Good Mothers,Bad Mothers

This paper reports on an analysis of representations of child abuse in English-language newspapers in Malaysia. Certain media images of mothers recur: bad mothers who are unable to protect their children; and good mothers, who are feminine representatives of a maternalised national government which is charged with interceding on behalf of abused children. Mothers implicated in child abuse are harshly judged by the maternalist regime. Our findings resonate with previous feminist analyses of child abuse but manifest differently in a non-Western, non-Christian context. In Malaysia, motherhood plays a crucial role in nationalist political culture; women and mothers carry increasing economic, social and political burdens in the rapidly modernising state. Fathers are largely marginal or absent in media reporting of child abuse, while mothers are represented as fully responsible for the care of children, particularly when problems occur. The media's blaming of child abuse on social changes while valorising traditional families reflects a conservative, patriarchal perspective, occluding discussion of the contexts of child abuse and thus mitigating against comprehensive solutions.     

The Psychosocial Meaning of Menopause: Women's Experiences

ABSTRACT

This paper reports on a qualitative study of womens' experiences with menopause from a psychosocial perspective. Women give voice to the impact of menopause upon their sense of self and significant relationships in their lives. This study raises questions about the meaning of the reluctance of women and others to discuss menopause in a helpful, meaningful way.     

Attitude Toward Menopause and Aging: A Study on Postmenopausal Women of West Bengal

We examined the attitude of postmenopausal women toward menopause and aging with respect to sociodemographic variables and postmenopausal years. Four hundred and eighty postmenopausal women representing Bengali-speaking Hindu ethnic group of West Bengal, India were interviewed about their attitude toward menopause and aging. Information on sociodemographic and reproductive characteristics and menopausal symptoms were also collected. The participants were categorized into four groups based on postmenopausal years (Group 1: ≤2; Group 2: >2 to ≤5; Group 3: >5 to ≤8; and Group 4: >8). The attitude did not differ significantly among different groups, but it differed significantly when compared for residential status and per capita monthly household expenditure (pooled groups), for residential and educational status (Groups 3 and 4), and per capita monthly household expenditure (Group 3). Hierarchical linear regression (stepwise) shows per capita monthly expenditure, age at menopause, years after menopause, and menopausal symptoms (irritability and inability to hold urine) significantly predict attitude.     

The Relationships between Activity and Quality of Life for Older Men and Women at Different Ages in Taiwan

This study investigated the relationships between types of activity and quality of life (QOL) for older men and women at different ages. Based on cross-sectional data that included 220 community-dwelling elderly persons aged 65 and older in southern Taiwan, the results showed that the participation rates in many activities declined with age for both genders. Social activity and solitary leisure activity were significantly associated with QOL for old-old men, but not for young-old men. Only social activity was significantly associated with QOL for young-old women, but there was no significant association between any activity and QOL for old-old women.     

The Swedish Tant: A Marker of Female Aging

This article presents and analyzes findings from interviews with women aged 45–65; popular magazines targeting women in this age category, and popular books and blogs on a Swedish age-sensitive concept, tant. The term can be used in many different senses, ranging from polite to derogatory, connoting “aunt,” or “granny,” but also “little old lady” and “biddy”; the term tantig translating to “frumpish.” The article discusses different representations of tant, how she is used as a symbol of invisibility and no longer being seen as a sexual being, but outdated. The concept is used as a warning, indicating an unwanted way to grow old, when addressing middle-aged and older women. As of recently, tant has come to be celebrated by young women, praised for moral courage, for thrift and being represented as free from the male gaze, no longer aiming to please or fretting about appearances. The article sheds light on the different uses of the concept, where who is categorizing whom is of utmost importance. The tant is used as a symbol for doing age either by derogation or by celebration.     

