7
Section One: The Fundamentals
A) Keywords
Exercise 1:
Provide a brief definition of one of the padlet keywords for this week.
| Aging habitus is the embodied way individuals experience aging and how they express it. It’s shaped by both the physical changes which occur but the social norms as well which are internalized over time. It highlights how aging is not just about biological and what comes with it but also how it relates to and what changes in the social and cultural aspect. It includes the behaviours and attitudes of older adults to how they navigate their identities which can be influenced by a multitude of things including race, gender, and the life experiences they have. It relates to how people carry age which is based on their social history.
|
B) The Social Significance of Aging in Sport
Exercise 2: Notebook Prompt
How is old age popularly represented today? Find an image online that you think exemplifies one defining attitude towards old age and paste in your notebook below with a brief explanation of what this image means to you.
| I think in today’s world, old age is represented as a celebration of vitality and confidence in later life as figures such as Martha Stewart display who continue to challenge common stereotypes of older people. She still embraces her glamorous side and her even appearing on a issue of sports illustrated. These combat aging as having to slow down and fading into the background. She has done anything but that as she’s shown aging can be a time of self-expression and empowerment. It is inspiring as it shows aging can be fun and filled with grace and enthusiasm redefining typical stereotypes of aging and what you can and can’t do.
|
Exercise 3: Notebook Prompt
What does the article (referencing another study by Dionigi) mean by its statement that sport can help aging people to simultaneously “accept and resist the ageing process” (572)? Respond by audio or text and find paste two images sourced online into your notebook showing how sport might help aging people to both accept and resist the aging process.
| The article means in its statement that sport can help aging people to simultaneously “accept and resist the ageing process” highlights the dual role in which sport plays in the lives of older people. On one hand, engaging in sports helps in understanding their changing capabilities and adapt to the natural changes that come with them getting older. On the other hand though, it helps to challenge stereotypes with maintaining physical activity and having an active lifestyle to help stay young. They can push to achieve personal goals still and improve at certain things even at their age. This dynamic shows how older adults redefine aging on their own accord by both embracing the limitations they are there now but also the possibilities.
|
Exercise 4: Notebook Prompt
Who are the groups less likely to have extensive opportunities to take part in sports, according to Pike? How does privilege factor into aging and sport? (200 words max)
| The groups less likely to have extensive opportunities to take part in sports according to Pike are older adults specifically women, people with disabilities and racialized communities. These groups are less likely to have opportunities to participate in sports. There are structural inequalities present as well as many don’t have access to facilities, financial constraints, and ageist attitudes. Privilege also plays a role in this as by determining who has the resources and time to remain active in their older age. Those who are middle, upper class have better resources and access to things such as private gyms, sports, and even health care with all help in them maintaining an active lifestyle but for those who maybe aren’t as wealthy it becomes much more difficult. Those lacking this privilege can experience physical decline simply because they cannot access these things. Pike talks about sport being able to either reproduce these inequalities or serve as a place in which they can be challenged depending on the situation. There needs to be less barriers for participation so that everyone regardless of their background and status can participate and stay active even in their older years.
|
Exercise 5: Padlet Discussion
Why do you think age discrimination is “reported more than any form of prejudice” with older people presented as a threat to social values and interests? Feel welcome to use video in your responses. Paste your comments (or transcript of your video) below!
| Age discrimination is “reported more than any form of prejudice” with older people presented as a threat to social values and interests because it is widespread and frequently overlooked. Older people are often looked as burdens on things such as healthcare and economic systems who are seen as resistant to change and that puts a target on them as they are seen as a threat to modern times with innovation, productivity and efficiency. Society often values youth, independence and aging is seen as decline rather than people with vast amounts of experience and knowledge. This helps to fuel stereotypes regarding older adults and justifying their exclusion. It is an interesting prejudice as everyone will eventually be affected by this eventually making it uniquely pervasive.
|
B) Older Women and Sport
Exercise 6: Notebook Prompt
What differences do you see in these ads? Which one is more inclusive? How is age represented or not represented in each? Answer these questions in your notebook.
| Nike’s ” You Can’t Stop Us” focuses on athletic excellence and resilience which features high profile athletes. It does showcase diversity in race and gender but does not do a good job of showing people of all ages with minimal representation of older people. It aligns with the traditional portrayals of youth being in their peak physical performance. On the other hand the other ad ” This Girl Can- Me Again” shows a more inclusive narrative which displays various people of different body types, ages engaging in many different activities. Older people are shown throughout challenging common stereotypes about those who can participate in fitness and that it is for everyone regardless of age. |
Exercise 7: Notebook Prompt
In her article, “Assessing the sociology of sport: On age and ability,” Elizabeth Pike references a “trend towards a ‘feminisation of ageing’, with many women living longer than men” (573). Do you agree that aging has been “feminized” in this way? How? Answer these questions in your notebook.
| I would have to agree with the sense of aging being feminized as women often do live longer than men. This results in them taking up a larger portion of the elderly population. Women are often targeted with anti-aging products and beauty which wants to message and frame that aging is something that you got to fight and hide. Women can and do still face ageism and sexism as they are not represented in being active and less opportunities for them to be active. The feminization both reflects the biological trends as well as the societal expectations about gender and aging.
|
Section Three: Module Mini Assignment
| Doing major assignment 2 on it.
|
