Influencing Gender Equity through an Infographic

On the 2019 International Day of the Girl, the Valley Female Leadership Network (VFLN), in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley, posted an infographic on the status of girls and women’s participation and leadership in sport and recreation. The infographic was shared across the country, but most importantly used by the VFLN and their stakeholders as a…

Rwandan girls’ perspectives on their lived experiences of physical education and sport: Challenges and solutions to sport participation  

Project Summary  The objectives of this research were to:   Though this research took place in Rwanda, the tools developed to gather girls’ perspectives and feedback and to integrate them into decision-making processes are relevant and can easily be adapted to a Canadian context in order to contribute to a better understanding of physical education and…

Exploring the process of lifelong learning: The biographies of five Canadian women coaches

Project Summary  The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the biographies of five Canadian women coaches using Jarvis’s theory of human learning to understand how the multitude of experiences throughout their lives have contributed to their learning and coaching development.   Coaches learn from a number of different situations and their past experiences influence what…

Sociocultural barriers to women’s participation in sport: The role of self-objectification and stereotype threat

Project Summary Women and girls in sport have endured years of cynicism regarding their physical abilities, much of which is perpetuated via media portrayals that emphasize their appearance, femininity, and (hetero) sexuality rather than athletic competence. Although female athletes have made gains in international recognition, funding and opportunity, the negative representations and resultant stereotypes about…

Combating social exclusion in sport and recreation through participatory policy development

Project Summary The purpose of this study was to examine how experiences with physical activity for recent immigrant Chinese women living in Vancouver can inform Canadian sport and recreation policy at the local, provincial, and national levels to increase their participation. The Chinese population is the largest ‘visible minority’ group’ in Canada, yet little is…

They always remain girls: The re/production of gender relations in women’s sports in Quebec, 1919-1961

Project Summary This doctoral thesis examines how multiple factors influenced women’s participation in sports in Quebec between 1919 and 1961. It shows that gender, class, age, religious and ethno-linguistic affiliation, as well as whether a facility was co-ed or not, must be taken into consideration for a better understanding of women’s participation in sports, an…

Women’s World Cup 2019 – About More than Just Soccer

Since June 7, 2019, televisions, radios and mobile phones around the world have been tuned in to the Women’s World Cup. And while the play on the field has amazed, inspired and delighted us, the Women’s World Cup has also provided an opportunity for social transformation. Players are speaking out against gender discrimination in soccer,…

The Role of Sport Administrators in Advancing Women in Coaching through Mentorship

The rise of girls’ and women’s participation in physical activity and sport, including at the high performance sport level in Canada, has been encouraging. Unfortunately, this increase in participation rates of females has not been matched by an increase in females in coaching positions. In 2015, the Government of Canada cited that only 25% of…

Preparing for the Future – Building leadership skills in young women

Young girls today have quite a few options to choose from when deciding which sport they wish to dedicate their time and effort to, particularly regarding sports that have traditionally been reserved for boys. While the number of girls in sport is growing and the gender gap is getting smaller, there is still a noticeable…

Why do girls need athletic role models?

When role models are mentioned in sport, the first thing that comes to mind are high profile celebrities. While positive role models can be found in amateur and professional sports, it’s the people they see every day that make the biggest difference. Parents, coaches, teachers or even older siblings often have a profound effect on…