Adolescent constructions of gendered identities: the role of sport and (physical) education

Abstract

S. (2018) 'Adolescent constructions of gendered identities : the role of sport and (physical)education.', Sport, education and society., 23 (7). pp. 681-693. potentially negative influence on participation for both males and females. This paper explores male and female experiences of sport and PE to grasp how the field of physical culture represents a space for the development and enactment of gendered behaviours and norms within an active identity. Fifty-one individual or paired semi-structured interviews were conducted with 33 young men and 37 young women in Year 11 (aged 15-16) at three demographically varied schools in North East England. Using Bourdieu's concepts of habitus, field, capital and doxa, this paper demonstrates that these young people identify feeling trapped in gendered norms and beliefs which recreate rigid notions of acceptable behaviours for young men and women. Interviewees often described gender in biological terms through a belief that masculinity is associated with maleness and femininity with femaleness. Through encouraging reflexivity as part of the interview process, young people were able to identify the (usually) non-conscious elements of their gendered habitus, which represent the taken-for-granted assumptions about masculinity and femininity which direct practice. Perceived gender pressures lead to self-and peersurveillance within PE environments, whereby capital is allocated to gender-and sportappropriate bodies. These findings suggest that PE and school structures regulate adolescent bodies, affecting participation in sport and physical activity in heavily gendered ways. Therefore, limited opportunities are available for young people to transgress the restrictive social norms which normalise the role of sport and PE for a successful male identity whilst simultaneously undermining the presence of an athletic female.

“It’s Just the Thing You Do”: Physical and Digital Fields, and the Flow of Capital for Young People’s Gendered Identity Negotiation

“…For young people, popularity is accrued in digital spaces through “tagging,” which is translated physically to a higher status in school. Popularity is already highly significant for young people (Ferguson & Ryan, 2019; Metcalfe, 2018; Read et al, 2011; Wright, 2017), and social media reinforces this with its immediate feedback through “likes” and “followers.” Moreover, it is the focus on the image that results in particular attention being drawn to the body.…”

“…The data presented within this article were collected as part of a wider research project that considered the way young people in schools negotiate their gendered identities through sport (see Metcalfe [2018] for an overview of other elements of the research project). All research conducted was approved by Durham University's ethics board.…”

“…This means the immediate social fields of schooling and, recently, social media hold significance for how young people present themselves for social legitimation and acceptance. When one’s habitus matches the requirements of the field, congruence occurs, and this is rewarded with capital (Bourdieu, 1984; Dumais, 2002; Metcalfe, 2018).…”

“…In relation to gender, capital is often allocated to gendered bodies that approximate idealized gendered representations of masculinity and femininity (Cook & Hasmath, 2014; Lawler, 2004; Manago et al, 2015). For young people, social capital in the form of social status and position is important for young people within their peer social networks (Holland, Reynolds, & Weller, 2007; Metcalfe, 2018; Putnam, 1995). Young people often place emphasis on social status and popularity (Ferguson & Ryan, 2019; Read, Francis, & Skelton, 2011), and the accumulation of social capital through indicators of popularity (e.g., social media “likes,” friends, position within the social hierarchy) demonstrates the utility of a Bourdieusian framework to explore how capital rewards legitimate gendered identities for young people in practice.…”

Establishing the validity and reliability of the ACHV-PE questionnaire into the Spanish language

“…Moreover, a positive relationship of children and young people with PE might develop a lifelong involvement of them with physical activity. (Redelius, Fagrell, and Larsson, 2009;Wright and Laverty, 2010) cited by Metcalfe, (2018).…”