"I dont care what she is, she's the best player!" DO NOT DESPOSIT (THESIS)

Abstract

All over Europe in the early 1900’s women were banned from playing football. There were bans in other parts of the world too, including in Brazil where it was a criminal offence for a woman to play football. This study investigated the stories of seven women, from across the world, exploring their experiences of playing, supporting and watching football throughout their life. Many of the women in this study did not play football in Physical Education classes, perpetuating the stereotypical gender roles as their lessons centred around netball or hockey instead of historical masculine sports such as football, rugby or cricket.

In their adulthood, these women joined the football team to begin with for either the health benefits of exercising or because their children were playing, and they wanted to be able to play with them. Once they joined, they found so much more, they recognised the health benefits, but also the mental health benefits, the friendship that grew and the community they had become part of.

This study investigates these impacts and benefits, looking at them from a Foucauldian lens of power, knowledge and technologies of the self.

Date of Award	2024
Original language	English