Living the paradox: female athletes negotiate femininity and muscularity

Sex Roles: A Journal of Research,  March, 2004  by Vikki Krane,  Precilla Y.L. Choi,  Shannon M. Baird,  Christine M. Aimar,  Kerrie J. Kauer

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Track Athlete 3: I feel faster when I put on my little bathing suit....
  I feel like I'm ready to race, I'm in like a certain mode.
Track Athlete 2: Yeah, plus you're in the right like mind set, like
Track Athlete 3: Yeah
Track Athlete 2: When you're wearing your uniform it feels like a lot
  different, like mentally almost than when you're just running in like
  a t-shirt and shorts.
Track Athlete 2: To me it does.

Although the athletes noted that their uniforms were a source of trepidation, they also had learned to cope with them and to refocus their attention during competition.

Athlete as "Other"

The higher order theme of "athlete as 'other'" emerged from the women's descriptions of female athletes as marginalized and perceived as different from "normal girls." Within the context of the interviews, "normal" was used to refer to nonathletic girls and women. The participants were aware that as athletes they differed from women who were not athletes in (un) feminine appearance and behavior. The most common description of this perception was they were "like guys," or "like men" and particularly as "not girls." They often made comments such as "I wish I was a girl," "I want to look like a girl," and "sometimes I'm just not like a girl." All of the participants agreed with the basketball player's statement, "I just feel so different than everybody else." Additional indications of "other" status were supported by the data categories of discrepancy, clothes, (not) doing femininity, social attention, and dating.

Discrepancy

This data category highlights the conflict the athletes had between being athletic and being feminine. The athletes clearly distinguished between their identities as a woman and as an athlete:

      I think your gender almost kinda disappears in a way.... When
      you're out there, I'm not a girl, I'm a machine. (laughs). You
      know what I mean, you're all psyched up, you're in the mindset,
      you just wanna, you know what I'm saying. Don't make fun. I think
      about that when I'm all psyched up. I'm not thinking about that
      I'm a girl, I just want to hurt somebody or something. (Hockey
      Player 1)

The Rugby player epitomized the distinction between being a feminine female and an athlete:

      Athletes have like two sides to them. Like on the field or the
      court or in the pool or whatever like you have a mindset like
      you're there for a reason, you're not out there to look cute or be
      pretty. I mean you're there because you wanna win and you're
      aggressive, and sure it's not attractive sometimes, but I mean
      like how cute is rugby?

Their strength and muscularity are acceptable in a sport environment, but a more feminine demeanor and image is desired in a social setting. The athletes recognized these different identities and distinguished between fitting into the different environments. As Rugby Player 2 stated: "if you're an athlete, then you have to like transform into entirely someone else when you come off the field or the ice or whatever." A softball player said: