Muscularity Beliefs of Female College Student-Athletes (original) (raw)
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Living the Paradox: Female Athletes Negotiate Femininity and Muscularity
Sex Roles, 2004
Sportswomen live in 2 cultures: the sport culture that is inherently masculine and the larger social culture where femininity is celebrated for women. In this investigation, which was grounded in feminist cultural studies, we pursued the research question: how do female athletes negotiate and reconcile the social expectations surrounding femininity with athleticism? Twenty-one female college athletes participated in focus group interviews about body image and perceptions of muscularity and femininity. Data analysis resulted in 3 higher order themes: the influence of hegemonic femininity, athlete as other, and physicality. These athletes expressed that being feminine contrasted with being athletic. They further conveyed that as athletes, they were marginalized and perceived as different from "normal" women. Yet, they also were proud of their strong, developed bodies and expressed feelings of empowerment that generalized beyond the sport context.
Conformity to gender norms among female student-athletes: Implications for body image
Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 2011
Sport exposes athletes to attributes that are typically associated with traditional masculine traits (e.g., individualism, competitiveness, aggressiveness, power). Female athletes often participate in sport using standards of traditional male athleticism, yet at the same time attempt to manage societal expectations of conforming to traditional femininity. By exploring conformity to gender norms in sport, we examined the relationship between gender norms, sport participation, and perceptions of body image among 143 female student-athletes and nonathletes. Results indicated that female student-athletes and nonathlete female college students did not differ in level of conformity to feminine norms; however, female student-athletes reported higher levels of conformity to masculine norms, particularly traditional masculine norms associated with sport participation (i.e., winning, risk taking). Additionally, participation in athletics did not significantly predict body esteem for women. Instead, conformity to three traditional gender norms-along with self-perceptions of being overweightaccounted for 53% of the variance in body esteem. Results are discussed in regard to past research and clinical applications.
Gender Negotiations of Female Collegiate Athletes in the Strength and Conditioning Environment
Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal, 2017
Female athletes often negotiate their meanings of femininity and athleticism due to restrictive cultural norms, with muscularity at the center of this negotiation. Using a critical feminist interactionist perspective, this study seeks to understand how female collegiate athletes negotiate their meanings of muscularity and femininity within the strength and conditioning environment. Negotiation strategies emerged from the data, including the gendered body and the weight room environment. The findings suggest that while the strength and conditioning coach is responsible for training athletes in power and speed, they must do so within the cultural context that often attempts to limit women’s physicality.
Femininity, Sports, and Feminism: Developing a Theory of Physical Liberation
S. society continues to accept myths regarding the supposed weakness of women's bodies. Women's displays of physical power are often prevented or undermined, typically in ways centering on the concept of femininity. Increasing numbers of female athletes have not led to a true physical feminist liberation, one which would increase women's confidence, power, respect, wealth, enjoyment of physicality, and escape from rape and the fear of rape. Despite these possible benefits, most feminists have not encouraged the development of physical power in women. Although caution regarding physical power is warranted, the benefits of a physical, libratory feminism outweigh the risks.
Physical Self-Concept and Sports: Do Gender Differences Still Exist?
Sex Roles, 2000
Gender differences in physical self-concept among elementary-and secondary-school students were investigated. Physical self-concept was measured by the Physical Self-Description Questionnaire. The results indicated significantly higher physical self-concept in boys than in girls in eight subdomains, as well as global physical self-concept and self-esteem. Physical selfconcept decreased with increasing age, and there was a significant age by gender interaction in the global physical, body fat, appearance, sports competence, and strength dimensions. Physical appearance was the subdomain that most strongly predicted global self-esteem. The present investigation demonstrated gender differences in multifaceted physical self-concept. Gender differences were large in the global physical, endurance, strength, appearance, and body fatscales. In the health, flexibility, and coordination dimensions, gender differences were smaller.
