Is football now feminist? A critique of the use of McCaughey’s physical feminism to explain women’s participation in separate leagues in masculine sports¹

Abstract

Over the past two decades there have been a number of sociological investigations of participation by women in sports that had previously appeared to have been played exclusively by men. These investigations have rightly celebrated this participation as examples of greater physical empowerment, choice and freedom for women in sport. Several of these investigations have gone further by utilizing McCaughey's notion of physical feminism to argue that participation in these sports is indicative of a broader feminist political challenge. This paper contends that this characterization of the broader political challenge is a misinterpretation of McCaughey's physical feminism. Further, this misinterpretation is indicative of the theoretical underpinnings of the shift from a second wave radical feminism to a third wave celebrity feminism. This paper proposes a set of commitments that would be necessary, although not sufficient, to see these women's leagues as feminist organizations that politically challenge patriarchal power.

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

“…The findings of the current study connect to Burke’s ‘freedom fallacy’ vis-à-vis participation being ‘simultaneously both empowering and oppressive’ (2018: 5), which highlights the complexities involved in soccer engagement. Despite the general ‘freedom fallacy’ that seemingly exists, players at the local level of the current study were able to form and maintain personal freedoms in relation to their pleasure performance.…”

“…FIFA (2018: 4) themselves acknowledge this paradoxical situation by reporting that ‘the game is both in rude health and in need of fundamental change’. Burke’s (2018) critical examination of women’s perceived empowerment through participation in masculine sports explains that political-cultural shifts are not possible whist women’s sport continues to be framed by men’s sporting benchmarks and histories.…”

Breaking Barriers? Examining Neoliberal–Postfeminist Empowerment in Women’s Mixed Martial Arts

“…Hope for this potential has rested on women athletes’ ability to “break barriers” to liberated female subjecthood by participating in activities that have traditionally been associated with male bodies and masculinities, and sport’s ability to “reduc[e] [the] physical power imbalances on which patriarchy is founded and reified” (Castelnuovo and Guthrie 1998, 13). But sex-segregated sports such as MMA may paradoxically reinforce patriarchal power, as they sustain conservative discourse that suggests “ all women, even strong and athletic female athletes playing physical sports, require protection from competition against all men” (Burke 2019, 504). Further, neoliberal–postfeminist logics ensure that women athletes’ achievements are evaluated in the individualizing language of the dominant hegemony, such that it may actually undercut feminist goals of collective empowerment (Burke 2019; Fraser 2013).…”

“…But sex-segregated sports such as MMA may paradoxically reinforce patriarchal power, as they sustain conservative discourse that suggests “ all women, even strong and athletic female athletes playing physical sports, require protection from competition against all men” (Burke 2019, 504). Further, neoliberal–postfeminist logics ensure that women athletes’ achievements are evaluated in the individualizing language of the dominant hegemony, such that it may actually undercut feminist goals of collective empowerment (Burke 2019; Fraser 2013). This paradox presented itself throughout my interviews.…”

Standing on the ice: experiences of women national ice hockey players in Turkey

“…The common focal point of the women male athletes from different social strata has been ice hockey. In general, studies show that participation in sports such as hockey, skiing, and football (Migliaccio & Berg, 2007;Hämäläinen, 2014;Burke, 2019) has the potential to facilitate women's empowerment (Theberge, 2003).…”