Postmodernism, Queer Theory and Moral Judgements in Sport: Some Critical Reflections

Abstract

The emergence of postmodern discourse, and more recently queer theory, has had a significant impact on sports feminism. Rejecting grand narratives and universal values, postmodern research attempts to explore the diversity of women’s sporting experiences in relation to identity concepts such as sex, gender, sexuality, race, and ethnicity. Such research often highlights important moral issues like intolerance and injustice. Postmodern and queer theories’ epistemological commitments, we argue, imply ethical relativism. This, we believe, undermines critical reflection and political action. We argue for an alternative, non-relativist ethical stance, which provides the necessary resources to evaluate critically certain problematic social practices in sport.