the inevitability of aging as part of the natural being. On the other hand, they cling on the hope for postponing the process, which becomes one of the reasons and drives for the elderly to exercise while diet control is often engaged simultaneously. Furthermore, exercising can be seen as a gendered practice. Especially when in most of the cases, the idea of being in good physical condition, or the so-called 'good shape', is rather rigid and restrained to the conventional gender images: men are strong and muscular while women are slender. In spite of the social and personal expectations for ideal physical images, the elder people are actually able to adjust their standards of a preferred self image knowing the possible imperfection of reality. As years go by, through exercise as a gendered practice, the elderly hold dialogues, negotiate and compromise with their aging bodies.