TY - JOUR
T1 - Enter the discourse: exploring the discursive roots of inclusivity in mixed-sex martial arts
AU - Channon, Alex
N1 - This is an Author's Accepted Manuscript of an article published in Sport in Society: Cultures, Commerce, Media, Politics, vol. 16, no. 10, 2013, copyright Taylor & Francis, available online at: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/17430437.2013.790896
PY - 2013/5/1
Y1 - 2013/5/1
N2 - In this paper, I explore the discursive roots of inclusivity in mixed-sex martial arts training in the UK. On the basis of data from two qualitative studies conducted in the East Midlands, I briefly account for the level of integration among several martial arts schools, before focusing on the unique meanings of martial arts that appeared to facilitate the normalization of this integration among participants. Drawing on insights from queer feminist theory, I argue that the discursive framing of martial arts in contemporary Western culture is significant in the generation and normalization of mixed-sex inclusivity in these settings. As such, I suggest that scholars interested in the potential of sex-integrated sports for challenging dominant sexual hierarchies should be attentive to the unique discursive meanings of specific sports cultures, which may be generative of possibilities for radical forms of embodiment and practice.
AB - In this paper, I explore the discursive roots of inclusivity in mixed-sex martial arts training in the UK. On the basis of data from two qualitative studies conducted in the East Midlands, I briefly account for the level of integration among several martial arts schools, before focusing on the unique meanings of martial arts that appeared to facilitate the normalization of this integration among participants. Drawing on insights from queer feminist theory, I argue that the discursive framing of martial arts in contemporary Western culture is significant in the generation and normalization of mixed-sex inclusivity in these settings. As such, I suggest that scholars interested in the potential of sex-integrated sports for challenging dominant sexual hierarchies should be attentive to the unique discursive meanings of specific sports cultures, which may be generative of possibilities for radical forms of embodiment and practice.
U2 - 10.1080/17430437.2013.790896
DO - 10.1080/17430437.2013.790896
M3 - Article
SN - 1743-0437
VL - 16
SP - 1293
EP - 1308
JO - Sport in Society: Cultures, Commerce, Media, Politics
JF - Sport in Society: Cultures, Commerce, Media, Politics
IS - 10
ER -