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On the Hunt for Noble Savages: Romance Tourism and Ageing Femininities

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  • Ieva Stončikaitė

    (Group Dedal-Lit, University of Lleida, 25003 Lleida, Spain)

Abstract

Casual sexual encounters are closely wedded to leisure travel, and have received a lot of attention in both theoretical and empirical work. However, the relationship between romance tourism and female ageing remains largely under-researched. This article offers critical insights into the interplay of the successful ageing and sexual relationships abroad of older women travellers. It shows that romance tourism has both positive and negative implications for women’s physical and psychological health and wellbeing. Although exotic escapes help reconnect women with their youthful selves, enhancing a sense of self-confidence and challenging the narrative of decline, casual sex may also generate conflicting feelings once the travel romance is over. This article also encourages the rethinking of the complexities of ageing femininities, sexual activity and health risk in ‘silver’ romance tourism today. Additionally, it argues that the sexual health guidelines and information campaigns should adopt a more multifaceted approach to sexual expressions, and encourage alternative views towards sex and sexuality in later life, in order to not create a rather oppressive ideology among older women.

Suggested Citation

  • Ieva Stončikaitė, 2020. "On the Hunt for Noble Savages: Romance Tourism and Ageing Femininities," Societies, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-10, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsoctx:v:10:y:2020:i:3:p:47-:d:377215
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gott, Merryn & Hinchliff, Sharron, 2003. "How important is sex in later life? The views of older people," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 56(8), pages 1617-1628, April.
    2. Barbara L. Marshall & Stephen Katz, 2012. "The Embodied Life Course: Post-ageism or the Renaturalization of Gender?," Societies, MDPI, vol. 2(4), pages 1-13, October.
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