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Resistant formations of alternative femininities within skateboarding — an exploration of gender at a time of feminist transformation

Year 2020, Issue: 14, 61 - 86, 15.11.2020

Abstract

Based on semi-structured interviews with 8 female skateboarders, this paper offers an in-depth analysis into the physical and aesthetic practices of alternative femininities amongst women in a skateboarding community. Skateboarding sites are prominent carriers of alternative femininity because they allow women to reclaim traditionally masculine traits such as physical strength, resilience and assertiveness (Pavlidis and Fullagar, 2013) and in turn experiment with their gender performance by integrating these elements of masculinity within their gender identities. As a result, female skateboarders actively challenge sexist 'assumptions as to what their bodies can do' (Pavlidis and Fullagar, 2015: 10) and confront misleading stereotypes of physical fragility and mental weakness.This research will therefore provide an informative account into the ways in which skateboarding practices facilitate collective gender performance and with it resistance against male hegemony amongst women.

References

  • Atencio, M. Beal, B. Wilson, C. (2009). The distinction of risk: urban skateboarding, street habitus and the construction of hierarchical gender relations. Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise, 1(1), 3-20.
  • Aapola, S. Gonick, M. Harris, A. (2004). Young Femininity: Girlhood, Power and Social Change. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Beal, B. Wheaton, B. (2003). Keeping It Real. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 38(2), 155-176.
  • Beaver, T. (2012). By the Skaters, for the Skaters - The DIY Ethos of the Roller Derby Revival. Journal of Sport and Social, 36, 25-49.
  • Beaver, T. (2016). Roller derby uniforms: The pleasures and dilemmas of sexualized attire. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 51(6), 639-657.
  • Beal, B. (1992). The subculture of skateboarding: Beyond social resistance, ProQuest Dissertations Publishing – thesis.
  • Burn, S. O’Neil, A. Nederend, S. (1996). Childhood tomboyism and adult androgyny, Sex Roles, 34(5), 419-428.
  • Browne, K. (2006). Challenging Queer Geographies, Antipode, 38(5), 885-893.
  • Browne, K. Nash, C. (2010). Queer methods and methodologies: intersecting queer theories and social science research. Farnham: Ashgate.
  • Butler, J. (2004). Undoing Gender. US: Rutledge.
  • Bourbour, R. (2007). Introducing Qualitative Research: A Student's Guide to the Craft of Doing Qualitative Research. London: SAGE Publication.
  • Backstrom, A. (2013). Gender Manoeuvring in Swedish Skateboarding: Negotiations of Femininities and the Hierarchical Gender Structure, Young, 21(1), 29-53.
  • Connell, R.W. (1987). Gender and Power. Cambridge: Polity Press.
  • Conboy, K. Medina, N. Stanbury, S. (1997). Writing on the body: female embodiment and feminist theory. New York: Columbia University Press.
  • Currie, D. Pomerantz, S. Kelly, D. (2009). Girl Power: Girls Reinventing Girlhood. US: Peter Lang Publishing.
  • Finley, N.J. (2010). Skating Femininity: Gender Maneuvering in Women's Roller Derby. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 39(4), 359-387.
  • Gill, R. (2007). Postfeminist media culture: elements of a sensibility. European journal of cultural studies, 10(2), 147-166.
  • Harris, A. (2003). Future Girl: Young Women in the Twenty-First Century. New York; London: Routledge.
  • Holland, S. (2004). Alternative Femininities: Body, Age and Identity. UK: Berg Publishers.
  • Krane, V. (2001). We Can Be Athletic and Feminine, but Do We Want To? Challenging Hegemonic Femininity in Women's Sport. Quest, 53(1), 115-33.
  • Kvale, S. (1996). Inter Views: An Introduction to Qualitative Research Interviewing. London: SAGE Publications.
  • Leblanc, L. (1999). Pretty in punk: girls' gender resistance in a boys' subculture. London: Rutgers University Press.
  • Madhok, S. Phillips, A. (2013). Gender, Agency, and Coercion. UK: Palgrave Macmillan.
  • McRobbie, A. (2006). Shut up and dance: Youth culture and changing modes of femininity. Cultural studies, 7(3), 406-426.
  • Miller, T. Birch, M. Mauthner, M. Jessop, J. (2012). Ethics in Qualitative Research. London: Sage Publications.
  • Paechter, C. (2006). Masculine femininities/feminine masculinities: power, identities and gender. Gender and Education, 18(3), 253-263.
  • Pavlidis, A. Fullagar, S. (2013). Becoming roller derby grrrls: Exploring the gendered play of affect in mediated sport cultures. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 48(6), 673-688.
  • Pavlidis, A. Fullagar, S. (2013). The pain and pleasure of roller derby: Thinking through affect and subjectification. International Journal of Cultural Studies, 18(5), 483-499.
  • Pomerantz, S. D. Currie, Kelly, D. (2005). Skater girlhood and emphasized femininity: ‘you can't land an ollie properly in heels. Gender and Education, 17(3), 229-248.
  • Pomerantz, S. D. Currie, Kelly, D. (2004). Sk8er girls: Skateboarders, girlhood and feminism in motion. Women's Studies International Forum, 27(5), 547-557.
  • Porter, N. (2005). Female skateboarders and their negotiation of space and identity. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.
  • Rubin, H. Rubin, I. (2005) Qualitative Interviewing: The Art of Hearing Data. London: SAGE.
  • Ryan, G. Bernard, R. (2003). Techniques to Identify Themes. Field methods, 15(1), 85-109.
  • Schippers, M. (2007). Recovering the feminine other: masculinity, femininity, and gender hegemony. Theory and Society, 36(1), 85-102.
  • Scharff, C. (2012). Repudiating Feminism -Young Women in a Neoliberal World. Farnham: Ashgate.
  • Silverman, D. (1943). Doing qualitative research: a practical handbook. London: SAGE Publications.
  • Velding, V. (2014). Depicting Femininity: Conflicting Messages in a “Tween” magazine. Youth and Society, 30(3), 505-527.
  • Widsor, W. (2015). Femininities. International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, pp.893-897.
  • Wearing, B. (1998). Leisure and feminist theory. London: SAGE.
  • Young, A. (2006). ‘The flipside: Young womens' understanding of the risks in skateboarding’, (Online) Available at: http://www.ruor.uottawa.ca/handle/10393/27430

