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Sporting Gender Relations, Life Course Transitions and Implications for Women Rock Climbers

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Women in Action Sport Cultures

Part of the book series: Global Culture and Sport Series ((GCS))

Abstract

This chapter discusses whether there have been recent shifts and changes in women’s involvement in rock climbing, with a particular focus on their experiences across the life course, and a consideration of the concept 'masculinities in transition'. Contemporary evidence from female climbers themselves is considered, as well as existing climbing and action sport literature, and in this way, public sporting performances are seen in complex interaction with the private sphere. Therefore, I argue that by exploring the wider social relationships of action sport participants and across the life course, as women age, go through bodily changes, reflect on their risk taking behaviour, undergo change in long term relationships and with some becoming mothers, this usefully expands the theoretical focus of a feminist critical perspective regarding women in action sports.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology/Centre for Women’s Studies, University of York, Heslington, UK

    Victoria Robinson

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  1. Victoria Robinson
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Waikato, New Zealand

    Holly Thorpe

  2. University of Waikato, New Zealand

    Rebecca Olive

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© 2016 The Author(s)

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Robinson, V. (2016). Sporting Gender Relations, Life Course Transitions and Implications for Women Rock Climbers. In: Thorpe, H., Olive, R. (eds) Women in Action Sport Cultures. Global Culture and Sport Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-45797-4_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-45797-4_4

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-137-45796-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-45797-4

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

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