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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(Not) Doing Femininity

With the constant reminders that athletes were something other than normal women, these women engaged in behaviors to reinforce the notion that "we can be athletes and feminine too." VB/Hockey Player stated:

      We don't look very feminine when we're out there playing, and you
      know just to grasp on to that one last thing that makes us a girl,
      we'll put a ribbon in our hair. We do it to remind all you people
      in the stands, we are still girls. We're athletes first, but just
      remind everybody that we're girls too.

The athletes engaged in many typical behaviors to enhance their femininity: "doing my hair, putting makeup on," "putting on nice clothes," "wearing the latest trends," and "wearing French braids." Ironically, although well-fitting clothes were a source of contention, "wearing normal clothes" and "dressing up" were essential for appearing feminine. The athletes stressed that they could be feminine: "I can be more girly." Yet they also explained that they generally lacked the time to make the effort to be feminine, as described in this interaction:

Track Athlete 1: I like to dress up. I wish I could do it more. Yeah, I
  could do it more if I wanted to.
Track Athlete 2: It takes so much time and effort.
Track Athlete 1: and you're so tired you don't want to deal with it.
Track Athlete 2: It's fun once you do it.

In another focus group discussion, Distance Runner 2 said:

      It's kinda frustrating, but you can totally pick out like athletes
      and then the other girls in college. Because the other girls, they
      come with their hair hot rolled to class, their makeup completely
      done.... They're just like totally, I don't know, like dressed up
      and everything.... And it's like, what time did they get up?

Throughout the discussions, appearing feminine was equated with being a "normal girl." As Softball 3 stated: "I like doing my hair, putting makeup on so people know that I'm not just an athlete, like I am a girl too." The traditional cript of femininity is incongruous with sport, so these athletes also constructed a feminine appearance to be perceived as normal women.

It is interesting that the athletes also equated eating with unfeminine behavior. Because of their physical activity, these women ate more than their nonathletic peers, which further reinforced their other status. Apparently, feminine women do not eat large amounts of food, as indicated in the following conversation:

Hockey Player 1: In season at our house, you can't keep enough food in
  there. Oh my god, last year, three of us were playing hockey and
  [VB/Hockey Player] was playing volleyball and hockey, and we'd eat
  like you would not believe in that house. Everything in the place was
  a mess. The fridge was constantly stocked full of stuff. That makes me
  feel very unfeminine, but you're hungry you just keep eating.
(Everyone nods in agreement)
VB/Hockey Player: You're wolfing down food and you eat like seven times
  a day.
Hockey Player 1: every three hours.
VB/Hockey Player: yeah, like every three hours you're stuffing your face
  with something.
Rugby Player: Your friends go all day with just one meal and you're just
  like ...
VB/Hockey Player: I'm hungry again.