Women and Sports in the United States: A Documentary Reader

WOMEN, DISABILITY, AND SPORT AND PHYSICAL FITNESS ACTIVITY

y WOMEN, DISABILITY, AND SPORT AND PHYSICAL FITNESS ACTIVITY The Intersection of Gender and Disability Dynamics Elaine M. Blinde and Sarah G. McCallister [ . . . ] Existing work exploring the experiences of women with disabilities in sport and physical fitness activity has often focused on participants in organized sport or elite-level athletes (Brasile, 1988; Brasile, Kleiber, and Harnisch, 1991; Hopper, 1986; Horvat, French, and Henschen, 1986; Sherrill, 1993b). Although research has highlighted the experiences of a small number of women with disabilities, findings cannot be assumed to generalize to the vast majority of women with disabilities who participate in less structured sport and physical fitness activities. Henderson and Bedini (1995) conducted one of the few studies exploring the physical activity experiences of adult women with physical disabilities who were not athletes or elite-level sport participants. In their interviews of 16 women with mobility impairments, Henderson and Bedini examined how this group experienced physical activity, recreation, and leisure. In general, these women reported various perspectives from which to view the value of these activities, including leisure, therapeutic gains, and maintaining mental and physical health. On the other hand, some respondents indicated that these activities had limited value in their lives. In a related study, Henderson, Bedini, and Hecht (1944) interviewed 30 adult women with various sensory and physical disabilities about their physical activity participation. Increasingly, most of these women did not experience their bodies in active or physical ways when engaging in these activities. Rather than seeing physical activity as leisure, it was more commonly viewed as a form of therapy. The purpose of the present paper was to enhance our limited knowledge of the experiences of women with physical disabilities in sport and physical fitness activity. [ . . . ] The various questions asked during the interview assisted the investigators in learning more about the nature of outcomes experienced from Competing Bodies 131 Reprinted with permission from Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, Vol. 70, No. 3, 303+, Copyright 1999 by the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, 1900 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191. 132 WOMEN AND SPORTS IN THE UNITED STATES the participants’ sport and physical fitness activity participation. Questions focused on areas such as positive and negative aspects of participation , meanings and feelings associated with participation, and things learned about oneself and one’s physical capabilities from participation. The one unifying theme among their responses was the intrinsic nature of what they gained from participation. Rather than focusing on extrinsic factors such as winning, status, awards, recognition, or visibility, the women almost exclusively discussed outcomes reflecting intrinsic gains of participation. Although their initial motives for participation often focused on maintaining a functional level of the body, they saw sport and physical fitness activity participation as an enlightening experience impacting several aspects of their lives. Common areas discussed during the interviews included an enhanced view of one’s capabilities, seeing the body as a source of strength, viewing sport and physical fitness activity as a motivational outlet, and experiencing a greater sense of control in their lives. Despite efforts to identify both positive and negative outcomes derived from the participation experience, most responses were positive. Where appropriate, however, examples of negative experiences are noted. Enhanced Views of Capabilities When discussing participation outcomes from sport and physical fitness activities, one of the most commonly mentioned gains was an enhanced view of one’s capabilities. Despite the physical limitations or constraints a disability can impose on an individual’s lifestyle, approximately half of the women discussed how participating in sport and physical fitness activities often provided them with an expanded sense of their physical capabilities . For example, comments such as, “I can do a lot more than, you know, before [participation],” and, “I think it makes me feel more confident about what I can do,” were not unusual. Similarly, the statement, “I think it helps me at times not feel like I’m quite as disabled,” typified these feelings. Sandy, a 34-year-old with cerebral palsy who had received a college degree in special education, provided some interesting insight into how she felt about herself when she participated in sport and physical fitness activities: I tend to feel a whole lot more capable when I’m in the midst of doing something in terms of fitness and sports or, um, even if I’m not particularly successful at it, just the fact that I’m actively doing something. . . . It seems to be a real, like, freeing experience type thing...