Information from feminist physical educators helps examine relationships between theoretical debates in feminism and feminist practice in secondary schools. The article discusses debates over equality, how theoretical struggles between feminists are handled in sport and physical education, and how calls for equality are understood as calls for…

Introduces theme issue of this journal on the psychosocial influences on girls and women in sport and physical activity, focusing on the work of Dorothy V. Harris who battled for equal sporting opportunities and benefits for females. The papers are written from a feminist perspective. (SM)

This paper examines the writings of Dorothy Harris and other authors, from a psychosocial perspective of sport involvement. It explores ways self-perceptions, social factors, and cognitive and biological maturity interact to explain females' physical activity participation; it proposes a heuristic model to represent an interactional approach. (SM)

Analyzes research on females' self-confidence in sport and physical activity. The article compares three models that link confidence to achievement, examines research variables that may influence female self-confidence, discusses sex differences, and offers enhancement strategies and future research directions. (SM)

Discusses a feminist, multicultural approach to studying moral dimensions of females' physical activity; morality and gender as social constructs; scholarly events in U.S. history that reveal psychologists' emerging understanding of social constructs; psychologists' conceptions of the evolving constructs of gender and morality; and research needs.…

Uses a feminist approach to examine male dominance and sex segregation in coaching, focusing on three approaches used to explain the situation (individual, structural, and social relational). The article recommends using the social relations approach to define coaching, exploring the interconnectedness of several social relations simultaneously.…

Article reviews literature on women of color, highlighting traditional silence and invisibility in society and sport. It examines topics regarding social and sport experiences of women of color: historical traditions of silence; critical analyses of gender and race; socialization at the intersections of gender, race, and socioeconomic class; and…

A feminist discussion of the interconnected nature of homophobia and sexism in women's sport examines the origins of the lesbian stereotype, political functions of homophobia in a sexist culture, manifestations of homophobia in women's sport, and suggestions for confronting homophobia in women's sport. (SM)

Explores the pursuit of equal opportunity for girls in school physical education through liberal reform strategies. Addresses ways in which unequal power relations between the sexes have pervaded the structure, organization, and language of high school physical education. British Columbia's new Physical Education Curriculum 2000 is offered as a…

Pursuing excellence in sport discriminates against women. Alongside the primary texts of the glories of excellence runs a subtext of inequality and discrimination. The paper traces the idea of sport as a quest for excellence through various interpretations of the meaning of sport, discussing excellence as a socially constructed concept. (SM)

Consequences of nonconformity to hegemonic femininity in sport often include sexist and heterosexist discrimination. This leads many sportswomen to emphasize feminine characteristics to avoid prejudice and discrimination. Females perceived as too feminine are sexualized and trivialized, leaving women to carefully balance athleticism with hegemonic…

The current scholarship model in higher education was conceived, produced, and reproduced in the image of the dominant culture. Within this model, minority group members receive less recognition, sponsorship, favorable evaluation, and positive commentary on scholarship. The paper discusses considerations for a more inclusive scholarship in higher…

Considers constructs and operation of homophobic discourse surrounding female athletes, employing Foucauldian notions of discipline and discourse and feminist critiques of the gendered body to depict female athletes as nonconformist to the discipline of femininity. The paper argues that homophobic discourse exists in response to this nonconformity…

Regardless of recent curriculum revisions, physical educators, faced with reduced time and/or inadequate equipment and facilities, continue to offer competitive team sport activities for a high percentage of their program time. When competition is only experienced as a win-lose situation, possibilities that students will derive any morally…

This study explores the female body ideal and its implications for health and fitness practices in African-American culture. Employing Patricia Hill Collins's (1986) notion of the "outsider-within," we analyze a focus group discussion on women's body ideals, exercise, and fitness. Our group comprises 9 young, college-educated African-American…