Abstract
This study investigated Iranian female amateur riders’ experiences and perceptions of horse riding in a sport arena largely appropriated by men. I suggest that women’s participation in sport in Iran must be analyzed in the context of patriarchal culture in which gender is a defining factor in one’s experiences and success, while social class may also affect access to certain types of sport by narrowing down investment capacities‚ or using social distinction strategies and culturally assigning certain activities to a specific class. This study’s significance is in providing understanding of women’s position in leisure Equestrian sport‚ as well as their position in sport culture in Iran. Findings from participant observation and interviews with female leisure riders showed that women took part in non-competitive equestrian activities in sports clubs. The stereotypical concept of femininity was a major obstacle for women to enter the sport arena because traditional gendered roles dominated perceptions of sport and limited physicality options. Involvement in equestrian activities provided a sense of distinction for the participants. I argue that movement towards a more equally appropriated sports arena requires changes in the traditional concepts of femininity/masculinity to challenge the male hegemony in culture and sports. Practicing gender equality in a small sport community might not be a source of radical change for Iranian female riders‚ but it is a micro initiative by individuals to practice their agency‚ desexualize the sport‚ and challenge its machismo.
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Notes
- 1.
Qashqai is an ethnic group made up of a number of tribes and sub-tribes, residing mainly in central and southern Iran.
- 2.
Turkmen is one of the ethnic groups residing mainly in an area in the northern and north-eastern areas of contemporary Iranian political territory.
- 3.
Iranian women are usually not allowed to enter stadiums to watch official sport matches except in women-only enclaves.
- 4.
Silas was a 1981 German adventure TV mini-series based on a Danish children's book with the same name. It tells the story of a young boy, an avid rider, searching for his horse. The show was on air during the 1990s on Iranian national TV channels.
- 5.
It is illegal in Iran to appear with pets (especially dogs and cats) in public spaces. Stray animals (mostly dogs and cats) living in urban areas are sometimes culled. The few existing animal shelters in the country are privately owned and totally dependent on animal lovers' donations and funding.
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Rahbari, L. (2017). Women’s Agency and Corporeality in Equestrian Sports: The Case of Female Leisure Horse-Riders in Tehran. In: Adelman, M., Thompson, K. (eds) Equestrian Cultures in Global and Local Contexts. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55886-8_2
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