Poster Session: Room 1
Choosing Sports I and Keeping the Local at the Center
Poster Session Heidi Muller
How did we get here? I am the coach of a senior women’s softball team. Last week we had our end of summer bash, and so it is a time of reflection. Straight to the point, this has been a challenging year for reasons that can be imagined when several players on a team are in their late 80s and early 90s. Yet here we are heading into the fall portion of the season stronger than we have ever been as a collective team and as an organization. There are lots of pieces we are still rebuilding, and there are always unforeseen challenges waiting around any next bend. In a way that is the point as is the feeling of resiliency, continuity, and growth that predominates. As someone whose organized sports life has taken place in the post Title IX era, situated such that I have had the opportunity to experience a range of programs on the cusp of change a, to answer the opening question, I incorporate PERPLE (practically engaged reflection on the perception of lived experience) methodology and the constructs of creative agency, positivity possible, and sports as a strategic art. The emerging theme of the paper is choosing sports. The link between the global and the local is an approach to sports where each day, an active choice is made, how do I choose to relate to sports today? This level of awareness necessities keeping the local always central in any choice.
Waves of Change: Women and Surfing in Australia
Poster Session Ece Kaya, Leila Khanjaninejad
In Australia's surfing culture, significant barriers continue to impede women's full participation and advancement in the sport. Women surfers who paddle out to catch waves navigates a male-dominated environment where they must constantly "prove themselves" to gain respect. Our research reveals despite progress like equal prize money and women-only surfing competition initiatives, women still face systemic obstacles including aggressive behaviour in lineups, safety concerns, and intimidation both in the water and parking lots. There's a significant leadership gap, with few women in administrative, judging, and coaching positions, limiting women's influence on decision-making. How do we overcome these barriers and increase women's participation in surfing? Through a comprehensive study involving in-depth interviews with 20 Australian women surfers and a panel discussion with key industry figures including a professional athlete, researchers, and community surfers, this research examines the complex dynamics shaping women's experiences in surfing. The research outlines three key areas for systemic change in women's surfing. First, structural reforms are essential, including revamping competition structures with transparent qualification pathways. The establishment of dedicated funding streams for women's development programs across all states and territories is crucial, along with developing guidelines for fair sponsorship distribution. Second, addressing cultural barriers requires implementing local surf spot codes of conduct to combat intimidation and create inclusive environments. Expanding mentorship programs and implementing gender-inclusive teaching methods in surf instruction are vital steps. Finally, leadership development must focus on creating pathways for women to enter positions across surfing organizations, competition judging, coaching roles, and industry administration.
The Role of Sexism and Objectification in the Relationship Between Sports Exposure and Rape Myths Acceptance
Poster Session Sofia Mariani
This study investigates the link between television sports exposure and Rape Myth Acceptance (RMA), analysing how Hostile Sexism, Benevolent Sexism, and Sexual Objectification of Women mediate this relationship. Watching sports is associated to higher RMA through all three mediators. The type of sports watched influences these effects: exposure to sports traditionally considered inappropriate for women (e.g. rugby, motorsports) show a mediation effect through Hostile Sexism only, while exposure to sports traditionally considered appropriate for women (e.g. gymnastics, swimming) show a mediation effect of both Hostile Sexism and Sexual Objectification. Gender differences also emerge, with men’s level of RMA being influenced exclusively by Hostile Sexism and women’s by Benevolent Sexism. These findings suggest that Sexual Objectification is not a universal outcome of sports exposure but is specifically tied to the type of sports media consumed, particularly those featuring women in traditionally appropriate sports. This highlights how sports media reinforce sexist attitudes and contribute to the normalisation of harmful beliefs about sexual violence. Addressing the portrayal of women in sports could help counteract these effects and promote a more equitable representation of sportswomen in media.
An Investigation into (Dis)Embodied Experience in the W(NBA) and NBA G-League Metaverse - a Woman’s Journey through Digital Sporting Worlds: Exploring Gender, Experience, and Embodiment
Poster Session Nurhanis Abdullah Sani
This study explores women's experiences, embodiment, and gendered engagement as fans in professional virtual basketball in the metaverse by focusing on the W(NBA) and the NBA G-League events and environments. As digital platforms increasingly transform the way sports are consumed and experienced, this study explores how women navigate these virtual sports spaces in ways that reveal freedom and restriction. Drawing on digital feminist theory and claustropolitanism, the study critically examines how gender influences digital experience, embodiment and participation in immersive environments. A qualitative methodology is used, with autoethnography as a central approach to reflect on the researcher’s own experiences in the metaverse. This is complemented by three other methods. The walkthrough method is used to investigate user interface applications, such as entry into the platform, the daily activities and the exit process. Netnography supports the exploration of community dynamics and interactions between users within these virtual spaces. Semi-structured interviews provide a deeper insight into the personal narratives of other women and help to contextualise and broaden the autoethnographic perspective. Together, these methods provide a multi-layered understanding of women’s engagement in digital sport environments by placing personal experiences within broader social and cultural structures. By placing women’s voices and perspectives at the centre, the study contributes to ongoing discussions about gender, embodiment and inclusivity in virtual sport. The study invites reflection on how immersive technologies shape identity and social relationships and how sport in the metaverse can reinforce or resist gendered norms.
