"Women Skating on the Edge: Marketplace Performances as Ideological Ed

Women Skating on the Edge:

Marketplace Performances as Ideological Edgework

Published in August 2015 by Craig J. Thompson and Tuba Üstüner in the Journal of Consumer Research, explores consumer performances in women's roller derby. The authors, experts in consumer sociology and marketing, analyze how “derby girls” use the sport as a space of ideological resistance to dominant gender norms.

Definition and main themes

Things to remember

Roller Derby

Conclusion

Women's Motocross

Interaction between performativity and habitus: Gendered habitus makes behaviors habitual, while performativity explores how social structures shape these habits.

Materiality (Butler): The body embodies gender norms through repeated acts. VS Gendered Habitus (Bourdieu): Behaviors shaped by socialization (postures, language, etc.).

Market Performances: Identity expressed in commercial contexts. Examples: Hooters: Reinforces gender stereotypes. VS Sturgis bikers: Subverts gender stereotypes.

Resignification: Reinterpreting norms to redefine one’s identity.

Judith Butler: Performance = Visible actions: Representation of gender behaviors in social settings. VS Performativity = Identity is created through repeated acts that redefine norms. Gender: Constructed by repeated behaviors influenced by power and social discourses.

Definition and main themes

Ideological edgework: Practices that challenge social norms in risky ways. Example: In roller derby, women redefine gender norms by playing with the boundaries of femininity and masculinity.

Gender Performativity: A social construct imposed by coercive norms. It exists only through its repeated expressions. VS Social Performance: Roles adapted to the social context. Voluntary management of one’s image depending on the situation.

In sum, this article shows how practices like roller derby allow women to explore new forms of freedom and identity expression, while circumventing dominant gender and consumer norms.

Results

• Redefines femininity by blending masculine traits with feminine identity.
• Fosters collective awareness while navigating autonomy vs. norms.
• Challenges and subverts dominant gender ideologies.

Derby grrrls

Method

• Approach: Ethnography (field observations & interviews with team members and fans).
• Data Collection:Con ducted in two U.S. towns (pop. 140,000 & 5,000). Main data: 2012, with follow-ups in 2013.

Women's Roller Derby

Background

• Roller derby redefines femininity through a feminist lens.
• Mixes provocative outfits with unconventional femininity, subverting gender norms.
• Creates a "theater of consumption.

Gendered Habitus

• Brand Action: Design products tailored to women’s needs in motocross.

Ideological Edgework

• Women defy expectations through physical commitment.
• Brand Opportunity: Showcase resilience as a new norm of femininity.

Discourse

• Celebrating values like strength & tenacity transforms stereotypes.
• Brand Action: Promote women-only events to reinforce legitimacy.

Women's Motocross

Key Concepts for Brand Strategy

• Performance: Actions on the track.
• Performativity: Redefining female identity in a masculine sport.

Community and Solidarity

• Builds a diverse, supportive space of collective empowerment.
• Encourages authenticity and belonging.

Edgework and Risk

• Physical confrontation defies norms of feminine passivity.
• Risk-taking asserts independence from societal structures.

Creating a Subversive Identity

• Redefines gender roles and societal image.
• Blurs lines between femininity and masculinity through aesthetics and behavior.

Consumption as Rebellion

• Subversive approach to consumerism through gear and events.
• Goes beyond comfort, representing rebellion against traditional norms.

Things to remember

Transgressing Gender Norms

• Challenges stereotypes by showcasing strength, aggression, and solidarity.
• Attributes traditionally seen as masculine.