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Conforming or opposing the stereotypes? A study of the sexuality of Croatian older adults

This study examines the impact of stereotypes on the sexuality of Croatian older adults. Through in-depth interviews, the research seeks to understand the stereotypes encountered, the internalized attitudes, and the effects on sexual expression. The findings shed light on the need to challenge and change these stereotypes to promote healthy sexual aging.

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Conforming or opposing the stereotypes? A study of the sexuality of Croatian older adults

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  1. Conforming or opposing the stereotypes? A study of the sexuality of Croatian older adults Matija Sinković Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb Department of Sociology msinkovic@ffzg.hr Healthysexualaging project - financed by the Norwegian Research Council 2016-2019

  2. Stereotypes and aging • Beliefs about older adults as a generalized group • Stereotype embodiment theory: effects on behaviour, physical outcomes, cognitive and mental health (Levy, 2009; Mesiner & Levy 2011) • Normative barriers to Sexual expression • Sexual activity associated with well being • Sexuality: negative attitudes about attractiveness in old age (Löckenhoff et al., 2009) • The asexuality stereotype • “The oldie stereotype”: successful aging?

  3. Aging and sexuality stereotypes • Older adults are asexual or not interested in sexual relations. • Older adults who demonstrate an interest in sex are abnormal. • It is acceptable for older men to marry younger women but not forolder women to marry younger men. • Older men who engage in sexual relationships are considered virile yetlecherous. • Older women who engage in sex are considered amoral or abnormal because it is assumed they lose interest in sex after menopause. • Older persons should be segregated by gender in nursing homes toavoid problems for staff and criticism from family and communitymembers. (Huffstetler, 2006)

  4. Stereotypes – are they there? • All of the restrictive seterotypes above are found in: • Older research • Media analysis • Healthcare providers • Institutional policies • Newer studies on attitudes toward aging sexuality: • Moderately permissive and positive attitudes • Men have highest sexual stigma scores regardless of age (Syme & Cohn, 2017)

  5. STEREOTYPES OF AGING AND SEXUALITY IN CROATIAN OLDER ADULTS • Stereotypes older adults encounter • Stereotypic attitudes they have internalised • Reaction to stereotypes, effects on sexual expression • 33 in-depth, semi-structured interviews • Duration 1 – 2 hours • Recruitment: retirement homes, gerontology centres, Red Cross, happenings for older adults, NGO-s, leaflets, posters, lectures • Sub-sample: 10 interviews, (6 female, 4 male) • Thematic analysis

  6. General remarks • Participants do not talk about sterotypes • Openess • Resilience to trauma • Lack of working class • Generation gap • Accessibility of information • Traumatic experiences of women • Homosexuality

  7. Some quotes 1 "...No, my God, no way ... I cannot imagine older [people] having intercourse, how can they use their old, flabby bodies, really...“ (Female, 82) "The other side, man is watching out, if he hears [my] years over the phone, then I am old for him. And he is 75! But when he hears 69, he sees a barrel! ... One guy asked me: "Pretty please, how do you look? I don't want a barrel by my side.“ (Female, 69) "I know many men can't accept it, I just think it is the natural course of life, someone dies and someone loses [desire]” (Male, 67)

  8. Some quotes 2 “ I am at check-up and he [GP] says: “Well, you don’t have a partner anyways. And I was in a relationship at the time: “Who says I don’t have a partner!?” (Female , 79) And the guy [doctor] was confused, “what do you want why do you complain anyways! You have sugar [diabetes] and you are still sexually active! What do you want?” (Male, 67) I mostly don’t talk about sex, I do it my way. I know younger think we old ones don’t need sex, but we do. You’ll see one day. (Female, 73)

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