McGee, Lana (2023) No Silver lining for Silver Splitters: Representations of Women in Grey divorce from Australian and New Zealand Print Media. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
Couples over the age of 50 are the fastest growing demographic to divorce worldwide. International studies on grey divorce document the inequitable financial impacts on women, and psychological and personal growth experienced by older people including shifts in identity and lifestyle. No studies have been done in Australia despite media reporting of the trend. The impact and reporting of grey divorce in Australia and New Zealand has the potential to utilise gender and age stereotypes or to inform about this relatively new family structure. A content analysis of print media articles in Australia and New Zealand was conducted to investigate how women are presented in grey divorce, including financial reporting, empowerment and agency, ageing, and presence of women’s voices. A feminist theoretical framework was employed in analysis and evaluation of 41 print media articles. Content analysis showed that although grey divorce portrayed women as empowered and can act with agency, the tone was most frequently negative, drawing upon social norms and financial consequences. These representations continue to perpetuate normative patriarchal stereotypes that position women as dependent on relationships with men.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
|---|---|
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Current – Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Psychology and Wellbeing (1 Jan 2022 -) |
| Supervisors: | Sonya Winterbotham |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 22 May 2025 03:13 |
| Last Modified: | 22 May 2025 03:13 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | grey divorce, older women, qualitative research, feminist content analysis, print media, ageing |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52557 |
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