Um palco de múltiplas vozes: a nova invenção dos/as idosos/as em luta pela cidadania

Abstract

O movimento dos/as aposentados/as e pensionistas vem se empenhando para garantir sua voz própria no contexto de participação democrática. Esta pesquisa documenta e analisa as perspectivas da nova pedagogia que está sendo gestada no movimento dos aposentados/as, pensionistas e idosos, na Bahia, como estratégia para (re)afirmar sua condição de sujeito social de defesa dos direitos da pessoa idosa no contexto de reconfiguração dos movimentos sociais na América Latina. Tal análise se insere no marco da definição dos princípios de uma nova cidadania, cujo conteúdo se assenta no paradigma da emancipação relacionada às idades/gerações e gênero na perspectiva feminista e de classe social. Este estudo qualitativo, com detalhamento etnográfico, foi pautado, basicamente, na observação direta com registro sistemático em diário de campo e em entrevistas individuais semiestruturadas, tanto dos participantes quanto de dirigentes do movimento articulado pelo Fórum Permanente em Defesa do Idoso, em Salvador, Bahia, campo empírico desta pesquisa, num total de trinta e seis entrevistados. A empiria desta análise centra-se em três entidades: uma que pauta suas ações em reivindicações estritamente políticas, constituída por homens em sua maioria e duas outras, com composição majoritária de mulheres, prioriza as atividades culturais e de lazer. Os resultados indicam que a nova pedagogia desenhada pelo movimento dos aposentados/as e pensionistas, na Bahia, vem promovendo o desenvolvimento da consciência crítica, quanto a seus direitos, do maior número possível de pessoas que envelhecem, notadamente as mulheres. Vem propiciando mudanças na consciência dessas pessoas, no que diz respeito à ruptura do tradicional papel definido no âmbito das relações geracionais e de gênero. As mulheres idosas vêm assumindo não só funções pouco prestigiadas, como em tempos anteriores, mas também aquelas investidas de maior poder de decisão na organização do movimento. Suas habilidades adquiridas no processo de formação durante a vida toda vêm sendo apropriadas pelo movimento político dos/as idosos/as de uma maneira positiva. Concluo que uma nova imagem de si, de sua condição de velho e velha, informada por novos valores, vai-se formatando e impondo o reconhecimento de uma nova representação por toda a sociedade. O movimento dos aposentados e pensionistas está alcançando as demandas mais amplas e significativas do cotidiano das pessoas idosas e assim vem ampliando sua base de sustentação. Nesse percurso os/as idosos/as vão se empoderando, (re)afirmando-se como sujeito social/político e se permitindo envelhecer com liberdade. No âmbito das relações de poder que dão conteúdo aos conflitos entre as gerações, formata-se uma nova correlação de forças que vai definindo um novo lugar social para a velhice, de onde se fazem ouvir as gerações de velhos/as trabalhadores/as como interlocutoras das demandas de todos/as os/as idosos/as. The movement of the retired and pensioners has striven to take an active role in the context of democratic participation. This research documents and analyzes the perspectives of the new pedagogy that's been gestated in the movement of the retired, pensioners and the elderly in Bahia, as a strategy to (re)affirm their condition of social subjects in the defense of the elderly's rights in the context of the reconfiguration of social movements in Latin America. Such an analysis is part of the mark of the definition of the principles of a new citizenship, whose contents are based on the paradigm of the emancipation related to ages/generations and gender, under the feminist perspective and that of social class. This qualitative study, containing ethnographic details, was supported, basically, on direct observation with systematic registrations on a diary and on individual semi-structured interviews of both the participants and the directors of the movement articulated by The Permanent Forum in the Defense of the Elderly, in Salvador, Bahia, empirical field of this research, totalizing thirty-six interviewees. The empirical nature of this analysis is centered in three entities: one that bases its actions on strictly political claims, mostly consisting of men, and the other two entities, whose members are mostly women, which prioritize cultural and leisure activities. The results indicate that the new pedagogy designed by the movement of the retired and pensioners, in Bahia, has promoted the development of critical thinking, regarding their rights, in the largest number of people who get old, notably women. It’s been encouraging changes in these people’s minds concerning the rupture of the traditional role defined in the scope of generation and gender relations. A new image of themselves, of their status of old men or women, informed by new values, formats itself and imposes the acknowledgement of a new representation by all the society. In the meantime, the elderly empower and (re)affirm themselves as social/political subjects and allow themselves to grow old with freedom. Elderly women have taken not only unprivileged roles, like in times before, but also those invested of more decisionmaking power in the organization of the movement. Their skills acquired in the formation process during all their lives have been appropriated by the political movement of the elderly in a positive way. The movement of the retired and pensioners is reaching wider and more significant demands of elderly people’s everyday life and, therefore, has been enlarging its supporting basis. I conclude that, in the scope of power relationships which foment generation gap conflicts, a new correlation of forces is formatted which defines a new social place for the old age where one can hear the generations of old male and female workers as interlocutors of the elderly’s demands.

The movement of the retired and pensioners has striven to take an active role in the context of democratic participation. This research documents and analyzes the perspectives of the new pedagogy that's been gestated in the movement of the retired, pensioners and the elderly in Bahia, as a strategy to (re)affirm their condition of social subjects in the defense of the elderly's rights in the context of the reconfiguration of social movements in Latin America. Such an analysis is part of the mark of the definition of the principles of a new citizenship, whose contents are based on the paradigm of the emancipation related to ages/generations and gender, under the feminist perspective and that of social class. This qualitative study, containing ethnographic details, was supported, basically, on direct observation with systematic registrations on a diary and on individual semi-structured interviews of both the participants and the directors of the movement articulated by The Permanent Forum in the Defense of the Elderly, in Salvador, Bahia, empirical field of this research, totalizing thirty-six interviewees. The empirical nature of this analysis is centered in three entities: one that bases its actions on strictly political claims, mostly consisting of men, and the other two entities, whose members are mostly women, which prioritize cultural and leisure activities. The results indicate that the new pedagogy designed by the movement of the retired and pensioners, in Bahia, has promoted the development of critical thinking, regarding their rights, in the largest number of people who get old, notably women. It’s been encouraging changes in these people’s minds concerning the rupture of the traditional role defined in the scope of generation and gender relations. A new image of themselves, of their status of old men or women, informed by new values, formats itself and imposes the acknowledgement of a new representation by all the society. In the meantime, the elderly empower and (re)affirm themselves as social/political subjects and allow themselves to grow old with freedom. Elderly women have taken not only unprivileged roles, like in times before, but also those invested of more decisionmaking power in the organization of the movement. Their skills acquired in the formation process during all their lives have been appropriated by the political movement of the elderly in a positive way. The movement of the retired and pensioners is reaching wider and more significant demands of elderly people’s everyday life and, therefore, has been enlarging its supporting basis. I conclude that, in the scope of power relationships which foment generation gap conflicts, a new correlation of forces is formatted which defines a new social place for the old age where one can hear the generations of old male and female workers as interlocutors of the elderly’s demands. Key-words: Autonomy. Citizenship Rights. Social Security. Aging. Gender. Generations.