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

Women Skating on the Edge:

Marketplace Performances as Ideological Edgework

Definition and main themes

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.

Roller Derby

Women's Motocross

Conclusion

Things to remember

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.

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.

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

Resignification: Reinterpreting norms to redefine one’s identity.

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

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

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.

Women's Roller Derby

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.

Derby grrrls

Background

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

Results

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

Women's Motocross

Key Concepts for Brand Strategy

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

Discourse

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

Ideological Edgework

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

Gendered Habitus

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

Things to remember

Transgressing Gender Norms

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

Consumption as Rebellion

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

Creating a Subversive Identity

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

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.