Negotiating Gender and Sexuality: A Qualitative Study of Elite Women Boxer Intersecting Identities and Sport Psychology Implications

Abstract

There is a lack of research on the social construction of gender and sexuality in elite women's boxing and the social psychological implications. Building on research that theorizes gender and sexuality as intersecting identities, this study explored elite women boxers' (n = 10) identities in relation to inclusion and marginalization on the Canadian National Boxing Team. Constructionist thematic analysis identified a central theme, “boxing as empowering and constraining,” encompassing multiple meanings of gendered identities related to physicality and sexualities. These were tied to inclusion and exclusion. Sport psychology recommendations are made for facilitating sport climates that encourage intersecting identity expression.