Sports By Susan K. Cahn: Summary

The general argument made by author Susan K. Cahn, is that in" today's' society there are women athletes who are media celebrities and a source of inspiration for many. But not long ago, being serious about sports was considered appropriate only for men and boys". Throughout the 20th century, women's increasing participation in sports has challenged our conception of womanhood. Some celebrated the female athlete as the embodiment of modern womanhood, but others branded her "mannish" which was liked to being a lesbian. Ultimately, she altered the perception of sport as an exclusively male domain. More specifically, Cahn focuses on the decades between 1920 and 1960, Cahn argues that at the beginning of the century, the debate centered on the
Female physical educators attempted to create a separate and "moderate" sphere for women's athletics, by creating a restrictive set of rules for women's sports. Commercial sports promoters sought out the fears of the "unfeminine" sportswomen by emphasizing a sexual appeal of athletes. In both of these cases that goal was to show that sports could actually enhance women's fitness as mothers or their attractiveness a mates. Another one of the books strengths focused on ways class and race intersected with gender. For example, the views of white female educators were based on middle-class conceptions of feminine respectability. Cahn's examinations of particular sports include those that were favored by the wealthy (field hockey), the middle class (non-competitive basketball), the working class (soft-ball), and African Americans (track and field). Her interviews with former elite athletes show that women gained opportunities and personal satisfaction in sports, while rarely feeling stigmatized. Cahn also shows sports provided a place for lesbians in creating a shared culture. In the final chapter "You've come along way, maybe"; sketches the remarkable developments since the 1960s, highlighting the rapid advances that have occurred in women's sports, while also noting the limits of these changes,