Paper Presentation IX:
Gender and Participation in Sport
Sunday, April 11, 12.00–14.00

Maja Pilgaard
University of Southern Denmark

The purpose of this article is to point out the differences between Danish men and women when participating in sport and the changes this relationship has undergone over time. Denmark is ahead of most European countries when it comes to sports participation among women (Bottenburg 2005). Throughout the past two decades women have become even more actively involved in sport than men (Pilgaard 2009). However, remarkable differences remain in relation to activities, facility use, organizational forms, perceived barriers etc. Studies from Denmark, Sweden and Norway have pointed out inequalities in public financing and prioritization of sports facilities for men and women simply because women have different preferences than men when taking part in sport (Åström 1996, Munch 2007, Eichberg 2005, Fasting 2008). Furthermore, a recent study from Belgium shows that better perceived opportunities for taking part in sport lead to a higher level of leisure-time physical activity (Van Tuyckom 2009). In this article I investigate differences in men and women's perception of local facilities and what role this plays for taking part in sport. Further, I question how development in women’s sports participation is reflected by the facilities and methods of organizing the sport. Do changes need to occur in future policy making processes with respect to gender issues? The study is based on representative data from the biggest survey in Denmark so far concerning sports participation among the population. The data was collected in 2007 and contains answers from 4.147 adults between 16 and 98 years and 1.987 youths between 7 and 15. 

References

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• Damkjær, Søren (2006): ’Enigma’ i Idrætshistorisk Årbog
• Edwards, Lisa & Carwyn Jones (2009): Postmodernism, Queer Theory and Moral Judgment in Sport: Some Critical Reflections International Review for the Sociology of Sport 2009; 44; 331.
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• Pilgaard, Maja (2009): Sport og motion i danskernes hverdag, Idrættens Analyseinstitut.
• Åström, Gertrud (1996): ’Skilda villkor för kvinnors och mäns idrottsutövande’ i Idrott, kön och genus – en kunskapsöversikt, Riksidrottsförbundet 2003. Laura Munch, Eichberg.
• Van Tuyckom, Charlotte (2009): ’Perceived opportunities, gender, urbanization and leisure-time physical activity. A European study’ in Sport & EU Review, Volume 1, issue 1, autumn 2009.