Working Working ‘‘itit’’ out in the gym as an embodied space for out in the gym as an embodied space for ageing masculinities: Some critical narrative ageing masculinities: Some critical narrative

imaginingsimaginings

Professor Andrew C. Sparkes PhD  

Institute for Sport, Physical Activity & LeisureLeeds Beckett University

Carnegie FacultyHeadingly Campus

Fairfax BuildingLeeds

EnglandLS6 3QT

 Email: a.c.sparkes@leedsbeckett.ac.uk

We all know this: that the living We all know this: that the living body is both an object and a body is both an object and a subject …And while the object-subject …And while the object-body is exposed and publicly body is exposed and publicly displayed, the subject-body is displayed, the subject-body is private and beyond, or before private and beyond, or before language. If one wants to write language. If one wants to write about living bodies this seems to about living bodies this seems to be the place to start, this be the place to start, this givengiven, , that we that we havehave a public body-object a public body-object and and areare a private subject-body. a private subject-body.

(Mol & Law, 2004, p. 43).(Mol & Law, 2004, p. 43).

Writing about the body must be a central task for the subject [critical gerontology] … We need to give weight to the complexity and plurality of social and cultural meanings that have and do adhere to the bodily, recognizing the ways in which the body and bodily experience are constituted. And yet at the same time we need to recognize how these discourses are formed and take shape in a dialectical relationship with real bodies.

(Twigg, 2004, p. 70).

The gym as a territory, a landscape, and assemblage

In the gym, I become situated and aware of myself as an aged and gendered being (amongst other things) as both a public body-object and a private subject-body in relation to others, via the practices of doing my body while they simultaneously do theirs .

My experience of embodiment, therefore, is not a purely private affair, but is mediated by my continual interactions with other people and objects

Reading 1Reading 1

Vibrant physicalityVibrant physicality

Sensual pleasures of Sensual pleasures of experiential and visceral experiential and visceral

embodimentembodiment

(Monaghan, 2014)(Monaghan, 2014)

The narrative body: Body as storyThe narrative body: Body as story

The narrative body is situated in the The narrative body is situated in the ‘stories we tell ‘stories we tell toto ourselves and stories ourselves and stories others tell others tell aboutabout their own bodies and their own bodies and the bodies of others’ (Vannini, 2006, p. the bodies of others’ (Vannini, 2006, p. 12). 12).

In this act, Frank (2013) emphasizes, In this act, Frank (2013) emphasizes, we tell stories we tell stories outout of of and and throughthrough our our bodies so that the kind of body that bodies so that the kind of body that one one hashas and and isis becomes crucial to the becomes crucial to the kind of story told. kind of story told.

Reading 2Reading 2

Body ShameBody Shame

““Shame, like all other affective experiences Shame, like all other affective experiences occurs through the body. Although it can occurs through the body. Although it can have a clear cognitive dimension, shame, for have a clear cognitive dimension, shame, for the most part, is an embodied response. It the most part, is an embodied response. It overwhelms us physically, and common overwhelms us physically, and common physical responses include a sense of physical responses include a sense of physical exposure, coupled with a sense of physical exposure, coupled with a sense of wanting to hide and withdraw. However, wanting to hide and withdraw. However, while shame undoubtedly finds its while shame undoubtedly finds its expression expression throughthrough the body, shame, as the body, shame, as noted above, is often noted above, is often aboutabout the body the body””. .

(Dolezal, 2014, p. 6)(Dolezal, 2014, p. 6)

Body shame is a particularly powerful and Body shame is a particularly powerful and potent form of shame. Not only is the body potent form of shame. Not only is the body the part of ourselves that is immediately the part of ourselves that is immediately observable to others, the body is also the observable to others, the body is also the seat of personhood., that which makes seat of personhood., that which makes meaningful subjective experience possible – meaningful subjective experience possible – the body is the ground of the self.the body is the ground of the self.

Although I Although I amam my body, there is also a sense my body, there is also a sense in which I in which I havehave my body. my body.

In shame, a distance opens up between In shame, a distance opens up between oneself and oneoneself and one’’s body; one becomes s body; one becomes uncomfortable in oneuncomfortable in one’’s own skin, so to s own skin, so to speak. speak. (Dolezal, 2014, p. 7)(Dolezal, 2014, p. 7)

The chairThe chair

In anthropology, liminality (from the Latin word līmen, meaning "a threshold") is the quality of ambiguity or disorientation that occurs in the middle stage of rituals, when participants no longer hold their pre-ritual status but have not yet begun the transition to the status they will hold when the ritual ...

Unwelcome guest – a reminder of vulnerability

Michel Foucault: Technologies of power that Michel Foucault: Technologies of power that regulate the bodyregulate the body

(1) Gaze(1) Gaze

(2) self-surveillance(2) self-surveillance

The spectre at the windowThe spectre at the window

Ghost, phantom, apparition, Ghost, phantom, apparition, spirit wraith, shadow, illusions spirit wraith, shadow, illusions

Something widely feared as a Something widely feared as a possible unpleasant or possible unpleasant or dangerous occurrencedangerous occurrence

Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR)

Is an inflammatory condition that many people now believe Is an inflammatory condition that many people now believe can be a form of vasculitis. It is categorised as an can be a form of vasculitis. It is categorised as an autoimmune illness. autoimmune illness.

It causes severe pain, discomfort, tenderness and stiffness in It causes severe pain, discomfort, tenderness and stiffness in the large muscles around the shoulders, hips and back. the large muscles around the shoulders, hips and back.

It generally affects older people and is rare in people under It generally affects older people and is rare in people under 50.50.

The average age of onset is around 76.  The average age of onset is around 76. 

Each year about 4 out of every 10,000 people in the UK Each year about 4 out of every 10,000 people in the UK develop PMR, and about three quarters of these are women. develop PMR, and about three quarters of these are women.

Standard treatment is long-term use of corticosteroids (minimum of 2-3 years)

Often goes together with Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA)

Back in the gymBack in the gym

22 lbs lighter22 lbs lighter

A lot weakerA lot weaker

Limited range of exercise now possible (e.g., Limited range of exercise now possible (e.g., no bench press)no bench press)

Different sense of embodiment?Different sense of embodiment?New meanings of gym as a territory?New meanings of gym as a territory?

Narrative resources and scripts available?Narrative resources and scripts available?What stories float by in the river of not-for-What stories float by in the river of not-for-

me?me?How best to reconstruct myself as an ageing How best to reconstruct myself as an ageing

man?man?

How would you write the How would you write the next part of my story?next part of my story?