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Female Coaches Negotiations of Heteronormativity in Sport

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Female Coaches Negotiations of Heteronormativity in Sport University of Tennessee, Knoxville TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 5-2005 Transgressing the Closets: Female Coaches Negotiations of Heteronormativity in Sport Kerrie J. Kauer University of Tennessee - Knoxville Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss Part of the Education Commons Recommended Citation Kauer, Kerrie J., "Transgressing the Closets: Female Coaches Negotiations of Heteronormativity in Sport. " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 2005. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/2138 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a dissertation written by Kerrie J. Kauer entitled "Transgressing the Closets: Female Coaches Negotiations of Heteronormativity in Sport." I have examined the final electronic copy of this dissertation for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, with a major in Education. Leslee A. Fisher, Major Professor We have read this dissertation and recommend its acceptance: Handel K. Wright, Joy T. DeSensi, Christine Holmlund Accepted for the Council: Carolyn R. Hodges Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (Original signatures are on file with official studentecor r ds.) To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a dissertation written by Kerrie J. Kauer entitled “Transgressing the Closets: Female Coaches Negotiations of Heteronormativity in Sport.” I have examined the final electronic copy of this dissertation for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, with a major in Education. Leslee A. Fisher _____________________ Major Professor We have read this dissertation and recommend its acceptance: Handel K. Wright ________________________ Joy T. DeSensi ________________________ Christine Holmlund ________________________ Accepted for the Council: Anne Mayhew _______________________ Vice Chancellor and Dean of Graduate Studies Original signatures are on file with official student records. TRANSGRESSING THE CLOSETS: FEMALE COACHES NEGOTIATIONS OF HETERONORMATIVITY IN SPORT A Dissertation Presented for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree University of Tennessee, Knoxville Kerrie J. Kauer May 2005 ii Copyright © 2005 by Kerrie J. Kauer All rights reserved iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There have been many people who have helped with the production and completion of this product. This study could never have occurred if it was not for the courage and integrity of the eight women coaches who volunteered to share their time and experiences with me. I have become empowered through their words, and admire each of them for the strides they are making in women’s sport. It is also important that I acknowledge my feminist research group for the time and energy they committed to this project. In alphabetical order they are: Amy Cotter, Tatiana Ryba, Vanessa Shannon, Elizabeth Slator, and also special thanks to Helen Moshak. I am incredibly thankful to all of the individuals who have supported me and encouraged me through this process. Dr. Leslee Fisher, your caring and encouraging words and actions speak volumes about your investment in this project; thank you not only for the energy you have put into this work, but into my fledgling academic career. Dr. Handel Wright, your knowledge, inspiration, and ideals have challenged and stretched my thinking in unbelievable ways; I have grown tremendously as a person and a professional under your guidance. Dr. Joy DeSensi, you have been a consistent representation of integrity and solidarity throughout my graduate career at Tennessee; I appreciate all you have done for me. Dr. Chris Holmlund, it is a real bonus to have you work with me on this project; thank you for your encouragement and enthusiasm with regard to this work. To Vikki Krane, you are my mentor and my rock, without you, this all seems impossible. Elizabeth Slator, you are my best friend and I will be indebted forever for the friendship, support, and love you have offered me over the years. You’ve sustained me iv through the challenges with your ability to balance sensitivity, honesty, and humor. Vanessa Shannon, you’ve been one of the most generous and kind-hearted individuals I have met. Your friendship has been unconditional and your skills on the basketball court are admirable. To Melinda Frey, Karen Appleby, Tatiana Ryba and Alexis Lombard, your laughter, energy, and encouragement have been so important to me, thank you. Finally, and most importantly, to my family who has endured me