Towards the “Undoing” of Gender in Mixed-Sex Martial Arts and Combat Sports

Alex Channon
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Alex Channon: Faculty of Education and Health, University of Greenwich, Mansion Site, Bexley Road, Eltham, London SE9 2PQ, UK

Societies, 2014, vol. 4, issue 4, 1-19

Abstract: This paper addresses sex integration in martial arts and combat sports, discussing the implications of mixed-sex training for challenging orthodox Western constructions of gender. Drawing on qualitative interviews with 37 long-term martial arts practitioners from around the English East Midlands between 2007–2011, the paper argues that restrictive, essentialist and hierarchal conceptions of sex difference can be challenged through integrated training practices. The paper advocates the “undoing” of gender in this regard as helping to build a more progressive, inclusive and liberal form of physical culture, seen as a key potential of sex-integrated training. To that end, the paper makes a number of proposals for instructors and practitioners interested in developing such inclusive environments in their own clubs and training settings.

Keywords: Co-ed; combat sports; gender; integrated; martial arts; sex (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A13 A14 P P0 P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 Z1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsoctx:v:4:y:2014:i:4:p:587-605:d:41560

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