Le corps féminin en gouren : entre exception culturelle et marginalité

Being Breton through wrestling: Traditional gouren as a distinctive Breton activity

“…Notably, this narrative helps to reinforce and reproduce the traditional masculinity of Breton wrestling in the present day. In fact, gouren remained an exclusively male practice until the 1970s, when women first claimed an active-rather than ancillary-role within its structures ( Épron, 2008;Épron and Jollivet, 2007). As a result, women have been afforded only a marginal role in shaping social and cultural representations of gouren.…”

“…Women were under-represented in the official rhetoric and federal publications about gouren-notably magazines such as Gouren infos and Gouren mag, and later a website. 15 In this history of gouren, women have played subordinate and passive roles: rather than practitioners, trainers or administrators, they are spectators, supporters, or "ring girls" who carry the trophies ( Épron and Jollivet, 2007). From the 1970s, women episodically took on administrative roles within the Federation, Clubs or competitions.…”

“…To some extent, these concessions to women were linked to the contingent need to legitimate the practice in a changing social context. It is unlikely that society at large would have safeguarded, supported, funded and promoted a sportive activity where women were unreservedly excluded ( Épron, 2008Épron and Jollivet, 2007). Even so, ethnographic interviews with those involved and analysis of federal magazines confirm that the Commission's influence remains limited.…”

“…Accordingly, they have "tactically" (De Certeau, 1988) defined their gender identities in gouren according to "specific combination[s] of biographic and relational transactions" (Mennesson, 2005b: 64). These actions have resulted in the possibility of expressing several female identities in gouren, without disturbing its hegemonic definition as a male activity ( Épron and Jollivet, 2007). However, ethnographic observation has demonstrated that gouren's social context has shifted significantly in the last 20 years, and is still undergoing rapid change in the present day.…”