Sexuality in old age
When we talk about ageism, we are referring to discrimination against people because of their age. This bias affects both young people–who may suffer the consequences of adultcentrism–and older people.
Let's focus on the latter. Some studies have shown that biases against older people create negative stereotypes. Some terms used to describe them include: passive, slow, sad, quiet and other words linked to cognitive impairment and illnesses.
Following this line, the negative connotations found in the results of a particular Spanish research do not come as a surprise. Researchers chose undergraduates studying to become primary school teachers as their subjects. When asked about sexuality and beauty, 82% of all survey respondents stated that those were exclusive to youth, while almost 90% of them tied sexuality to reproductive purposes…
If your feminism isn't intergenerational, then I don't care for it
Feminism in Argentina has a very long history. Its earliest records date from around the late 19th Century. The rise of anarchy and socialism motivated our first pioneers: Virginia Bolten, Julieta Lanteri and Juana Rouco Buela, among many others of their time.
In 2015, protests became massive in Buenos Aires after the first #NiUnaMenos (#NotOneWomanLess). Feminist demands for expanded rights and better public policy could no longer be ignored. In this context, young women with creative posters and glittery makeup became the front image of a fight that, after a century simmering, finally reached its boiling point.
For that reason, it's essential that we do not forget those women who dedicated their lives to this cultural battle in much lonelier social contexts. Publicly standing up against the patriarchy in the previous century was not the same as doing it today.
Let's show our appreciation for all our predecessor women who passed on to us their legacy and their achievements for a more egalitarian society!
Whose revolution is it?
Some time after the publication of the book “La revolución de las hijas” (“The Revolution of the Daughters”), written by journalist Luciana Peker, an intense debate raged in Twitter. The controversy centred on how elder women were being erased as subjects of feminism in Argentina.
In the following year, Gabriela Cerruti published “La revolución de las viejas” (“The Revolution of Old Women”). Cerruti currently works as president Alberto Fernández's spokesperson and has a long-standing career as a journalist, writer, professor and congresswoman.
Cerruti's text highlights the need to reflect about old age: what kind of life can you expect to have once you have reached 60? In this line, she outlines public actions and policies considering how to make the most of this long part of life, how to enjoy the amazing achievement of modern society that is longevity and how to own solitude, voluntarily chosen or not.
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