What is Man Knowledge in Artistic Swimming: A Foucauldian Discourse Analysis of Gender in Sports
Yue Yang Xiaoqian Hu

the Division of Sports Science and Physical Education, Tsinghua University

Abstract

Introduction: Men were a part of the artistic swimming events when the sport was initially introduced to the public, but were subsequently been barred from competing at the highest level until the 2015 FINA World Championships. This is recognized as a turning point in artistic swimming, empowering male^s side of the female dominated sport through embracing mixed duets. Nevertheless, there has been limited attention from the academic society paid to this watershed event in the history of artistic swimming, the significance of which is considerably under explored and thus, to a great degree, downplayed.
Objectives: Inspired by Feminist Critical Theory, the study is sought to explore the reason for which the experiences of male swimmer in artistic swimming differs from that of female, the knowledge concerning male artistic swimmer and the relationship between men and artistic swimming, more importantly, the way in which the new knowledge as to the relationship between men and artistic swimming influences the traditional knowledge of artistic swimming by which female and feminine feature is favored and prioritized?
Methods: Data was collected through 35 of interviewee semi-structured interviews with Chinese artistic swimmers.
Results: The introduction of mixed event and the male participants has generated three kinds of experiential knowledge concerning the swimmers per se and artistic swimming in general. The first refers to male swimmer^s understanding of artistic swimming, the second is male swimmers^ experiential knowledge of themselves and the last and the one is changes in the traditional artistic swimming knowledge.
Conclusions: Through interpreting the interaction of the new knowledge concerning the relationship between male and artistic swimming and traditional knowledge of artistic swimming, the study uncovers a discourse system resulting in an unequal power constructed among sexes, bodies, history, and gender stereotypes of sport.

Keywords: Artistic swimming- Foucauldian Analysis- Gender Stigmatization- Male

Topic: Gender and sports in Asian societies