Lecture 7 Flashcards
what are the biological realities and social constructs
biological category of sex and social construction, gender
socially constructed ideals of masculinity and femininity
ideas of how man should be and act, ideas of how women should be and act
how much are socially constructed ideas affected by biological reality of being man or woman
some people say no connection at all
some say they are completely related
some say everything in between
what is there incredible proof for
both sides of argument involving if socially constructed ideals are influenced by biological realities
up until 10 years ago what was the view
they were connected
when it comes to sport what is the reality in vast majority of sports
designed around men’s bodies
(i.e., football, basketball, wrestling, boxing)
designed for men by men
what to sports tend to emphasize
explosive power and muscle mass
what directly impacts women’s participation
sports were designed for men’s more muscle mass that gives them more explosive power
how much more muscle mass do men have at the same weight as another woman
30%
examples of sports that tend to privilege women
gymnastics, dance (lighter, flexible)
what kinds of categories do sports go into to make fair
men and women, weight classes, disabled people, age
why do we divide sports
based on idea of competitive fairness
until 1960s what was there a very sharp division in
private and public spheres
2 explanations for separation of spheres
- power relationships (dynamics)
- historical response to biological realities
power dynamics
when spheres are separated, serves to oppress women
what was a language constructed around
power dynamics and oppressing women
what is the constructed language created by
2 categories of male and female
binary opposition (connected but in opposition)
binary opposition of men and female
not just opposite
all ideas connected to them are also in opposition
examples of language in opposition for men and women
men-strong
female- weak, fragile
men- stoic
female- emotional and cries
what does the language in opposition serve to do
oppress women
how did the language of opposition play out in sports
way we talk about women in sports
why they weren’t allowed to play for so long
what rejects everything about power dynamics and the language
argument of the separation of spheres being logical outcome of biological realities of men and women
what are the biological realities that caused the historical response
- women are more valuable then men, can give birth
- can give birth with multiple partners
- more dangerous jobs given to men, they are less valuable
- women stay home where safer
what is the historical response of the biological realities not about
language or power
logical evolution and about continuation of society and whats best for society
what is one of outgrowths from canadian sport
violence (intended to be violent)
why is violence attached to canadian sport
because in public sphere and expected to be masculine
what 2 things are strongly linked
masculinity and military
what does militarism have a direct link to
sport
what did sport serve as an anecdote to
men becoming too weak to fight
what we men serving white collared jobs not tough enough to do
fight in next war
why was it good that sports were violent and good they hurt
prepare men for war and toughen them up
what language is embedded in sport
military language
i.e., blitz, football term for attacking all out
what was violence firmly tied to
masculine ideas of sport
what do courts do for sport sanctioned violence
stay out of it
what happens when people break sport rules in a violent way
police don’t get involved
league gets involved
sport lays punishment
what can you do in sports arena (violence)
things that would get you arrested if done outside (violence was sanctioned)
if players injured deliberately by someone else
only can be punished by league or victim seek compensation from league
cannot be charged or sued
why can you not charge or sue someone else
you agreed to allow this to happen by participating in sport
highest risk of injury of any competitive sport
competitive cheerleading
what sports are less violent now
soccer, football, hockey
last 30 years what has happened to sport
violence has slowly been taken out of sport
what is connected to violence
injury
what is the ideals of injury
to show pain is considered unmanly, still exists
how do we demonstrate masculinity when injured
ability to endure pain
- people celebrate people who can play through injury
- continues to present
why weren’t women supposed to play sport
viewed as fragile and dangerous to health
what were the pseudoscientific arguments for why women can’t participate in sport
- sweat is bad for women, exercise which generates sweat is bad for them
- women only have certain amount of life force, must be concentrated on making babies, when exerting themselves they are diverting life force from children
what was idea when women started using bicycles
concern they might enjoy bicycle in sexual way, were considered next to prostitutes
what women’s clothes limited their physical mobility
- corset
- bussell
what did women’s fashion serve to do
limit their mobility and physical activity
what was stereotype of fainting women
not stereotype
tended to faint because they couldn’t breathe
insides not meant to be squeezed
what was bussell
cage under dress
can only move a little bit
what was first sport that women began to do
began to bike and it became for acceptable
what was big part of women beginning to bike
safety bike
bike we know today
what did they use before safety bike
penny farthing
first bike
giant front wheel and tiny back wheel
why was penny farthing dangerous
if bike falls you’re falling a far distance
where did womens bike clubs form
in and around montreal
what did the womens bike clubs do
bike together in groups
what was the main socially acceptable venue for women to partake in PA
biking
what were majority of women doing at same time of pseudoscience
- were very active
- most lived in countryside and helped on farm, lots of hard work on regular basis
whose ideals were the idea of not doing any PA
upper class and middle class
did not correspond with majority of women (lower class)
what does class serve as
a way to separate yourself from someone else
beginning in 20th century women
began to take part in sport but in a limited capacity
how was female participation limited in a way that male was not
- picked because they looked feminine, had chaperone everywhere they went, had to go to finishing school
- dresses
what were the limitations to women designed for
preserve their femininity because they were playing something masculine and feared they would become masculine
what are examples of gendered sports
ringette and figure skating
when sports become gendered as feminine what happens to men who still play sport
they become feminized
- assumption that any guy who figure skates is gay
what sport is specifically designed for women
ringette
why was ringette created
safer
- more likely to get hurt by puck
- not masculinized by playing male sport
why is ringette not popular anymore
womens hockey exploded
Ethel Catherwood (the saskatoon lily)
- canadas only olympic women’s medalist in track and field
- won gold in 1928 in high jump
what were women continuosly judged on
not just athletic ability but looks as well
Kournikova
- never world champion in tennis
- most famous because beatiful
what has body image now transferred to
men
who has historically had to deal with unrealistic body images
women
what did sport often lead to
body that was against traditional beauty model for women
traditional image of women
anorexic thin
cant do that to play sport
have to have energy
why were women discouraged to play sports (body image)
because you get muscular and strong
what is new unrealistic body image men now have to deal with
0% body fat and six pack
what has occurrred now with this ideal body image for men
- huge skyrocketing usage of steroids in high school boys
- massive spike in eating disorders
Quinn
canadian soccer player
nobody cares they dont identify as woman (born female)
Lea Thomas
american swimmer
more controversial
if women transition to man
to compete against men
nobody cares
what is the question about trans athletes
isnt should they be allowed to compete
real debate is a trans born male and transitions to female and competing against females
what is the balance between in the debate
balance between accomodation and question of fairness
what is the answer to the debate
every different sport grappling with it in different way
no uniform answer
