1st Edition

The Routledge Handbook of Gender Politics in Sport and Physical Activity

Edited By Győző Molnár, Rachael Bullingham Copyright 2022
    382 Pages 5 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    This progressive and broad-ranging handbook offers a comprehensive overview of the complex intersections between politics, gender, sport and physical activity, shining new light on the significance of gender, sport and physical activity in wider society.  

    Featuring contributions from leading and emerging researchers from around the world, the book makes the case that gender studies and critical thinking around gender are of particular importance in an era of increasingly intolerant populist politics. It examines important long-term as well as emerging themes, such as recent generational shifts in attitudes to gender identity in sport and the socio-cultural expectations on men and women that have traditionally influenced and often disrupted their engagement with sport and physical activity, and explores a wide range of current issues in contemporary sport, from debates around the contested gender binary and sex verification, to the role of the media and social media, and the significance of gender in sport leadership, policy and decision-making. 

    This book is an authoritative survey of the current state of play in research connecting gender, sport, physical activity and politics, and is an important contribution to both sport studies and gender studies. It is fascinating reading for any student, researcher, policy-maker or professional with an interest in sport, physical activity, social studies, public health or political science.

    1. Connecting Gender, Politics, Sport and Physical Activity: An Introduction

    Győző Molnár and Rachael Bullingham        

    Part I: Gendered History 

    2. Gender Equality, Sport Media and the Olympics, 1984-2018: An Overview

    Aneta Grabmüllerova and Hans Erik Næss

    3. Sex Verification and Protected Categories in Sport: Binary or Bust?

    Pam R. Sailors and Charlene Weaving

    4. The Politics of Positions of Sport Leadership: The Subtexts of Women’s Exclusion          

    Annelies Knoppers and Ramon Spaaij

    5. Gendered Transformations: Conflict and Resistance in the Regulation of Female Athlete Eligibility in International Sport

    Ekain Zubizarreta and Madeleine Pape

    6. Analysis of Government Policy Relating to Women’s Sport

    Julia White and Jean McArdle

    7. Gender and Strength: Representation in Strength and Conditioning

    Yvette L. Figueroa and Emily A. Roper 

    Part II: Gender Binary Troubles 

    8. Patriarchy and its Discontents

    Eric Anderson

    9. Atrophying Masculinity within Professional Road Cycling: Contesting ‘the male’ through a (Re)scripting of the Anti-Male

    James J. Brittain

    10. Rainbow Dancing and the Challenge of Transgender Inclusion in Finland

    Anna Kavoura and SanTra Rinne

    11. The Politics of Minority Ethnic Women’s Leisure Time and Physical Activity in Denmark

    Adam B. Evans, Sine Agergaard and Verena Lenneis

    12. Patriarchal Politics of Women Footballers in Australia: Changing the Narrative from Welfare to Women Saving Men’s Football

    Michael Burke, Matthew Klugman and Kate O’Halloran

    13. A Gendered Focused Review of Sports Diplomacy

    Verity Postlethwaite, Claire Jenkin and Emma Sherry

    14. Gender Politics in British University Sport: Exploring Contemporary Perceptions of Femininity and Masculinity

    Amelia Laffey and Stuart Whigham

    15. The Gender Politics of Sex Integrated Sport: The Case of Professional Golf

    Ali Bowes

    16. Reclaiming Women’s Voice in Masculine Competitive Sports Cultures: Playing to Win?

    Adi Mohel

    17. Towards Equality in Women’s Sport, Exercise and Physical Activity: Complexities and Contradictions

    Claire-Marie Roberts 

    Part III: Intersecting Gender 

    18. Postcoloniality, Gender and Sport: A Snapshot of the Literature and Insights from Fiji     

    Yoko Kanemasu and Atele Dutt

    19. From Disability to “Adaptivity”: Bethany Hamilton in Sean McNamara’s Soul Surfer (2011)

    Tatiana Prorokova-Konrad

    20. Women’s Parasport Experiences of Sacrifice, Conflict, and Control: Always Tilting         

    Nancy Spencer, Eri Yamamoto and Bobbi-Jo Atchison

    21. Muslim Women and Sport: Obstacles and Perspectives in Socio-Political Contexts           

    Fabrizio Ciocca

    22. The Politics of Passing for Trans and Non-Binary People in Physical Activity in the UK: “Yeah, Congratulations! You Look like a Cis Person, Well Done!”

    Abby Barras 

    Part IV: Gender, Politics, Sport and Physical Activity Case Studies 

    23. Gender Politics of Social Media: A Case Study of Megan Rapinoe

    Connor MacDonald and Jamie Cleland

    24. Gender and the Politics of Patriarchy in Zimbabwean Football Administration      

    Tafadzwa Choto and Manase Kudzai Chiweshe

    25. Women in Golf: Policy and Progress

    Niamh Kitching

    26. Narratives of Women Surfers: Rethinking Pre-constructed Gender Bias

    Aimee Vlachos and Nuria Alonso Garcia

    27. Fitness Practitioners’ Overcoming of Self-objectification: The Problem with ‘Legs, Bums and Tums’

    Hannah Kate Lewis

    28. Sex Integration and the Potential of Track-and-Field: A New Norm

    Anna Posbergh

    29. Gender Justice and Women’s Football: A Macro and Micro Analysis of the Game in England

    Hanya Pielichaty

    30. Gender Participation in Decision Making Positions of Sport Federations

    Amalia Drakou, Popi Sotiriadou and Dimitris Gargalianos

    31. Mamanet: Empowering Mothers towards Sport

    Riki Tesler, Kwok, Daniel Gelber and Elina Hytönen-Ng

    32. A Strategy to Promote Gender Equality: The Number and Status of Women in Leadership and Decision-making Positions in Finnish Sport

    Matti Hakamäki, Salla Turpeinen and Kati Lehtonen

    Biography

    Győző Molnár is Professor of Sociology of Sport and Exercise at the University of Worcester, UK.

    Rachael Bullingham is Senior Lecturer at the University of Gloucestershire, UK.