Feminist Dönüşüm Zamanlarında bir Toplumsal Cinsiyet İncelemesi: Alternatif Dişilliklerin Kaykay Etrafında Dirençli Oluşumu

Year 2020, Issue: 14, 61 - 86, 15.11.2020

Abstract

8 kadın kaykaycı ile yürütülen yarı-yapılandırılmış görüşmelere dayanan bu araştırma, kaykay camiasındaki kadınlar arasındaki eril dişilliklerin fiziksel ve estetik pratiklerinin derinlemesine bir analizini sunmaktadır. Kaykay mekanları dişil erilliğin önde gelen taşıyıcılarındandır; zira, kadınların fiziksel güç, dayanıklılık, rekabetçi dürtüler ve girişkenlik gibi (Pavlidis and Fullagar, 2013) geleneksel eril özelliklere sahip çıkmalarına olanak tanırlar. Bu tip sporlardaki kadınlar, aktif olarak ‘vücutlarının neyi yapabileceği konusundaki varsayımlara’ meydan okurlar (Pavlidis and Fullagar, 2015: 10) ve fiziksel kırılganlık ile mental zayıflık gibi yanlış stereotipleştirmelerin karşısına çıkarlar. Dolayısıyla bu araştırma, kaykay pratiklerinin kolektif toplumsal cinsiyet performansını ve böylece eril hegemoni karşısında kadınların direncini kolaylaştırmasının bilgilendirici bir izahatini verecektir.