生殖健康社会性别意识研究——基于服务提供层对服务对象的影响分析

利用2006年生殖健康社会性别分析项目在北京市宣武区、天津市和平区、山东省即墨市、浙江省德清市和安徽省巢湖市居巢区五个县区的调查数据,运用多层线性回归模型,探讨乡镇/街道的基层服务提供层的生殖健康社会性别意识对服务对象的生殖健康社会性别意识的影响。研究结果发现,服务提供层的生殖健康社会性别意识与服务对象的生殖健康社会性别意识存在显著的正向关系。服务提供层的生殖健康社会性别意识的提高可以减弱男性和女性、已婚和未婚,以及不同年龄的服务对象群体之间的社会性别意识的差异,进而促进整个社会的生殖健康社会性别意识的提高。     

Women at Midlife: Women's Perceptions,Physicians' Perceptions

Research and assessment of the well-being of women at midlife, for the most part, focuses on assumptions based on stereotypes and myths that hinder our ability to realistically appraise women's experiences. Women's reproductive role, manifested in the centrality of menopause, predominates in the health literature. This paper looks at how physicians and midlife women view the experiences of midlife women. Attribution theory is used to offer explanations for different perceptions that may hinder appropriate health care. Suggestions to mitigate these differences in the future are offered.     

Crossover Fatigue: The Persistence of Gender at Motown Records

This article examines the cultural politics of “crossover” at Motown Records, focussing on the relationship between genre, gender, and career longevity. Beginning with the Supremes' covers albums in the mid-1960s, the article links notions of musical originality to commercial logics of publishing, gendered divisions of labour, and racialised channels of record distribution. It also traces the rise of the celebrity songwriter-producer in soul, including artists like Isaac Hayes, Norman Whitfield, and Stevie Wonder, who fit a new mould of artistic authenticity that clashed with the carefully manicured performances of 1960s “girl pop.” The professional mobility afforded to men in both rock and r&b should prompt media scholars to consider the temporal dimensions of artist trajectories in the music industry, and taking the constraints on girl group singers seriously allows for reflection on (gendered) music industry knowledge about which audiences matter and for how long.     

女性地位低的层级推演--对出生性别比偏高背后隐象的探析

目前学术界对出生性别比偏高原因的争论主要集中在出生婴儿性别次序先后与下一孩次性别关系以及计划生育政策和女婴存在漏报、瞒报的影响等三个方面,本文在对三大传统观点提出质疑的基础上,先从生物学、计划生育政策、医学技术三个方面,而后从性别偏好,最后从女性地位低这三级递进的层次,推演和探析出生性别比偏高的原因,从而明晰出生性别比偏高的终极原因在于女性地位低这一事实。并努力从女性地位、男性偏好以及出生性别比三者关系上构造出一个新的分析框架。     

A first look at the 21st Century: Census 2000

This paper examines the initial results from Census 2000. It focuses onpopulation growth and distribution, and the five populationcharacteristics from the 100-percent data: age, sex, Hispanic origin, race, and householdrelationship. It explores emerging trends within an historical and global context.     

Quality of Life in a City: The Effect of Population Density

There exist a number of concepts andoperational definitions of quality of life. Inthe present study the aim has been to develop acomprehensive, global index of quality of life,and relate the sub-indexes and global index tovarious socio-demographic variables, somatichealth and density of population in theresidential area. The sample consisted of 2066individuals between 18 and 65 years old fromthe common population. Seven sub-indexes weredeveloped. They constituted one factor withmoderate intercorrelations between thesub-indexes. Good somatic health, living in astable relationship with a partner, preferablymarried, in a less densely populated area,having a good education, a good income andbeing a younger female were the independentstatistical determinants of global quality oflife. However, various sub-indexes were relatedto different socio-demographic variables. Agewas oppositely related to differentsub-indexes. The study shows the importance ofwhat type of quality of life is investigated.To our knowledge, this is the first study ofthe effect of population density on quality oflife.     

Sleep quality at 3 months postpartum considering maternal age: A comparative study

Background

Poor sleep quality is related to old age among the general population, but few studies have focused on postpartum women of advanced maternal age. The present study aimed to describe and compare sleep quality between women younger or older than 35 years of age at 3 months postpartum, and to examine the related factors.

Black,Queer, and Looking for a Job: An Exploratory Study of Career Decision Making Among Self-Identified Sexual Minorities at an Urban Historically Black College/University

This thematically analyzed study seeks to explore the career decision perceptions of sexual minority college students at an urban historically black college/university (HBCU). This qualitative focus group study delved into how sexual minorities feel their visible variables of race, gender expression, and degree of disclosure influence their career thought process. Theories relative to the study included Krumboltz’s social learning theory of career decision-making, gender role theory, racial socialization, Cass’s homosexual identity model, and impression management. Though participants initially proclaimed they did not allow their sexual minority identity to affect their career decisions, their overall responses indicated otherwise.