“Being a Woman in Sports Means Always Having to Work Twice as Hard to Achieve Something”: Voices from Brazilian Female Paralympic Athletes

Nathali Fernanda Feliciano, Isabella dos Santos Alves, Renata Máximo Guidetti-Turchetti and Maria Luiza Tanure Alves ()
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Nathali Fernanda Feliciano: School of Physical Education, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-862, Brazil
Isabella dos Santos Alves: School of Physical Education, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-862, Brazil
Renata Máximo Guidetti-Turchetti: School of Physical Education, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-862, Brazil
Maria Luiza Tanure Alves: School of Physical Education, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-862, Brazil

Disabilities, 2025, vol. 5, issue 4, 1-14

Abstract: This study focuses on the experiences of female Paralympic athletes in Brazil through the lens of feminist disability studies. It is a qualitative study, grounded in the voices of disabled women, positioning them as the foundation of knowledge within a post-structuralist epistemological framework. The research involved in-depth interviews with four Brazilian Female Paralympians, conducted using a predefined interview guide, and the data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. The athletes were between 25 and 34 years of age and had experience competing in international competitions. From their narratives, two distinct yet interconnected categories emerge: (1) Being a disabled woman and (2) Like sportswomen. Disabled women have shown that they navigate an ableist and sexist society as disabled women within the context of sport; at the same time, they embody an empowered and inspirational identity as sportswomen. By exploring these perspectives, this study highlights the need to challenge and redefine societal perceptions and expectations surrounding disability. It provides insights into the experiences and agency of female Paralympic athletes.

Keywords: disabled women; paralympic sport; gender (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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