References

  • Atencio, M. Beal, B. Wilson, C. (2009). The distinction of risk: urban skateboarding, street habitus and the construction of hierarchical gender relations. Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise, 1(1), 3-20.
  • Aapola, S. Gonick, M. Harris, A. (2004). Young Femininity: Girlhood, Power and Social Change. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Beal, B. Wheaton, B. (2003). Keeping It Real. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 38(2), 155-176.
  • Beaver, T. (2012). By the Skaters, for the Skaters - The DIY Ethos of the Roller Derby Revival. Journal of Sport and Social, 36, 25-49.
  • Beaver, T. (2016). Roller derby uniforms: The pleasures and dilemmas of sexualized attire. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 51(6), 639-657.
  • Beal, B. (1992). The subculture of skateboarding: Beyond social resistance, ProQuest Dissertations Publishing – thesis.
  • Burn, S. O’Neil, A. Nederend, S. (1996). Childhood tomboyism and adult androgyny, Sex Roles, 34(5), 419-428.
  • Browne, K. (2006). Challenging Queer Geographies, Antipode, 38(5), 885-893.
  • Browne, K. Nash, C. (2010). Queer methods and methodologies: intersecting queer theories and social science research. Farnham: Ashgate.
  • Butler, J. (2004). Undoing Gender. US: Rutledge.
  • Bourbour, R. (2007). Introducing Qualitative Research: A Student's Guide to the Craft of Doing Qualitative Research. London: SAGE Publication.
  • Backstrom, A. (2013). Gender Manoeuvring in Swedish Skateboarding: Negotiations of Femininities and the Hierarchical Gender Structure, Young, 21(1), 29-53.
  • Connell, R.W. (1987). Gender and Power. Cambridge: Polity Press.
  • Conboy, K. Medina, N. Stanbury, S. (1997). Writing on the body: female embodiment and feminist theory. New York: Columbia University Press.
  • Currie, D. Pomerantz, S. Kelly, D. (2009). Girl Power: Girls Reinventing Girlhood. US: Peter Lang Publishing.
  • Finley, N.J. (2010). Skating Femininity: Gender Maneuvering in Women's Roller Derby. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 39(4), 359-387.
  • Gill, R. (2007). Postfeminist media culture: elements of a sensibility. European journal of cultural studies, 10(2), 147-166.
  • Harris, A. (2003). Future Girl: Young Women in the Twenty-First Century. New York; London: Routledge.
  • Holland, S. (2004). Alternative Femininities: Body, Age and Identity. UK: Berg Publishers.
  • Krane, V. (2001). We Can Be Athletic and Feminine, but Do We Want To? Challenging Hegemonic Femininity in Women's Sport. Quest, 53(1), 115-33.
  • Kvale, S. (1996). Inter Views: An Introduction to Qualitative Research Interviewing. London: SAGE Publications.
  • Leblanc, L. (1999). Pretty in punk: girls' gender resistance in a boys' subculture. London: Rutgers University Press.
  • Madhok, S. Phillips, A. (2013). Gender, Agency, and Coercion. UK: Palgrave Macmillan.
  • McRobbie, A. (2006). Shut up and dance: Youth culture and changing modes of femininity. Cultural studies, 7(3), 406-426.
  • Miller, T. Birch, M. Mauthner, M. Jessop, J. (2012). Ethics in Qualitative Research. London: Sage Publications.
  • Paechter, C. (2006). Masculine femininities/feminine masculinities: power, identities and gender. Gender and Education, 18(3), 253-263.
  • Pavlidis, A. Fullagar, S. (2013). Becoming roller derby grrrls: Exploring the gendered play of affect in mediated sport cultures. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 48(6), 673-688.
  • Pavlidis, A. Fullagar, S. (2013). The pain and pleasure of roller derby: Thinking through affect and subjectification. International Journal of Cultural Studies, 18(5), 483-499.
  • Pomerantz, S. D. Currie, Kelly, D. (2005). Skater girlhood and emphasized femininity: ‘you can't land an ollie properly in heels. Gender and Education, 17(3), 229-248.
  • Pomerantz, S. D. Currie, Kelly, D. (2004). Sk8er girls: Skateboarders, girlhood and feminism in motion. Women's Studies International Forum, 27(5), 547-557.
  • Porter, N. (2005). Female skateboarders and their negotiation of space and identity. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.
  • Rubin, H. Rubin, I. (2005) Qualitative Interviewing: The Art of Hearing Data. London: SAGE.
  • Ryan, G. Bernard, R. (2003). Techniques to Identify Themes. Field methods, 15(1), 85-109.
  • Schippers, M. (2007). Recovering the feminine other: masculinity, femininity, and gender hegemony. Theory and Society, 36(1), 85-102.
  • Scharff, C. (2012). Repudiating Feminism -Young Women in a Neoliberal World. Farnham: Ashgate.
  • Silverman, D. (1943). Doing qualitative research: a practical handbook. London: SAGE Publications.
  • Velding, V. (2014). Depicting Femininity: Conflicting Messages in a “Tween” magazine. Youth and Society, 30(3), 505-527.
  • Widsor, W. (2015). Femininities. International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, pp.893-897.
  • Wearing, B. (1998). Leisure and feminist theory. London: SAGE.
  • Young, A. (2006). ‘The flipside: Young womens' understanding of the risks in skateboarding’, (Online) Available at: http://www.ruor.uottawa.ca/handle/10393/27430
There are 40 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Sociology
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Yuliya Kulynych This is me 0000-0002-4044-7582

Publication Date November 15, 2020
Published in Issue Year 2020 Issue: 14

Cite

APA Kulynych, Y. (2020). Resistant formations of alternative femininities within skateboarding — an exploration of gender at a time of feminist transformation. Masculinities: A Journal of Identity and Culture(14), 61-86.