Aging and Education: Perceptions of Women Linked to the Feminist Movement

Abstract

The feminist movement has driven significant transformations, enabling greater participation of women in society. However, issues such as aging remain underexplored in this context. This study investigates how women linked to the feminist movement perceive aging and how this perception relates to education. Using the Self-Perception of Aging Questionnaire (QAPE), 225 women aged 18 to 75 were interviewed, with 81.78% being sympathizers and 18.22% active participants in feminism. The results reveal a predominantly positive perception of aging, with high scores in the domains of positive consequences and positive control. Most participants disagreed with unfavorable statements about aging, indicating an optimistic view of this stage of life. The subjective representation of aging was predominantly chronological and positive, suggesting that participants view aging as a natural process. These results highlight the importance of including aging as a central topic in feminism, expanding the discussion on the challenges faced by older women, especially in education. The study contributes to promoting more positive representations of old age and to building inclusive educational policies that meet the needs of women at different stages of life.