老年期の女性性に関する一考察

Abstract

This study was performed to explore the femininity of elderly women and address the question of how each woman perceives herself in terms of having a woman's body, using a questionnaire and semi-structured interview. The results indicated that many women tended to feel and recognize the reality of old age because of their physical changes and imperfections, despite thinking that they were younger than their age and regarded by others as such. In addition, how they experienced menopause varied ; some women experienced it affirmatively while others perceived a loss of femininity and pride. Furthermore, it was shown that other physical changes could be experienced after menopause, including deep psychological changes from a feeling that their continuity of self was shaken. It was also shown that some women with female genital diseases experienced it as a wound to their womanly nature, even if they had already finished their generative function. Finally, it was indicated that the women felt sexual impulses in response to men. The femininity of elderly women was shown in abundance.