An Examination of the Discourses Present in Women’S Tackle
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AN EXAMINATION OF THE DISCOURSES PRESENT IN WOMEN’S TACKLE FOOTBALL AND THEIR EFFECTS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE GAME A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of Master of Science in Kinesiology and Health Studies University of Regina By Mira Joanne Trebilcock Regina, Saskatchewan February, 2020 Copyright 2020: M.J. Trebilcock UNIVERSITY OF REGINA FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND RESEARCH SUPERVISORY AND EXAMINING COMMITTEE Mira Joanne Trebilcock, candidate for the degree of Master of Science in Kinesiology & Health Studies, has presented a thesis titled, An Examination of the Discourses Present in Women’s Tackle Football and Their Effects on the Development of the Game, in an oral examination held on January 22, 2020. The following committee members have found the thesis acceptable in form and content, and that the candidate demonstrated satisfactory knowledge of the subject material. External Examiner: Dr. Amber Fletcher, Department of Sociology & Social Studies Supervisor: Dr. Larena Hoeber, Faculty of Kinesiology & Health Studies Committee Member: Dr. Claire Carter, Department of Women and Gender Studies Committee Member: Dr. Brandy West-McMaster, Faculty of Kinesiology & Health Studies Chair of Defense: Dr. Shadi Beshai, Department of Psychology Abstract Women’s football is gaining popularity in North America. There are currently twelve Canadian women’s teams, throughout six provinces. Unlike hockey, which sees a variance in rules between the women’s and men’s game, women’s football shares the same rules, regulations and equipment requirements as their male counterparts. Hypothetically, women’s football could become as popular as the men’s game but development remains slow. Fairclough, Mulderrig and Woldak’s (2011) systemic approach towards the relationship that exists between language and existing social structures, known as Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) (Fairclough, 2012; 2013), was used to guide this qualitative study about discourses related to women’s football. Previous research has indicated that discourse has the potential to shape our thoughts, inform our beliefs, identities, and even our behaviour (Hall, 1988). Through nine in- depth, semi-structured interviews conducted with four athletes and five non-athletes (coaches and administrators) involved in the women’s game, I aimed to gain a better understanding of the ways in which we communicate in both written and spoken word (otherwise known as discourse) about women’s football to understand if there are overarching discourses either helping or hindering the development of the sport. Reflections from a self-ethnography conducted during the 2018 Regina Riot pre- season, season and post-season also helped to illustrate specific instances and experiences where discourse directly impacted the way in which meaning is constructed and shared about women’s football. Data from participant transcripts and self-ethnographic reflections were analyzed using inductive and deductive content analysis to understand i what effects, if any, gendered discourses have on the development of women’s football in Canada. Findings revealed three core themes: 1) an overarching sense of uncertainty surrounding women’s football, 2) that women’s football remains to be seen as an alternative version of football and 3) there exists potential for future development of the women’s game and the athletes who compete in the sport. The implications for these findings are discussed in the context of dominant gender ideology inherent in sport culture and how alternative discourses exist that reflect a greater overall cultural shift towards inclusivity. ii Acknowledgements I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. Larena Hoeber, whose enthusiasm about diversity-related issues in sport and immense knowledge within the qualitative methods umbrella provided a great deal of motivation and insight into this naturalistic form of inquiry. Without her thoughtful guidance and kind support over the last five years, this thesis would not have been possible. Thank you to my committee members, Brandy West-McMaster and Dr. Claire Carter, whose work in academia and in sport offered a unique lens to critically engage and explore a variety of intersecting ideologies inherent in sport. I sincerely appreciate you taking an interest in my research, asking challenging questions, encouraging constructive discussions and offering critical perspectives to improve my thesis. I would also like to thank my external reviewer, Dr. Amber Fletcher, for her fair review of this project and her critical work in bringing light to women’s contributions in various sectors where women have often been invincible. I owe many thanks to the six women and three men who shared their experiences with me to make this project what it is, as well as all those involved with the Regina Riot Football Club. You have provided me and many women in our community, with outstanding opportunities to compete and grow together in a sport I never knew was available to me as a young girl. I am truly honoured to share these discourses and lived experiences in my thesis. Financial support was provided through the Kinesiology and Health Studies Graduate Scholarship at the U of R, The Paige Mitchell Memorial Scholarship and through educational development opportunities at Mother Teresa Middle School. iii Dedication This study is wholeheartedly dedicated to the next generation of female athletes. May you have the opportunities to participate, compete and showcase your athletic abilities. May you receive the respect your athletic abilities deserve and not be afraid to use your voice, because as you will see through this research, the language we use matters and we have the ability to produce and reproduce new discourses every day. I believe sport has a unique power to bridge the gaps that divide us. In 2000, at the Laureus World Sports Lifetime Achievement Awards, Nelson Mandela said, “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where there was only despair.” By leveraging and embracing the power of sport to connect us we will realize we are much more alike than we are different. Gender should not matter, everyone plays the same game because they love the game. May this research serve as a vehicle of hope for all girls and women in sport. To Meaghan, my family, friends, coaches and the incredible female athletes who I have had the opportunity to compete with and against over the last decade, thank you for supporting me and pushing me to continuously grow. To the accessible role models and leaders who shared their passion for sport on and off the field, I am forever grateful. iv Table of Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................................ i Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ iii Dedication .......................................................................................................................... iv Table of Contents .................................................................................................................v List of Tables ................................................................................................................... viii List of Figures .................................................................................................................... ix List of Appendices ...............................................................................................................x CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................1 1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................1 1.2 Significance of the Study ...........................................................................................3 1.3 Women’s Football in North America .........................................................................6 1.4 Researcher Position ....................................................................................................7 CHAPTER 2 – LITERATURE REVIEW ...........................................................................9 2.1 Discourses ..................................................................................................................9 2.2 Gender Discourses in Sport ......................................................................................11 2.2.1 The contradiction or paradox of the female athlete. ..........................................12 2.2.2 Gender-appropriate sports. ................................................................................16 2.2.3 Female frailty. ....................................................................................................18 2.2.4 Sexualisation and sexuality in gender-inappropriate sport. ...............................21 2.2.5 Maintenance of masculine hegemony. ..............................................................23 2.3 Women’s Involvement in Hypermasculine Sports...................................................27 2.3.1 Women’s hockey. ..............................................................................................27