Narratives of middle-aged women: reflections about gender stereotypes in the construction of the body and occupational choices

Abstract

Introduction Studies from a gender perspective and feminist studies are still emerging in Occupation Science. Based on the assumption that we live in a patriarchal society, this research rescues the narrative of middle-aged Chilean women from the Los Ríos region, to make visible how they built their lives based on the gender stereotypes that determined their choices. occupations according to the needs of men, under a traditional understanding of the female-male binary. Objective Recognize and understand the emerging relationship between gender stereotypes, body construction, and occupational choices. Method From a post-structuralist feminist stance, interviews with a narrative approach are carried out with an intentional sample of eight women; Discourse analysis, as a methodological tool, gives an account of the life trajectory and experiences of women in relation to gender, body, and occupational choices. Results Five categories emerged from the research that reflect the existence of gender stereotypes in women. female body that isimpregnated in their identity and the occupational choices throughout their lives. Conclusion The women's narratives show the existence of an emerging dynamic relationship between the construction of the body, gender stereotypes, and occupational choices, where stereotypes and actions are combined, generating a construction of the concept of woman in a socio-historical context. occupational patterns and choices that will replicate gender stereotypes.