Body Image, 2013
Research prior to 2001 indicated that athletes experienced better body image than non-athletes, with no differences among sport types. Since then, female athletes have become increasingly sexually objectified in the media, and the sociocultural beauty ideal has shifted to emphasize appearing both athletic and thin. Part I of this paper explores the literature describing these changes. Part II presents a systematic and comprehensive literature review of 10 recent studies comparing body image concerns (BIC) among collegiate female athletes and non-athletes to identify the current status of BIC in female athletes. Findings indicate that involvement in collegiate athletics provides some protection from BIC; however, this protection appears attenuated for athletes in more feminine sports (e.g., gymnastics), and higher level athletes (Division I). Researchers should examine how sociocultural pressures unrelated to competition predict female athletes' BIC using measures that focus on objectification, positive body image, body functionality, and thin-and athletic-ideal internalization.
Femininity, Sports, and Feminism
Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 2004
U.S. society continues to accept myths regarding the supposed weakness of women’s bodies. Women’s displays of physical power are often prevented or undermined, typically in ways centering on the concept of femininity. Increasing numbers of female athletes have not led to a true physical feminist liberation, one which would increase women’s confidence, power, respect, wealth, enjoyment of physicality, and escape from rape and the fear of rape. Despite these possible benefits, most feminists have not encouraged the development of physical power in women. Although caution regarding physical power is warranted, the benefits of a physical, libratory feminism outweigh the risks.
BMC Women's Health
Background: Women who exercise intensively, whether competitive or recreational, devote a lot of time and energy into exercise, which requires high levels of ambition and motivation. The aim of the study is to investigate the self-understanding and bodily identity of different (competitive vs recreational) forms of exercise, and to investigate the role of important others (parents, siblings and social relations) for this self-understanding. Methods: A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews. An interactional psychodynamic framework informed the development of the interview questions focusing on the influence of their family, peers, and the meaning of exercise for their identity. Participants were recruited via local training centers and via the Danish Athletic Sports Association. A total of twenty highly physically active female athletes were interviewed, ten of whom participated in competitions ("competitve athletes") and ten of whom did not ("recreational athletes"). Results: Self-related and social similarities and differences between competitive athletes and recreational athletes were found. Recreational athletes had supportive but not ambitious parents and used sport to reinforce their bodily self-efficacy and identity, while competitive athletes had highly engaged parents, especially fathers, and competed to externalize their identities as athletes. Correspondingly, the meaning of exercise was the activity itself, for recreational athletes, while competition was the means to the end of achievement, for competitive athletes. Conclusion: All athletes are affected and triggered by their biography and their environment. The biographical tradition of sport culture must be recognized as important for the engagement in different forms of physical activity in health and competition settings. If research can make the conflicts and relations of the self visible in sports culture, this could strengthen the recognition that the overall bodily well-being of athletes is important for women's health.
Motivational factors related to female participation in collegiate sports
Journal of Human Sport and Exercise, 2012
Despite the many health benefits, physical activity trends in females have been consistently reported to be lower than that of males. Other demographic variables may also be related to sport participation. The purpose of this study was to explore the factors that motivate college females to participate in sports. This was a cross sectional, causalcomparative survey study. Eight motivational factors were explored: fitness, skill/mastery, enjoyment, affiliation/recognition, team factors, ego/competition, parental support, and external rewards. Female college athletes (N=82) from two post-secondary institutions were surveyed using the 35-item Modified Sports Motivation Survey. Results indicated that all factors were important to participants with significant differences found according to eligibility in the motivational factor of fitness. This study represents one of the most comprehensive to date looking into the multifaceted and complex interactions of motivational factors that influence female collegiate sports participation in the United States, yet future research is needed to better understand the adherence to physical activity into adulthood.
This research investigated body image in a group of British female athletes to find out their thoughts and feelings about their appearance, and if they felt this impacted on their athletic careers in any way. The athletes were interviewed individually being asked about their perception of bodies. Four key themes were identified which were analysed using thematic analysis: body image pressures, gender differences, body comparisons and the media. All of the participants reported feeling they had to maintain a certain appearance, and all felt pressure from outside influences, including the media and from the uniforms they had to wear for their sports. A number of suggestions and recommendations have arisen from the findings, including a need for interventions to maintain a positive body image in female athletes, as well as considerations for factors such as uniform choice, and support from coaches.