ABSTRACT

In 2021, surfing and skateboarding are scheduled to join mountain-biking as Olympic sports for the first time, a classification that comes with requirements related to sex/gender equity. Yet, these sports, and action sports generally, continue to be male dominated as questions of performance and risk are framed around boys, men, and masculinities. This qualitative study explored the facilitators of 27 Australian girls’ participation in surfing, mountain biking and skateboarding. This article focuses on the value of paternal co-participation, which was notable in interviews with girls who surf or mountain bike. In particular, we examine the complexity of the role and influence of fathers in girls’ participation. Reflecting their position in action sports, men often shape how girls access these sports and develop their skills. This points to the importance of men and fathers in facilitating girls’ participation in action sports, and possibly broader physical activity behaviours. However, we argue that merely facilitating their daughters’ participation without addressing the experiences of women without male ‘patrons’ in action sports reinscribes male dominance rather than improving gender equity. This study contributes to established work that aims to inform policies and strategies to encourage greater participation of girls and women in action sports.

摘要

2021 年，冲浪和滑板计划首次将山地自行车列为奥运会项目，这一分类伴随着与性别/性别平等相关的要求。然而，这些运动以及一般的动作运动仍然以男性为主，因为表现和风险的问题围绕着男孩、男人和男子气概。这项定性研究探讨了 27 名澳大利亚女孩参与冲浪、山地自行车和滑板运动的促进因素。本文重点关注父亲共同参与的价值，这在对冲浪或山地自行车女孩的采访中尤为明显。我们特别研究了父亲在女孩参与中的角色和影响的复杂性。反映他们在极限运动中的地位，男人通常会影响女孩如何参加这些运动并发展他们的技能。这表明男性和父亲在促进女孩参与极限运动以及可能更广泛的体育活动行为方面的重要性。然而，我们认为，仅仅促进女儿的参与，而没有解决没有男性“赞助人”的女性在极限运动中的经历，重新塑造了男性的主导地位，而不是改善性别平等。这项研究有助于既定工作，旨在为鼓励女孩和妇女更多地参与极限运动的政策和战略提供信息。我们认为，仅仅促进女儿的参与，而没有解决没有男性“赞助人”的女性在极限运动中的经历，重新塑造了男性的主导地位，而不是改善性别平等。这项研究有助于既定工作，旨在为鼓励女孩和妇女更多地参与极限运动的政策和战略提供信息。我们认为，仅仅促进女儿的参与，而没有解决没有男性“赞助人”的女性在极限运动中的经历，重新塑造了男性的主导地位，而不是改善性别平等。这项研究有助于既定工作，旨在为鼓励女孩和妇女更多地参与极限运动的政策和战略提供信息。