UNDERSTANDING FEMALE, NON-ATHLETES PERSPECTIVES ON THEIR WEIGHTS ROOM AS A GENDERED SPACE

Abstract

Through this research project I aim to explore and understand female, non-athletes perceptions on their weights room/ area as a gendered space. I gained an understanding of these opinions and experiences through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with four female participants. From the finding of these interviews, a fictional narrative of a short story has been constructed to illustrate the main themes discovered in the analysis of the interview transcripts. The main ideas within the story and the characters experiences centre upon the themes of: the weights room as a gendered space, the use of weights as a masculine activity, perspectives of bodies created using weights, women’s lack of confidence towards weights and the empowerment some woman experience from using weights. I recommend that further research could explore minority female groups or male perspectives towards the weights room as a gendered space, and the bodies produced within the space.