throughout the years and kept me confident and strong regardless of the challenge. Jamie Bloom, my soulmate; your support and unconditional love and reassurance have been amazing through this process. I am filled with gratitude for finally having you in my life, and I am excited about what our future will hold. To my mom and dad, Linda and George Kauer, I am in awe of your selflessness, and your constant support and encouragement always. You both have given me balance, and the ability to conquer most anything with laughter. To my brother Dennis, your hard work has been an inspiration to me and your generosity towards me means so much. To my Nanny, you will always be my best friend and one of the strongest women I have known. When I grow up, I hope to be as compassionate, generous, and lovable as you. v ABSTRACT Heteronormativity, the ideology that heterosexuality is the only “normal” or natural sexuality, is insidious within the sub-culture of sport. Within this oppressive ideology, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered coaches must negotiate their identities through a continuum of hegemonic or transgresssive discourses. As previous literature indicates, female coaches with nonhegemonic sexualities have been threatened, fired, harassed, and silenced within the context of sport (Griffin, 1998; Krane, 1997; Krane & Barber, 2005; Veri, 1997). Male hegemony in sport perpetuates the production and management of heterosexism and heteronormativity in order to maintain a privileged status in sport. Queer and feminist poststructuralist theories posit that identity cannot be reduced to an essential core, and that subjectivity is fragmented, fluid, and contextual (Butler, 1990). Further, such frameworks elicit an interrogation of compulsory heterosexuality and the deconstruction of oppositional binary systems of gender and sexuality that are inherently hierarchical (Sykes, 1998). The present study is designed to explore the ways in which “out” lesbian coaches transgress the heteronormative boundaries of sport. Further, this study explores the notion of political agency of “out” lesbian coaches and how they effect social change. Eight collegiate level coaches who self-identified as “out” lesbians were interviewed with a semi-structured protocol. Qualitative inductive analysis guided by a queer-feminist framework (Sykes, 1998) revealed five emergent processes: (a) Identity Performance, (b) Discourse, (c) Coach/Athlete relationships, (d) Sociopolitical Climate, vi and (e) Psychosocial Impact. These processes and their supporting themes and subprocess are presented and deconstructed. The coaches in this study challenged and transgressed the heteronormative environment of sport and, therefore, disrupted heteronormativity in sport and engaged in social change. They also upheld the qualities associated with effective leadership in sport (Chelladuri, 2000; Murray & Mann, 2000). Further, the coaches’ behaviors were impacted by the heteronormative and homophobic climate, such that they perpetuated hegemonic norms and practices of sport. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I. INTRODUCTION 1 Personal Narrative 1 Introduction to Topic 6 Overview of Dissertation 7 Brief Overview of the Topic 8 Statement of the Problem 9 Purpose of the Study 10 Definitions 11 II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE 13 History of Women in Coaching 13 Heteronormativity in Women’s Sport 15 Queer Theory 20 Origins and Debates 21 Performative Gender and Sexuality 24 Queering Sport 25 III. METHODOLOGY 28 Qualitative Research Methodology 28 Queer-Feminist Hybridity 29 Co-participants 32 Procedure 35 The Interview 37 Memo and Journal Writing 39 Credibility and Trustworthiness 39 Data Analysis 41 Feminist Research Group 43 Reflexive Subjectivity 45 IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 49 Presentation of Processes and Themes 49 Process 1: Identity Performance 53 Subprocess 1: Shifting and Fragmented Identities 54 Subprocess 2: Inside/invisible 55 Process 2: Discourse 62 Subprocess 1: Self-identifications 63 Subprocess 2: Naming the Significant Other 64 Subprocess 3: Out/Visible 67 Theme 3: Coach/Athlete Relationship 71 Subtheme 1: Open Relationships 72 Subtheme 2: Role Model(ing) & Identifications 74 viii Subtheme 3: Honesty 77 Subtheme 4: Performance and Success 78 Theme 4: Psychosocial Impact 80 Subtheme 1: Personal Benefits 80 Subtheme 2: Benefits for Others 81 Theme 5: Sociopolitical Climate 83 Subtheme 1: Region 84 Subtheme 2: University 86 Subtheme 3: Athletic Department 88 Subtheme 4: The Team 90 Subtheme 5: Recruiting 92 Subtheme 6: Politics of Difference 98 V. CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS,
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