Reconceptualizing cultural narratives of mature women's sexuality in the Viagra era

Type of content
Journal Article
Thesis discipline
Degree name
Publisher
University of Canterbury. School of Language, Social and Political Sciences
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Language
Date
2007
Authors
Vares, T.
Potts, A.
Gavey, N.
Grace, V.M.
Abstract

To date, women's accounts of sexuality and sexual changes in mid-later life have been neglected by both feminists and gerontologists. In addition, women's responses to male partners' use of sexuopharmaceuticals such as Viagra (as a “solution" for erectile changes affecting older men) have received little attention. This paper reports on a New Zealand-based research which involved in-depth interview with 27 women, in mid-later life, who were partners of men that used Viagra. We analyse the accounts of 15 women who discussed changes/‘improvements' in their sexuality over the life course and with their partners' use of Viagra. Central to the accounts we present is an articulation of an active and desirous female sexuality in mid-later life. These narratives, we suggest, not only challenge the culture stereotype of mid-later life sexual decline for women, but also open up new spaces for feminist theorizing of heterosexuality and changing experiences of heterosexuality across the course.

Description
Citation
Vares, T., Potts, A., Gavey, N. and Grace, V.M. (2007) Reconceptualizing cultural narratives of mature women's sexuality in the Viagra era. Journal of Aging Studies, 21(2), pp. 153-164.
Keywords
Women's sexuality, Aging, Heterosexuality, Gender, Viagra
Ngā upoko tukutuku/Māori subject headings
ANZSRC fields of research
Field of Research::17 - Psychology and Cognitive Sciences::1701 - Psychology::170105 - Gender Psychology
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