Lionization or Trivialization?

Abstract

One of the intriguing outcomes of research work, reported in Annals (25:275±291, 1998), with women football players has been the reactions it has provoked from other researchers. Even before the first datum was coded, the authors' colleagues commented on the ``obvious'' proclivities of the women studied, even though none had ever ventured into the field to meet these women. Several colleagues wondered aloud about what could have drawn interest to such a ``deviant'' group. As the related work continued, it was presented at conferences where audiences similarly wondered about sexual proclivities and deviant tendencies. It seems unlikely that reactions like those of our colleagues (including Dennison Nash whose contribution appears above) would have been provoked by the study of something more mainstream, such as a women's tennis tournament or a synchronized swimming event. The authors have simply never thought of women football players as deviant or, to use Nash's word, downtrodden.