An Examination of the Discourses Present in Women's Tackle Football and Their Effects on the Development of the Game

Abstract

Women’s football is gaining popularity in North America. There are currently twelve Canadian women’s teams, throughout six provinces. Unlike hockey, which sees a variance in rules between the women’s and men’s game, women’s football shares the same rules, regulations and equipment requirements as their male counterparts. Hypothetically, women’s football could become as popular as the men’s game but development remains slow. Fairclough, Mulderrig and Woldak’s (2011) systemic approach towards the relationship that exists between language and existing social structures, known as Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) (Fairclough, 2012; 2013), was used to guide this qualitative study about discourses related to women’s football. Previous research has indicated that discourse has the potential to shape our thoughts, inform our beliefs, identities, and even our behaviour (Hall, 1988). Through nine in-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted with four athletes and five non-athletes (coaches and administrators) involved in the women’s game, I aimed to gain a better understanding of the ways in which we communicate in both written and spoken word (otherwise known as discourse) about women’s football to understand if there are overarching discourses either helping or hindering the development of the sport. Reflections from a self-ethnography conducted during the 2018 Regina Riot pre-season, season and post-season also helped to illustrate specific instances and experiences where discourse directly impacted the way in which meaning is constructed and shared about women’s football. Data from participant transcripts and self-ethnographic reflections were analyzed using inductive and deductive content analysis to understand what effects, if any, gendered discourses have on the development of women’s football in Canada. ii Findings revealed three core themes: 1) an overarching sense of uncertainty surrounding women’s football, 2) that women’s football remains to be seen as an alternative version of football and 3) there exists potential for future development of the women’s game and the athletes who compete in the sport. The implications for these findings are discussed in the context of dominant gender ideology inherent in sport culture and how alternative discourses exist that reflect a greater overall cultural shift towards inclusivity.