Inverted marriages: accusations and prejudice in deviant marital arrangements

Abstract

Why do some men marry older women? Why do some women choose younger men? What is the main capital behind those marital arrangements? This paper aims to study the female and male discourses of marriages in which women are older than their husbands. My reflection is built upon the data of the research “Body, ageing and happiness”. The results of two focus groups are analysed: the first one includes twelve women that are married to younger men; the second one includes ten men that are married to older women. After the focus groups, nine individual in-depth interviews were conducted with five men and four women. I conducted my research with couples that have been together for at least ten years. These women are at least ten years older than their husbands.