The emergence of new mountain biking media practices: toward a culture of inclusive mountain biking

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle (Academic Journal)peer-review

Abstract

Mountain biking has grown rapidly in the past thirty years, yet only 20% of participants in the UK are women. Prior research on media representations in action sports identifies its role in reproducing masculine sporting cultures. Focus on mountain biking is limited, and has failed to give voice to women’s experiences with the sport’s media, nor explore the entanglement between sport and media practices. This study takes a practice theory approach. We theorise women mountain biker’s media practices, bringing these in dialogue with a content analysis of two online mountain biking media sites. We find the media continues to anchor male authority and reinforce hypermasculinity, falling short of its transformative potential. Women disengage and can feel disconnected from mountain biking, yet also reject and curate an alternative culture through online media practices which opens up spaces for new schemas of meaning and practice performances to emerge.
Original languageEnglish
Number of pages24
JournalSport In Society
Early online date7 Nov 2024
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 7 Nov 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Research Groups and Themes

  • MGMT Marketing and Consumption

Keywords

  • mountain biking
  • women
  • media
  • masculinity
  • gender
  • Inclusivity

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