Older widows refusal to repartnering. Gender and social change question

Abstract

The aim of this paper is delving into the attitudes by widowed older people in Spain around the possibility of repartnering, whether it is through marriage or mere cohabitation. A qualitative methodology with a sociological lens, in the way of discussion groups, has been implemented. Main research findings show that widowed older persons –particularly women, are scarcely interested in initiating a relationship with a new partner. There are diverse reasons for this lack of interest. In some cases, older widows are just bounded to traditional moral rules such as not allowing anyone to seize the place of their first husband, or a fear of familial and social criticism. However, there are more powerful reasons: unwillingness to partner with someone who is older, a wish to preserve their own freedom and independency, or a determination to safeguard their autonomy. These reasons allow us to glimpse an important change in terms of how older women understand bothold age and relationships between genders.