Older women navigating age stigma: strategies and outcomes

Abstract

Ageism is widespread and is detrimental to wellbeing. Since age discrimination is typically predicated on how a person looks, women often seek to avoid it by concealing their stigmatised aged appearance. This may be problematic because literature demonstrates that concealing a stigma tends to negatively affect psychological constructs, such as felt authenticity. Little research has investigated this outcome in relation to age stigma. The aim of this project was to explore the ways in which women navigate ageism and their own ageing and the potential implications for wellbeing. Taking a critical realist approach and using template thematic analysis, three studies were conducted. They engaged different samples of women to include those with specific (hair-related), high, or general interest in appearance. Two studies used online qualitative surveys. The aim of study 1 (N=80) was twofold; to investigate the motivation of women who ceased dyeing their hair at the risk of increased ageism. It also aimed to explore their experiences of online peer support group membership. Study 2 (N=184) explored the concealment strategies of women with a high interest in appearance. Study 3 (N=17) used interviews to explore in greater depth the experiences of women with mixed interests in appearance. This thesis provides original contributions to knowledge through giving voice to older women whose experiences of ageism in relation to their appearance tend to be absent from the literature. It challenges the existing models of stigma concealment by identifying an alignment of felt authenticity with age stigma concealment. It examines the role of masquerade and proposes hitherto unexamined links between felt authenticity and subjective age. It extends knowledge about the role of stigma-related online peer support to gendered age stigma, which, thus far, has been unexamined. Finally, it identifies older women’s enjoyment despite ageism, which was related to ageing itself and to the aesthetic pleasures afforded by clothes and appearance. I demonstrate the role of concealment and its relationship to felt authenticity, and importance of enjoyment and peer support in older women’s lives. The findings have potential to buffer the detrimental effects of ageism on wellbeing and I suggest ways in which they may be exploited.