Gendered violence in women’s artistic gymnastics: A sociological analysis

Violence in women’s artistic gymnastics (WAG) is well documented. In this chapter, we bring together a sociological perspective of violence and a feminist perspective of gender to explore how a theorising of violence as gendered can help us better recognise, explain, and potentially transform the violence gymnasts are reported to experience. Specifically, we reveal gender ideologies and relations of power that underpin and govern six sociocultural characteristics of WAG and illustrate how this theorising of violence as gendered constitutes WAG practices that place gymnasts at risk of violence. We further suggest that changing just one element of the gendered structure in WAG, for example, the leotard, may reduce the risk of gymnasts experiencing violence. We conclude by demonstrating how our illustration can support researchers and sport stakeholders to examine gender assumptions and, importantly, how change can be initiated. This pragmatic starting point to discuss more complex (interdisciplinary) understandings of gender has significant potential to ensure athlete welfare.