The Corporeality of Living Stressful Femininity: A Gender–Theoretical Analysis of Young Swedish Women's Stress Experiences. (August 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Strömbäck, Maria; Formark, Bodil; Wiklund, Maria; Malmgren-Olsson, Eva-Britt
• Is Part Of: Young. Volume 22:Number 3(2014:Aug.)
• Page Start: 271
• Page End: 289
• Publication Date: 2014-08
• Subjects: stress -- young women -- Sweden -- Simone de Beauvoir -- embodiment -- normative femininity -- post-feminism; Youth -- Research -- Periodicals; Youth -- Scandinavia -- Periodicals; Jeunesse -- Recherche -- Périodiques; Jeunesse -- Scandinavie -- Périodiques; Jeune; Mondialisation; Condition sociale; Recherche; Europe; Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 305.242
• DOI: 10.1177/0973174114533464
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1103-3088

Abstract

This article analyzes young Swedish women's experiences of living stressful femininity from an existentialist gender theoretical perspective. The study is based on qualitative interviews with 25 women, aged 17–25, who had registered for a stress management course at a youth health centre. Our analysis suggests that their experiences of stress can be related to the renegotiation of gender constructions that have occurred within the Swedish society. The young female subject can be viewed as living through a historic break between a historical position as a subordinated 'Other' while simultaneously having to navigate within contemporary discourses of successful femininity. The doing of normative femininity resulted in an exhausting and draining self-evaluating circle. The experiences of having a painful and collapsing body led to a sense of loss of access to and confidence in their bodies. This should be understood as a loss both of subjectivity and connectedness with the corporeality of existence.