How Does Gender Inform Meaning in Sport (Pt1)? Dr Anna Kavoura – Meaningful Sport Series

Sport is a very gendered institution. Although there has been a lot of effort to tackle gender-based inequalities in the past few decades, a lot of work remains to be done. This episode explores how gender informs meaning in sport. How does gender identity intersect with athletic identity? What discourses are dominant in sporting spaces, and how do these impact participant experiences, and especially those who are unable or unwilling to accept or live according to those discourses?

We also exploring the possibilities of alternative meanings and practices in sport, and finally discuss whether and how sporting practices that are not based on a binary understanding of gender can be organised, as well as the ethical imperative to organise sporting spaces that are inclusive and safe for all.

Dr Anna Kavoura completed her PhD in Sport Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland, which explored women’s identity negotiations in competitive judo cultures. After defending her PhD, she continued working as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Jyväskylä in a project that focused on tackling discrimination against gender and sexual minorities in sport and physical education contexts. She then moved to the School of Sport and Service Management at the University of Brighton and currently works as a postdoctoral researcher in a project titled "Transforming Gender Boundaries in Sport" which is funded by the Finnish Cultural Foundation.