Sportiness and masculinities among female and male physiotherapy students

Abstract

This article explores the gendered importance of sportiness in terms of students’ judgments of themselves and their classmates as suitable physiotherapy students. The article is based on observations and qualitative interviews with students attending clinical skills training classes in the first year of a bachelor’s degree program in physiotherapy in Norway. The analysis focuses on sportiness as a display of masculinity and is inspired by Connell’s concept of multiple masculinities. The findings demonstrate sportiness as a shared common value among students. However, it was also found that there are two main typologies: (1) hyper-sportiness; and (2) ordinary sportiness. Male students judged as possessing hyper-sportiness are acknowledged as particularly suitable physiotherapy students and assume a hegemonic position in the student milieu. Female students who adapt hyper-sportiness have the potential to assume a hegemonic position, but tend not to do so. Female students with an ordinary level of sportiness have no particular problems in being identified as suitable physiotherapy students, whereas male students do encounter such problems. The article demonstrates how physiotherapy students’ sportiness is more complex than previously known, particularly concerning differences in how female and male students are acknowledged in terms of perceived suitability as physiotherapy students. Additionally, this work shows a continuity of historical lines with respect to how sportiness is embedded in gender within the physiotherapy profession.

• Gender
• physiotherapy students
• sportiness

Acknowledgments

I would like to extend my appreciation and gratitude to the participants and the reviewers for sharing their time and insights. I would also like to thank Anne Birgitte Leseth, Kari Nyheim Solbrække, and Sølvi Mausethagen for their constructive feedback and valued support.