Gender and Sports

Lorber (1994) claims that, 

[g]ender is so pervasive that in our society we assume it is bred into our genes. Most people find it hard to believe that gender is constantly created and re-created out of human interaction, out of social life, and is the texture and order of that social life. Yet gender, like culture, is a human production that depends on everyone constantly “doing gender” (West and Zimmerman 1987)……Gender is such a familiar part of daily life that it usually takes a deliberate disruption of our expectations of how women and men are supposed to act to pay attention to how it is produced.

(Lorber, J. (1994) Paradoxes of Gender. Yale University Press) 

The aim of the essay is to use Lorber’s claim to help you to explore how we ‘do’ gender – how gender is produced/reproduced, reflecting on some of the processes, activities, and arrangements through which this occurs within your chosen topic and example.

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Essay Instructions:

Choose one of the following topic areas:

• Gender and Sexuality
• Gender and Sport

• You will need to select ONE online media item (NZ or from elsewhere) – this will be your example that you will critically explore to provide an understanding of how gender is produced / reproduced. 
• Remember to include the reference and link for the media item in your reference list – your marker will need to access the media item. 

• You will need to critically read the media item that you have selected. Be sure to ask yourself why have you chosen this example? What is interesting/significant about the media item that you have chosen? How is gender presented/understood/constructed in this item (perhaps consider who is ‘talking’ and who is not?) – try to avoid simply describing the content of the media item. How does the media item help you to present some of the processes, activities, and arrangements through which gender is produced / reproduced?        
• Select academic readings to help you to critically explore Lorber’s statement in relation to your chosen topic. The course readings are your starting point and you are advised to use at least 3 course readings (do remember that the course textbook can be included here).  
• It is expected that you use a minimum of EIGHT (8) readings (academic literature).  Ensure that you choose sources relevant for the course.
• You will need to gather and read relevant academic literature (readings) to help you to critically reflect on what particular meanings / understandings of gender are evident within your media item. Using your readings (academic literature), trace how and why those particular meanings / understandings have developed.  The idea is for you to develop and present your knowledge of the various debates, theories and perspectives surrounding the how gender is produced / reproduced.
• Carefully read the literature you have gathered and consider the perspectives/debates presented and how they help to explain/understand/explore the idea of ‘doing gender’ – what do authors draw your attention to – what do they identify as interesting/significant in their discussion of how gender is constructed – explain how / why gender is ‘done’ within your specific example.

Somethings for you to consider:  

• What is Lorber (1994) suggesting in the statement? How might you explain this within your media example?  What do authors say – how might they help you to explore Lorber’s statement? How does gender matter and how may gender matter less in your chosen example? You might wish to consider how ideas about gender are resisted, challenged, and/or reworked? 
• Carefully read the literature you have gathered and consider the perspectives/debates presented, and how authors explain/understand/explore the idea of ‘doing gender’ in general and also specific to your topic/issue – what do authors draw your attention to – what do they identify as interesting/significant in their discussion of how gender matters and how gender is ‘done’, what explanations do they offer?