Gender, Widowhood and Female Solidarity: A Study on Female Friendships of later-life widows

Abstract

Friendship is an intrinsic aspect of living across generations. However, the significance of friendship for the silver generation has received limited attention from gerontological studies in India. Considering that widowhood is accompanied by loneliness, bereavement and stigma, I am interested to understand the implications of widowhood for elderly women and to what extent friendship has the potential in countering and negotiating with ageing and widowhood. This is further important in demystifying the myth of transient nature of female friendship and illuminate on the spaces of female solidarity. The study has incorporated qualitative interviewing and oral narratives administered through semi-structured questionnaire conducted in the setting of the respective residence of the respondents. It was found that the social context of ageing and the structural context shape the experiences of friendship. Friendship can be low maintenance for these women; however a friend is one through interaction with whom one derives equanimity contentment and meaning for leading life without the presence of spouse. They challenged the notion of normative understanding of friendship by identifying kin members sometimes across generations as friends. Female friendship is not fragile and they feel that it is more intense and laden with emotions compared to male friendship.