‘It’s just because we’re girls’: How female students experience and negotiate masculinist school sport

McSharry, Majella

doi:10.1080/03323315.2017.1327366

Cited by 10 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 40 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Researchers note that as society often portrays femininity as being incompatible with sport, many girls drop out [ 73 ], and those that do not conform to these gender stereotypes often face exclusion and victimization by peers [ 74 ]. Although efforts have been made to bridge the PA gender gap (Sport England This Girl Can campaign and the Federation of Irish Sport 20 × 20 campaign), a divide still remains as girls are often marginalized and undervalued [ 75 ], and boys are perceived to have access to better facilities and support [ 10 , 76 , 77 ]. Girls were pessimistic about the likelihood of becoming professional athletes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There is an extensive body of research exploring the factors that influence youth participation in PA [ 10 , 11 , 12 ]. Results indicate that factors often differ by gender; for example, competition is a common facilitator for boys but often hinders girls’ participation [ 11 ], muscle gain is a common motivator for boys’ exercise but is a barrier for girls [ 13 ], and boys engage in more team-based sports while girls typically partake in more individual sports [ 14 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

“Girls Aren’t Meant to Exercise”: Perceived Influences on Physical Activity among Adolescent Girls—The HERizon Project

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background. Adolescent girls are less active than boys, with approximately 10% of girls in Ireland and the United Kingdom meeting the minimum recommended daily physical activity (PA) guidelines. This study investigated factors perceived to influence PA among adolescent girls from low socioeconomic areas in order to inform the design of a future intervention (The HERizon Project). Methods. A total of 48 adolescent girls (13–18 years) from low socioeconomic areas of the United Kingdom and Ireland participated in focus groups (n = 8), to explore perspectives of physical activity and the influence of gender within this. Focus groups were thematically analyzed and interpreted within a socioecological framework. Results. Most girls enjoyed PA and were aware of its benefits. They identified both barriers and facilitators to PA at intrapersonal (fear of judgement and changing priorities WITH age), interpersonal (changing social pressures and support from others) and organizational (delivery of PE) levels. Gender inequality was a multilevel factor, crossing all socioecological levels. Conclusion. Although many adolescent girls enjoy PA, their experiences appear to be limited by a fear of judgement and an overarching sense of gender inequality. Future interventions, such as the HERizon Project, should address influences at intrapersonal, interpersonal and organizational levels to promote positive PA experiences for adolescent girls.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Girls Aren’t Meant to Exercise”: Perceived Influences on Physical Activity among Adolescent Girls—The HERizon Project

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Secondly, how schools address diversity in characteristics of students such as gender, ethnicity or socio-economic background was not accounted for in our study. Other research shows that school PA-related practices may include elements perceived differently by students with different personal characteristics, such as experiencing inequalities in obtaining recognition in sports and unequal opportunities, resources and support [ 43 , 51 , 52 ]. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume these characteristics influence students’ development of PA-related agency.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shaping Physical Activity through Facilitating Student Agency in Secondary Schools in the Netherlands

Boonekamp

Dierx

Jansen

2022

IJERPH

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Schools can enable students’ capability for lifelong physical activity (PA) by providing a physical, social and pedagogical context fostering students’ agency. This entails allowing them to develop their autonomy and ability to shape PAs according to what they value. This paper explores whether, and, if so, how, school practices provide the conditions for developing and employing PA-related student agency. We followed a multiple case study design, partnering with six secondary schools in the Netherlands. We based our qualitative content analysis on the schools’ policy documents and transcripts of interviews and focus groups with school management, teaching staff and supporting sports professionals. First, we analysed the space provided for PA-related student agency using the whole-of-school framework. Next, we used a social practice theory perspective to understand how each school practice allows for student agency. Results suggest that schools offer sufficient and varied PA opportunities but have not embedded deliberation with students on their meaningfulness and transfer to other contexts in their practices. We conclude that for schools to promote lifelong PA for students, there is a need for a pedagogical approach involving students’ perspectives, participation and reflections, enabling them to transfer PAs to other (future) life settings.

show abstract

“…Beyond the detriment to player welfare, a gender gap in resource-access may also cause a gender gap in the visibility of sporting success. For example, a case study of three co-ed schools observed the provision of spectator buses for boy’s away matches, whereas the girls played their home matches on out-of-town pitches with no spectator transport for home or away games [ 4 ]. This gender gap was further exacerbated by the celebration of the boy’s sporting achievements in whole-school assemblies, whilst the girl’s achievements were overlooked [ 4 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘Probably just sexism’- gendered experiences of resource access in rugby

Petrie,

Mackintosh,

Starbuck

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Research pertaining to the experiences of women in rugby is scarce, which, coupled with the limited visibility of the sport and difficulty accessing resources, suggest that women’s rugby remains undervalued. Indeed, evidence of such gender inequalities remains largely anecdotal, with little rigorous research undertaken to understand the perspectives of women in rugby. This study aimed to explore the experiences of a diverse cohort of rugby players in relation to their participation in the sport and their ability to access resources. Twenty UK-based rugby players (10 men, 9 women and 1 non-binary person aged 29.1 ± 8.3 years) from school, university, club, military, and semi-professional environments, volunteered to participate in semi-structured interviews (36 ± 12 minutes) discussing their rugby experiences in relation to their gender and playing level. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, and a reflexive thematic analysis was undertaken. A widespread under-prioritisation of women in rugby was highlighted. Gender biases were apparent in access to changing rooms, pitches, quality coaches, and playing opportunities, and were reportedly propagated at the managerial level. Irrespective of gender, some amateur players reported difficulty accessing a suitable rugby environment. Insufficient player numbers precluded the formation of second teams, often resulting in inexperienced players competing beyond their ability. Women’s rugby players experienced considerable gender bias. This exploratory study highlights a need to address such issues to protect player welfare. Interventions to change the culture in rugby clubs and increased representation of women in managerial positions in rugby are recommended to enact meaningful change.

show abstract

‘It’s just because we’re girls’: How female students experience and negotiate masculinist school sport

Cited by 10 publications

References 40 publications

“Girls Aren’t Meant to Exercise”: Perceived Influences on Physical Activity among Adolescent Girls—The HERizon Project

“Girls Aren’t Meant to Exercise”: Perceived Influences on Physical Activity among Adolescent Girls—The HERizon Project

Shaping Physical Activity through Facilitating Student Agency in Secondary Schools in the Netherlands

‘Probably just sexism’- gendered experiences of resource access in rugby

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About