Using Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 and a review of the history of sport in the United States, this thesis provides a critical feminist analysis of how the legal system perpetuates and justifies sport as a male domain. The gender hierarchy in sport continues to be supported through the interpretation of the law meant to rectify gender disparities. The analysis of legal records in this thesis demonstrates that cultural and social beliefs regarding women and sport are evident in the construction of the law and impacts court rulings. Title IX and its subsequent interpretations and regulations, specifically, the Contact Sports Exemption, are manipulated in an unconstitutional manner reinforcing the traditionally male dominated institution of sport. This thesis argues that despite the nondiscrimination intent and purpose of Title IX, false assumptions about gender are perpetuated within the law and make gender equality in sport difficult, if not impossible.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 165-173).

Thesis (M.A.)--Florida State University, 2005. / Advisor: Dr. Carrie Sandahl, Florida State University, School of Theatre. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed June 16, 2005). Document formatted into pages; contains viii, 73 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 1980. / Title from title page screen, viewed Feb. 21, 2005. Dissertation Committee: John McCarthy, John Brickell (co-chairs), Clayton Thomas, Laurene Mabry, Donna Jo Workman. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 160-162) and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Michigan, 1987. / Bibliography: p. 206-209.

Thesis (B.A.)--Amherst College, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 79-84). Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (B.A.)--Amherst College, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references.

Esta pesquisa teve como foco de investigação, o grupo de mulheres que formam a única equipe de rugby feminino do Rio Grande do Sul, vinculadas ao Charrua Rugby Clube da cidade de Porto Alegre. Ao eleger a prática deste esporte como objeto de estudo, considerei o mesmo um universo cultural permeado de símbolos e representações, historicamente construído tendo os homens e as masculinidades como referência normativa, a qual permanece nos dias atuais. Embasada por uma perspectiva feminista e pós-estruturalista dos estudos de gênero, lancei o olhar para as praticantes de rugby com o objetivo de: compreender as formas particulares como as mulheres vivenciam esse esporte dentro e fora do campo de jogo, tendo em vista as representações de corpo, gênero e sexualidade que as atravessam no contexto investigado. Para tanto, foi realizado um trabalho etnográfico, construído pela observação participante, e a realização de entrevistas semi-estruturadas com mulheres intencionalmente escolhidas no grupo. As categorias de análise formuladas através da articulação com os dados empíricos e referenciais teóricos incidiram em três eixos temáticos: a construção de uma jogadora de rugby; as discussões referentes ao corpo, gênero e sexualidade; e a negociação de espaços no clube e permanência no esporte. Tais categorias possibilitaram a compreensão da multiplicidade de experiências e sentidos vivenciados pelas mulheres praticantes de rugby. Essas que, por vezes resistem, transgridem a determinados discursos que as interpelam desde o lugar onde se situam e, ao mesmo tempo, podem ser disciplinadas, docilizadas e assim, aceitar algumas das normatizações impostas ao se dedicarem à este esporte. / This research investigates a group of women that form the only female rugby team in the state of Rio Grande do sul, the Charrua Rugby Club, located in the capital city of Porto Alegre. Choosing the practice of rugby as the focus of this study, such practice is here defined as a cultural field (universe) composed by symbols and representations historically built, and which has men and masculinity as the normative reference in current time. Based upon a feminist and post-structural perspective of gender studies, the objective of the present study was to understand the peculiar ways in which these women experience this sport in and out of the matches, specially thinking about how bodily representations, gender and sexuality affect them in this context. Bearing in mind such goal, the field work made was ethnography, and consisted in participant approach and interviews with some chosen women in the group. The analytical categories were built through the articulation of the empirical data obtained and the theoretical approach chosen. Therefore, three categories were obtained: the making of a female rugby player; a discussion concerning the topics of body, gender and sexuality in the context of post-structuralism; the negotiation of space for the practice of rugby by women and the permanence of such practice in the club. Such categories allowed the understanding of the multiple experiences and meanings that are part of the life of these female players. As such, these are stories that entwine resistance and transgression , as well as subjection to the normative discourses to which these women are subject, considering the social place they occupy in society.

Esta pesquisa teve como foco de investigação, o grupo de mulheres que formam a única equipe de rugby feminino do Rio Grande do Sul, vinculadas ao Charrua Rugby Clube da cidade de Porto Alegre. Ao eleger a prática deste esporte como objeto de estudo, considerei o mesmo um universo cultural permeado de símbolos e representações, historicamente construído tendo os homens e as masculinidades como referência normativa, a qual permanece nos dias atuais. Embasada por uma perspectiva feminista e pós-estruturalista dos estudos de gênero, lancei o olhar para as praticantes de rugby com o objetivo de: compreender as formas particulares como as mulheres vivenciam esse esporte dentro e fora do campo de jogo, tendo em vista as representações de corpo, gênero e sexualidade que as atravessam no contexto investigado. Para tanto, foi realizado um trabalho etnográfico, construído pela observação participante, e a realização de entrevistas semi-estruturadas com mulheres intencionalmente escolhidas no grupo. As categorias de análise formuladas através da articulação com os dados empíricos e referenciais teóricos incidiram em três eixos temáticos: a construção de uma jogadora de rugby; as discussões referentes ao corpo, gênero e sexualidade; e a negociação de espaços no clube e permanência no esporte. Tais categorias possibilitaram a compreensão da multiplicidade de experiências e sentidos vivenciados pelas mulheres praticantes de rugby. Essas que, por vezes resistem, transgridem a determinados discursos que as interpelam desde o lugar onde se situam e, ao mesmo tempo, podem ser disciplinadas, docilizadas e assim, aceitar algumas das normatizações impostas ao se dedicarem à este esporte. / This research investigates a group of women that form the only female rugby team in the state of Rio Grande do sul, the Charrua Rugby Club, located in the capital city of Porto Alegre. Choosing the practice of rugby as the focus of this study, such practice is here defined as a cultural field (universe) composed by symbols and representations historically built, and which has men and masculinity as the normative reference in current time. Based upon a feminist and post-structural perspective of gender studies, the objective of the present study was to understand the peculiar ways in which these women experience this sport in and out of the matches, specially thinking about how bodily representations, gender and sexuality affect them in this context. Bearing in mind such goal, the field work made was ethnography, and consisted in participant approach and interviews with some chosen women in the group. The analytical categories were built through the articulation of the empirical data obtained and the theoretical approach chosen. Therefore, three categories were obtained: the making of a female rugby player; a discussion concerning the topics of body, gender and sexuality in the context of post-structuralism; the negotiation of space for the practice of rugby by women and the permanence of such practice in the club. Such categories allowed the understanding of the multiple experiences and meanings that are part of the life of these female players. As such, these are stories that entwine resistance and transgression , as well as subjection to the normative discourses to which these women are subject, considering the social place they occupy in society.

Esta pesquisa teve como foco de investigação, o grupo de mulheres que formam a única equipe de rugby feminino do Rio Grande do Sul, vinculadas ao Charrua Rugby Clube da cidade de Porto Alegre. Ao eleger a prática deste esporte como objeto de estudo, considerei o mesmo um universo cultural permeado de símbolos e representações, historicamente construído tendo os homens e as masculinidades como referência normativa, a qual permanece nos dias atuais. Embasada por uma perspectiva feminista e pós-estruturalista dos estudos de gênero, lancei o olhar para as praticantes de rugby com o objetivo de: compreender as formas particulares como as mulheres vivenciam esse esporte dentro e fora do campo de jogo, tendo em vista as representações de corpo, gênero e sexualidade que as atravessam no contexto investigado. Para tanto, foi realizado um trabalho etnográfico, construído pela observação participante, e a realização de entrevistas semi-estruturadas com mulheres intencionalmente escolhidas no grupo. As categorias de análise formuladas através da articulação com os dados empíricos e referenciais teóricos incidiram em três eixos temáticos: a construção de uma jogadora de rugby; as discussões referentes ao corpo, gênero e sexualidade; e a negociação de espaços no clube e permanência no esporte. Tais categorias possibilitaram a compreensão da multiplicidade de experiências e sentidos vivenciados pelas mulheres praticantes de rugby. Essas que, por vezes resistem, transgridem a determinados discursos que as interpelam desde o lugar onde se situam e, ao mesmo tempo, podem ser disciplinadas, docilizadas e assim, aceitar algumas das normatizações impostas ao se dedicarem à este esporte. / This research investigates a group of women that form the only female rugby team in the state of Rio Grande do sul, the Charrua Rugby Club, located in the capital city of Porto Alegre. Choosing the practice of rugby as the focus of this study, such practice is here defined as a cultural field (universe) composed by symbols and representations historically built, and which has men and masculinity as the normative reference in current time. Based upon a feminist and post-structural perspective of gender studies, the objective of the present study was to understand the peculiar ways in which these women experience this sport in and out of the matches, specially thinking about how bodily representations, gender and sexuality affect them in this context. Bearing in mind such goal, the field work made was ethnography, and consisted in participant approach and interviews with some chosen women in the group. The analytical categories were built through the articulation of the empirical data obtained and the theoretical approach chosen. Therefore, three categories were obtained: the making of a female rugby player; a discussion concerning the topics of body, gender and sexuality in the context of post-structuralism; the negotiation of space for the practice of rugby by women and the permanence of such practice in the club. Such categories allowed the understanding of the multiple experiences and meanings that are part of the life of these female players. As such, these are stories that entwine resistance and transgression , as well as subjection to the normative discourses to which these women are subject, considering the social place they occupy in society.