Women, Sport, and Exercise in the 19th Century

Male/female: men/women Male/female: men/women Gender Gender

MASCULINITY: the images, ideas, and symbols traditionally defined as belonging to the male sex. MASCULINITY: the images, ideas, and symbols traditionally defined as belonging to the male sex. FEMININITY: the images, ideas, and symbols traditionally defined as belonging to the female sex. FEMININITY: the images, ideas, and symbols traditionally defined as belonging to the female sex.

Gender polarity Gender polarity Social values Social values Medicine Medicine Religion Religion Education Education sexuality sexuality -Social reform: the middle class -Industrial revolution -Disease -The bicycle -universities

Factors Social Values Social Values Kingston Gazette April 28, 1812 Kingston Gazette April 28, 1812 …an exercise which allowably beneficial to the health when practiced in the proper place, loses that merit when a delicate girl mounts a lofty and dangerous swing just after leaving a warm tea room, and at that hour of all others when the chilly dew is most prejudicial to even a strong constitution. …an exercise which allowably beneficial to the health when practiced in the proper place, loses that merit when a delicate girl mounts a lofty and dangerous swing just after leaving a warm tea room, and at that hour of all others when the chilly dew is most prejudicial to even a strong constitution.

New France, cottage industries, small factories, farms vs. the urban middle class Compounding issues

Middle class values The family The family Public man Public man Creating and sustaining polarities Creating and sustaining polarities Disease, health, and the new doctor Disease, health, and the new doctor The help of science and medicine (perceived physiological differences) The help of science and medicine (perceived physiological differences) Menstruation – disability – hysteria – the internal and eternal wound Menstruation – disability – hysteria – the internal and eternal wound Vital energy Vital energy Controlling womens bodies Controlling womens bodies

British Medical Journal 1867 As a body who practise among women, we have constituted ourselves, as it were the guardians of their interests, and – in many cases – the custodians of their honour. We are, in fact, the stronger and they the weaker. They are obliged to believe all that we tell them and we, therefore, may be said to have them at our mercy. As a body who practise among women, we have constituted ourselves, as it were the guardians of their interests, and – in many cases – the custodians of their honour. We are, in fact, the stronger and they the weaker. They are obliged to believe all that we tell them and we, therefore, may be said to have them at our mercy.

Later on… Womens physical and sexual identities remained cloaked in mystery and shame. Womens physical and sexual identities remained cloaked in mystery and shame. Good women…possess no language and no terminology, either for their feelings or their anatomy. (1913) Good women…possess no language and no terminology, either for their feelings or their anatomy. (1913)

Womanhood and reproduction Bearing children for nation Bearing children for nation Exercise interferes with reproduction Exercise interferes with reproduction Boys vs. girls Boys vs. girls Spectatorship – class Spectatorship – class

Fashion Body and sexuality Body and sexuality Women as moral arbiters Women as moral arbiters Men must be controlled Men must be controlled Fashion and exercise/ sport Fashion and exercise/ sport Bathing, bodies Bathing, bodies

Class, religion, fashion,and medicine

The Bicycle The split skirt – Bloomers The split skirt – Bloomers Public exercise Public exercise Public relationships Public relationships Exercise – critics Exercise – critics there is no reason to think a healthy woman can be injured [cycling]…provided she does not over-exert herself by riding too long a time, or too fast, or up too steep hills, and provided she does not ride when common sense and physiology alike forbid any needless exertion. there is no reason to think a healthy woman can be injured [cycling]…provided she does not over-exert herself by riding too long a time, or too fast, or up too steep hills, and provided she does not ride when common sense and physiology alike forbid any needless exertion.

Anti-masturbation rhetoric

Resistance and Change Education - Egerton Ryerson Education - Egerton Ryerson Boys and girls Boys and girls

Indian Clubs

Frederick Barnjum – Montreal Frederick Barnjum – Montreal What shall we say of girls who, by the conventional rules of society, are debarred from taking more than the semblance of exercise. They have not the same opportunity for romping as boys. Poor little missie must walk home in the most genteel manner possible, perhaps indulging in a softened laugh with some companion – her arms carefully hugged to her sides, motion of the lower extremities only being permitted, added to which her poor little body is in all probability forced in by one of those instruments of death called corsets, binding up the naughty muscles that are begging and praying to be let loose and have an opportunity of strengthening themselves, and the young lady is considered to be in a highly satisfactory condition if she is pale and weak; but no matter, it is the natural thing for girls to be weak…I do not hesitate to say that any young lady placed under the care of an intelligent, well-educated teacher, cannot fail to attain a degree of health which otherwise she never would have dreamed of. What shall we say of girls who, by the conventional rules of society, are debarred from taking more than the semblance of exercise. They have not the same opportunity for romping as boys. Poor little missie must walk home in the most genteel manner possible, perhaps indulging in a softened laugh with some companion – her arms carefully hugged to her sides, motion of the lower extremities only being permitted, added to which her poor little body is in all probability forced in by one of those instruments of death called corsets, binding up the naughty muscles that are begging and praying to be let loose and have an opportunity of strengthening themselves, and the young lady is considered to be in a highly satisfactory condition if she is pale and weak; but no matter, it is the natural thing for girls to be weak…I do not hesitate to say that any young lady placed under the care of an intelligent, well-educated teacher, cannot fail to attain a degree of health which otherwise she never would have dreamed of.

Universities Universities Mens clubs Mens clubs 1890s: golf, tennis, swimming, basketball 1890s: golf, tennis, swimming, basketball

Residual values 1935: In some cases, basketball can make too heavy a demand on the organic vitality of a growing girl…a great deal of the excess energy is needed for the physical changes which are naturally taking place. 1935: In some cases, basketball can make too heavy a demand on the organic vitality of a growing girl…a great deal of the excess energy is needed for the physical changes which are naturally taking place.

Summary Gender polarity Gender polarity Social values Social values Medicine Medicine Religion Religion Education Education sexuality sexuality