‘It’s like equality now; it’s not as if it’s the old days’: an investigation into gender identity development and football participation of adolescent girls

Abstract

This article explores the influence participating in football has on the development of adolescent girls’ gender identity, an area which currently lacks academic attention. Data were taken from an ethnographic study with a group of adolescent girls and boys and compared to Jeanes’ research. A social constructionist framework was deployed with links to both critical theory and feminist literature. Qualitative and participatory methods were used to fully engage with the complex issue of gender identity. The girls within this study were aware of the normative gender expectations linked to ‘being a female’ but did not find this restrictive. The girls moved between many changing identities and organised their ‘web of selves’ accordingly. The apparent need to measure success by the parameters of male standards created a barrier to girls’ identity development

“I'm a Referee, Not a Female Referee”: The Experiences of Women Involved in Football as Coaches and Referees

“…For example, Swain (2000) and Clark and Paechter (2007) highlight how girls' access to informal football opportunities at school are limited by the spatial monopolisation of playgrounds by young boys. Jeans and Kay (2007), Jeanes (2011), andPielichaty (2015) work explores young girls' experiences of negotiating the contradictions between "feminine" and footballer identities. Similar themes are explored amongst adult women footballers by Welford and Kay (2007) and Themen (2016), who uncover the tensions that arise between normative notions of femininity and the physicality required for football prowess.…”

“…It is widely documented that women's football has experienced a surge in popularity over the past 20 years (Pielichaty, 2015;Bell, 2019;Clarkson et al, 2020). The development of the Women's Super League (WSL) in England and increased media coverage of global competitions has gone some way toward recognising elite women players in popular culture (Woodhouse et al, 2019).…”

“…With these overarching issues around inequality and discrimination in mind, in 2011 Caudwell (2011) called for a continued analysis of the gendered nature of football culture to highlight the forces that "operate to affirm and reaffirm men's and boys' 'entitlement' to the game" (p. 1). Over the last two decades a number of notable studies have uncovered the challenges faced by women and girls in football (e.g., Scraton et al, 1999;Clark and Paechter, 2007;Ratna, 2011;Stride and Fitzgerald, 2011;Welford, 2011;Pielichaty, 2015). This research has focused predominantly on women and girls' opportunities to play football.…”

Pleasure and the Sanctuary Paradox: Experiences of girls and women playing soccer

“…Players have reportedly enjoyed being competitive, aggressive, skilful and determined (Scraton et al, 1999) and have felt able to ‘let go of gender role expectations and do what they love doing, namely playing soccer’ (Grundlingh, 2010: 52). Furthermore, Pielichaty’s previous study demonstrated that soccer was utilized as a platform for girls to prove ‘the boys’ wrong as well as describing the sport as ‘relaxing, energetic, a chance to tackle people and take your anger out on something’ (2015: 498). Cox and Pringle’s paper reports on ‘specific footballing pleasures’ (2011: 229) and the transformative power of pleasure to help players tackle inequality and contribute to sustained participation.…”

Politics of Gender (in)Equality Relating to Sport and Development Within a Sub-Saharan Context of Poverty

“…The internalisation of the norms and values are often a prerequisite for acceptance at inter-personal, institutional and community levels. Pielichaty (2015) refers to creating a "web-of-selves" with reference to how girls present different versions of themselves according to circumstances and relationships, which they negotiate for personal gain. The traditional and contemporary South African society is ideologically positioned by patriarchy.…”