Subjectification of Female Barrel Racers
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Subjectification of Female Barrel Racers by Desirea Weninger Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts Human Kinetics with Woman’s Studies Specialization University of Ottawa March 2015 © Desirea Weninger, Ottawa, Canada, 2015 ii Abstract Throughout history women’s participation in the male-dominated sporting atmosphere has been fraught with tensions. Many researchers have sought to bring light to the experiences of sportswomen walking the fine line between acceptable gender representation and successful sport performances. Rodeo is one such male dominated sport in which one event of seven is allocated for women’s participation. Ladies barrel racing showcases a rider and her horse racing through a cover-leaf pattern attempting to attain the fastest time. This thesis examines how barrel racers make sense of their sporting experiences. Drawing on Foucault’s notions of power, discourse, and knowledge a discourse analysis was performed to showcase how barrel racers become subjects. The results showcase two separate, yet interconnected, themes. The first analyzes how the barrel racing subject interacts with discourses of gender. It was found that contextual discursive fragments were (re)produced by the barrel racers that defined a code of professionalism that serves to discipline a barrel racer’s body and dress in order to represent an authentic cowgirl image separating her from the deviant, non-authentic ‘others’: groupies and wannabe’s. Further, when examining the inter-species interaction in barrel racing it was found that the racer and horse co-exist between three intertwined subjectivities: the athlete, the team member, and the trainer. Overall, the importance of context is showcased in the results as the specific cultural discourses actively engage with dominant gender discourse to create a nuanced knowledge base through with the barrel racers make sense of their subjectivity. iii Dedication This thesis is dedicated to the people and experiences I encountered throughout my youth growing up a middle-of-nowhere community in Saskatchewan. To the cattle ranch that was built on the backs of my father and grandfather and the western culture that allowed me to use my body and mind in ways that challenged gender norms, and that inspired this research project. To my mother for always challenging me to grow and learn beyond the realm of comfort. Finally, to my partner whose words of encouragement made this possible. iv Acknowledgements I would like to send my sincere thanks to everyone who helped me continue to the completion of this project. Notably, my supervising professor, Christine Dallaire whose support, guidance, trust, and understanding made this project possible. Thank you for allowing me to embark into unknown territory, working with my unorthodox personal experiences, and creating a mentorship that allowed for creativity and has resulted in success. Furthermore, I would like to send my genuine appreciation to the classmates and professors who challenged my thought processes, and encouraged a deeper analytical response. I would also like to thank all of the women who volunteered their time and lives to this project and, ultimately, my Masters. Lastly, I send much love and gratitude to my family who have supported, listened, and exercised patience throughout this process. v TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................... 1 SPECIFICS.........................................................................................................................................................................4 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ...................................................................................... 7 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW.............................................................................................. 8 WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN MASCULINE SPORTS.................................................................................................8 RODEO AND RELATED LITERATURE........................................................................................................................16 WOMEN IN A COMPETITIVE ROLE. ...........................................................................................................................16 Women in a Non-Competitive Role.................................................................................................................17 The Canadian Context ..........................................................................................................................................21 HORSE – RACER RELATIONSHIP...............................................................................................................................24 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................................................................27 CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHOD...................................................................................29 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHOD......................................................................................................30 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK.....................................................................................................................................30 Discourse....................................................................................................................................................................31 Power/Knowledge..................................................................................................................................................31 Subjectification........................................................................................................................................................33 METHOD .......................................................................................................................................................................36 Intentions and realities........................................................................................................................................36 ANALYSIS ......................................................................................................................................................................41 Gender theme ...........................................................................................................................................................43 Horse theme..............................................................................................................................................................44 Challenges..................................................................................................................................................................45 CHAPTER FOUR: AUTHENTICITY IS KEY: THE DISCOURSE OF PROFESSIONALISM IN BARREL RACERS..................................................................................46 SITUATING THE RESEARCH .......................................................................................................................................48 Contextualizing Barrel Racing .........................................................................................................................50 THE DISCOURSE OF PROFESSIONALISM ..................................................................................................................53 Non-professional others ......................................................................................................................................53 Disciplined Attire....................................................................................................................................................61 Disciplined bodies...................................................................................................................................................67 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................................................................73 CHAPTER FIVE: INTER-SPECIES RELATIONSHIPS IN BARREL RACING...................76 METHODS AND ANALYSIS..........................................................................................................................................81 PRODUCTION OF THE HORSE/HUMAN SUBJECT POSITIONS OF BARREL RACERS..........................................82 The athlete.................................................................................................................................................................83 The team member(s).............................................................................................................................................86 The trainer.................................................................................................................................................................92 DIVIDING PRACTICES REPRODUCING THE FEMALE BARREL RACER .................................................................96 CONCLUDING THOUGHTS........................................................................................................................................ 105 vi CHAPTER SIX: CONCLUSION....................................................................................................... 107 REFERENCES......................................................................................................................................