Journal article 213 views 46 downloads
‘Probably just sexism’- gendered experiences of resource access in rugby
,
Chelsea Starbuck ,
Melitta McNarry
PLOS ONE, Volume: 19, Issue: 5, Start page: e0303972
Swansea University Authors:
Freja Petrie, Kelly Mackintosh , Chelsea Starbuck , Melitta McNarry
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Copyright: © 2024 Petrie et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited
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DOI (Published version): 10.1371/journal.pone.0303972
Abstract
Research pertaining to the experiences of women in rugby is scarce, which, coupled with the limited visibility of the sport and difficulty accessing resources, suggest that women’s rugby remains undervalued. Indeed, evidence of such gender inequalities remains largely anecdotal, with little rigorous...
| Published in: | PLOS ONE |
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| ISSN: | 1932-6203 |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2024
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| Online Access: |
Check full text
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| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa66915 |
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| Abstract: |
Research pertaining to the experiences of women in rugby is scarce, which, coupled with the limited visibility of the sport and difficulty accessing resources, suggest that women’s rugby remains undervalued. Indeed, evidence of such gender inequalities remains largely anecdotal, with little rigorous research undertaken to understand the perspectives of women in rugby. This study aimed to explore the experiences of a diverse cohort of rugby players in relation to their participation in the sport and their ability to access resources. Twenty UK-based rugby players (10 men, 9 women and 1 non-binary person aged 29.1 ± 8.3 years) from school, university, club, military, and semi-professional environments, volunteered to participate in semi-structured interviews (36 ± 12 minutes) discussing their rugby experiences in relation to their gender and playing level. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, and a reflexive thematic analysis was undertaken. A widespread under-prioritisation of women in rugby was highlighted. Gender biases were apparent in access to changing rooms, pitches, quality coaches, and playing opportunities, and were reportedly propagated at the managerial level. Irrespective of gender, some amateur players reported difficulty accessing a suitable rugby environment. Insufficient player numbers precluded the formation of second teams, often resulting in inexperienced players competing beyond their ability. Women’s rugby players experienced considerable gender bias. This exploratory study highlights a need to address such issues to protect player welfare. Interventions to change the culture in rugby clubs and increased representation of women in managerial positions in rugby are recommended to enact meaningful change. |
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| Keywords: |
Rugby, gender, sport, sexism |
| College: |
Faculty of Science and Engineering |
| Funders: |
This study was funded as part of Freja
Petrie’s doctoral training scholarship from the
Economic and Social Research Council. |
| Issue: |
5 |
| Start Page: |
e0303972 |