Från fula gubbar och liderliga gummor till virila casanovor och glada änkor?

Om 1900-talets förändrade synsätt på äldres sexualitet

Abstract

Two lines of thoughts have historically characterised the understanding of sexuality in old age in Western society. On the one hand elderly persons sexuality have been portrayed in literature and dramas since the antiquity and onwards. However these images have often been negative, ridiculing sexuality in late life. On the other hand old age has been associated with asexuality – philosophers, and other intellectuals as well as religious authorities have often articulated this position. In addition you may say that the asexual standpoint generally has been positively charged. Nevertheless attitudes towards sexuality in old age began to change in the midst of the 20th century. This is for instance apparent in works from sexology, not the least the Kinsey reports (1948, 1953), but also Masters’ and Johnson’s publications from the 1960s. During the 1960s a book that specifically dealt with old age and sexuality was published, namely Sexuality After Sixty (1965), by the American sexologist Isadore Rubin. In this publication the view on sexuality is particularly positive. Rubin for instance claims that it is vital and good for the health to keep sexually active as long as possible. This statement is supported by Masters and Johnson. Rubin’s and Masters’ and Johnson’s writings are illustrative for their time and may be related to the current social and cultural context of sexual debate, youth culture and young people revolting against authorities and old-fashioned thinking. Youth becomes a norm at this point in history. My interpretations mainly deal with how youth culture, sexuality and gender identity interrelates. Masculinity seems to be strongly associated with heterosexual intercourse, and aging appears to be antithetic to masculinity – the status of the man diminishes as the aging process proceeds. The connotations to femininity also alter, but not in the same sense as with masculinity.