“Hormonerna verkar få en andra andning” : En multimodal kritisk diskursanalys av hur äldres sexualitet representeras i Hotell Romantik

Sammanfattning: Hotell Romantik is a new reality dating show in Sweden where people aged 65 or above seek love. The TV program has gained a lot of media attention and raised voices about the way in which the elderly are represented in light of their sexuality. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine how the sexuality of elderly is represented in the TV program Hotell Romantik, as well as how this representation relates to stereotypes about older people. In order to answer this, we conducted a MCDA with semiotic tools on the TV program, and analyzed the results using a theoretical framework based on Stuart Hall’s Representation Theory, stereotypes and ageism. Three overarching themes of representation could be revealed: verbalized desires, tenderness and romance and cheeky banter and ironic distance. Our findings show that the sexuality of elderly is represented, but in two separate ways. On the one hand it is daring and cheeky in its expression, but on the other hand it is more gentle and thoughtful. In terms of how the representation relates to stereotypes about the elderly, contradictions can be discerned in the material, where the representation mostly reinforces prevailing stereotypes, but to some extent also fights against stereotypes. The study has contributed to a greater understanding of how older peoples’ sexuality is represented in the context of Swedish reality dating shows, and the ways in which this representation relates to stereotypes about elderly.