How to Be a Man Differently: The intersection of Gender and Disability in the Life Course of a Powerchair Athlete

Abstract

This article focuses on the intersection of gender, dis/ability and other social forces in the life course of a young man who has had physical impairments from an early age. Drawing on interactionist theories and applying an ethnographic approach, we analyze the life experiences taking place in multiple social spheres throughout the life phases of Simon, a Swiss powerchair hockey player with cerebral palsy. During his childhood and adolescence, Simon was not in a position to embody the familial ways of performing hegemonic masculinity, and he was functionally dependent on women. Through his ongoing transition to adulthood, his commitment to sport and the process of technologizing his body enabled him doing gender differently and emancipate himself from the familial masculine figure, while remaining reliant on the care provided by women. Thus, we show how the body, context, and life phases contribute to the performances of gender and dis/ability.

Governing Bodies Through Water: Turning Boys Into Men and Reducing Bodies to Biology

“…comm.). Studies on disability and masculinities have shown that the acquisition of impairments leads to profound life changes, which in turn affect men’s social entitlements and their masculine sense of self (Paccaud and Marcellini 2022; Smith and Hutchison 2004). It is through the body and its physical abilities that one shows compliance with gender norms that are socially expected for one’s sex category and that others use to assess expectations.…”

The co-conditioning of dis/ability and gender: An intersectionality study of Powerchair Hockey

“…Research on the experiences of men with dis/abilities in sport shows that for men who have acquired physical dis/abilities in adulthood, committing to parasports, them to restore the social status associated with the embodiment of normative masculinity through the enacting of strength, risk-taking, and self-confidence (39)(40)(41)(42)(43). Other authors investigate the "role of sport in negotiating the dilemma of disabled masculinity" for men living with dis/abilities since an early age (44,45). Paccaud and Marcellini (45) show that for a man living with "severe" physical dis/abilities since birth, commitment to powerchair The concept of "supercrip" refers to people living with dis/abilities who "go beyond" and "overcome" their dis/abilities to achieve professional, athletic, and social success.…”

“…Other authors investigate the "role of sport in negotiating the dilemma of disabled masculinity" for men living with dis/abilities since an early age (44,45). Paccaud and Marcellini (45) show that for a man living with "severe" physical dis/abilities since birth, commitment to powerchair The concept of "supercrip" refers to people living with dis/abilities who "go beyond" and "overcome" their dis/abilities to achieve professional, athletic, and social success. While, from an ableist perspective, these accomplishments are considered to be grandiose, critical dis/ability studies and crip studies remind us that these achievements would be banalities of everyday life if they were not made complicated by an environment unsuitable for people with dis/abilities.…”

“…Other authors investigate the “role of sport in negotiating the dilemma of disabled masculinity” for men living with dis/abilities since an early age ( 44 , 45 ). Paccaud and Marcellini ( 45 ) show that for a man living with “severe” physical dis/abilities since birth, commitment to powerchair sports allows him to be recognized by others as a man, without having to enact physical strength.…”

Activism for intersectional justice in sport sociology: Using intersectionality in research and in the classroom

“…Intersectional research reveals, for example, the impact of race and gender on the representation, opportunity, and experiences of Black women in sport ( 24 – 28 ), the role media plays in constructions of women athletes of color ( 29 ), the complexities of sports coaching ( 30 , 31 ), the homogenizing nature of white feminist scholarship of sport and leisure ( 32 ), and stories of athletes with disabilities [e.g., ( 33 )]. Further, a handful of sport sociology research that employs intersectionality is embedded in activism for social justice through its explicit aid in calls to action for inclusive, empowering practice within and beyond sport.…”