Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons^™

The Power Of “Small Stories:” Narratives And Notions Of Gender Equality In Conversations About Sport, Marie Hardin, Erin E. Whiteside

Erin E Whiteside

This study examines narratives by young adults about sport and gender in relation to equality. Specifically, we explore how focus-group participants used small stories to situate male and female athletes and Title IX. The U.S. law has been credited for increasing opportunities for girls and women but is considered a source of tension for gender relations. Our findings suggest that participants’ stories ultimately did not support emancipatory goals for girls and women because they positioned equality as a right women had not earned. We argue that feminists cannot underestimate the need to inject counternarratives into public discourse at every level, …