"We kind of bro out with each other too." Gender, race and sexuality on and off the rugby pitch

This study examines the experiences of women rugby players to understand how gender informs their participation in a sport described as masculine. Considering how race, gender, and sexuality constitute women’s identities is important when answering the question of how women experience playing “masculine sports.” This project examines how race, specifically whiteness, and sexuality inform the gendered experiences of women athletes. Using interviews with women rugby players, I consider how women who play a sport characterized by masculinity describe their experiences as rugby players. I argue that reflecting on how race and sexuality constitute these athletes’ experiences illuminates the different ways in which the categories of masculinity and femininity are racially constructed, constantly in flux, and contested.