An exploration of masculinity and femininity as influence on participation in Equestrian sport

Abstract

Equestrian sport has a long history, with its origins in the military and farming communities, both strongly masculine locations. However, equestrianism is highly unusual within competitive sport as it is the only Olympic sport in which men and women compete against each other on equal terms. Although equestrian sport is seen as an area of gender equality, there has been a decrease in male participants both internationally and in South Africa. This difference is most noticeable at the entry levels of the sport where women dominate, but is less noticeable at the upper levels where men and women are almost equal in numbers. This study aimed to identify the motivational differences between males and females in equestrian sport and how this influences the rate of participation in equestrian sport. It asks the question “How does equestrian sport construct gender identities?”, and “What can be done to keep male participants in equestrian sport to enable them to reap the benefits inherent in the sport?” Although the gender role of the athlete may be an important reason for young males dropping out of the sport other motivations may play a role and should be researched. Motivation in popular sports have been researched extensively, however, little research has been done into the motivation to participate in equestrian sport. Specifically there has been little research into the gender differences in motivation for participation. The research was qualitative with data obtained from semi-structured interviews with both male and female equestrian participants. The interviews focused on the gender role identities in equestrian sport, motivation for participation as well as the participant’s perceptions of the sport as either a male or female sport. The research found that apart from expected findings regarding gender roles there also seems to be a difference between the way gender roles are perceived between different cultural groups, for example the sub-discipline of dressage is perceived amongst Afrikaans speaking athletes as more feminine whereas English speaking athletes view this as an example of good discipline in sport. It also was found that the relative “dirtiness” of equestrian sport (for example dust and mud) not only attracts male athletes but also female athletes who see themselves as “more masculine”.

Ruiter sport het ‘n lang geskiedenis, met sy oorsprong in militêre en landbou gemeenskappe, beide ook dan met ‘n sterk manlike inslag. Boonop is ruiter sport uniek aangesien dit die enigste olimpiese sportsoort is waarbeide mans en vroue teen mekaar meeding op gelyke voet. Dit laat die verwagting dat hierdie sport soort ‘n voorbeeld behoort te wees van geslags gelykheid. Nadere ondersoek toon egter dat, op beide ‘n Suid Afrikaanse en internasionale vlak, daar ‘n beduidende afname is in die aantal manlike deelnemers wat veral sigbaar is by die sportsoort se intree vlak waar vroulike deelnemers oorheers, maar interessant genoeg nie op gevorderde vlakke waar manlike en vroulike deelnemers ongeveer dieselfde verteenwoordiging toon nie. Hierdie studie poog om die motiverings verskille tussen manlike en vroulike deelnemers aan ruiter sport te identifiseer asook hoe hierdie verskille deelname beïnvloed. Die studie poog om die vrae “Hoe impakteer ruiter sport deelnemers se geslagsidentiteit op deelnamet”, en“Hoe kan manlike deelnemers behoue bly vir die sportsoort ten einde hulle in staat te stel om voordeel te trek uit die sportsoort se inherente voordele?” te beantwoord. Alhoewel die geslagsrol van die ruiteratleet ‘n belangrike rede mag wees vir jonger mans om die sportsoort te verlaat, speel ander motiverings faktore moontlik ook ‘n rol. Sodanige faktore behoort beter nagevors te word. In teenstelling bestaan daar heelwat navorsing wat die rol van motiverings faktore aanspreek wanneer dit by meer populêre sportsoorte kom. Ongelukkig bestaan daar weinig navorsing wat spesifiek op ruiter sport fokus, veral as dit kom by motiverings verskille tussen geslagte van deelnemers. Hierdie navorsing was kwalititatief van aard met data wat verkry is uit semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met beide manlike en vroulike deelnemers. Sodanige onderhoude het spesifiek gefokus op die rol wat geslag speel in deelname aan ruiter sport, ander moontlike motiverings vir deelname sowel as die ruiteratleet se persepsies van die sportsoort as manlik of vroulik georienteerd. Bevindings van hierdie navorsing het gevind dat, behalwe oorkoepelende bevindings ten opsigte van geslag, daar ook verskille is tussen kulture se geslags persepsies, so byvoorbeeld is bevind dat die sub-tipe ruitersport dresseer onder Afrikaanse ruiters as vroulik getipeer word, terwyl Engels sprekende ruiters dit weer tipeer as ‘n toonbeeld van dissipline deur die atleet. Ander bevindings dui daarop dat die betreklike “vuilheid” (stof, modder, ensovoorts) nie net manlike ruiters aantrek nie maar ook sekere vroulike ruiters.