Overview

On an April morning in 1896, unemployed single mother Stamata Revithi ran the 40 kilometers from Marathon to Athens, finishing in 5 hours 30 minutes. Barred from the first Olympic marathon, she was determined to prove herself. Through more than a century of Olympic Games history, women athletes--who were held back from swimming because long skirts were required, limited to running single-lap races because of fallacies about fragility, or forced to endure invasive gender exams--competed in spite of endless challenges. From Athens 1896 to Tokyo 2020, this history of women's participation in the Olympic Games centers on athletes who overcame entrenched inequity to gain inclusion.

Full Product Details

Author:   Maria Kaj
Publisher:   McFarland & Co Inc
Imprint:   McFarland & Co Inc
Dimensions:   Width: 17.80cm , Height: 1.60cm , Length: 25.40cm
Weight:   0.544kg
ISBN:  

9781476686479

ISBN 10:   1476686475
Pages:   306
Publication Date:   28 July 2022
Recommended Age:   From 18 years
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents Acknowledgments Introduction Part I—Gaining Entry One. Refused Admission at the Dawn of the Modern Games (1896) Two. Getting in the Game: The Pioneers (1900–1912) Three. The Road from Alice to Amsterdam (1912–1928) Part II—Taking Four. Let ’Er Fly: Babe Didrikson and Exceptionalism (1930–1932) Five. Pariahs (1932–1936) Six. The Cold War and the Feminine Mystique (1948–1968) Seven. The Other Cold War: Winter Games (1924–1956) Eight. Olympic Gigantism and the ­Zero-Sum Game (1924–1976) Part III—Fighting for Access Nine. Nationalism and the Rise of the Teams (1964–1976) Ten. Not So Fast: The Tortuous Journey of Title IX (1972–2000) Eleven. See How She Runs: Gender Politics and Racing (1948–1984) Twelve. Them’s Fighting Words (1988–2012) Part IV—Being Seen Thirteen. The Camera Changes the Narrative: Gymnasts, Skaters, Racers, Villains (1972–2000) Fourteen. Showing the World (1988–2016) Fifteen. Erasing the Specter of Lesbianism (1896–2016) Sixteen. Femininity Control (1936–…) Afterthoughts: On Visibility Further Reading Appendix: Charts Chapter Notes Bibliography Index

Reviews

Maria Kaj's lively, engaging, and humorous writing style brings to life the richness of women's Olympic history. With every stride, stroke, and shot women made history on sports' global stage and Women and the Olympic Dream shines a much-needed light on their achievements. A must read for anyone interested in women's important place in the Olympics' past and its present. --Dr. Rita Liberti, professor of Sport History, Department of Kinesiology, California State University, East Bay

Continuing struggle indeed: Maria Kaj gets us ready for athletic competition and then races us through the many decades and decisions that have followed female Olympians since they were 'allowed' to compete, recording their agonies and accomplishments in a free-ranging style that underscores the value of women's sports. --Linda K. Fuller, author of Female Olympians: A Mediated Socio-Cultural and Political-Economic Timeline Maria Kaj's lively, engaging, and humorous writing style brings to life the richness of women's Olympic history. With every stride, stroke, and shot women made history on sports' global stage and Women and the Olympic Dream shines a much-needed light on their achievements. A must read for anyone interested in women's important place in the Olympics' past and its present. --Dr. Rita Liberti, professor of Sport History, Department of Kinesiology, California State University, East Bay

"""An absolutely fascinating and informative read bringing out of an underserved obscurity the story of women in sports overcoming discrimination...unreservedly recommended""--Midwest Book Reviews. ""Continuing struggle indeed: Maria Kaj gets us ready for athletic competition and then races us through the many decades and decisions that have followed female Olympians since they were 'allowed' to compete, recording their agonies and accomplishments in a free-ranging style that underscores the value of women's sports.""--Linda K. Fuller, author of Female Olympians: A Mediated Socio-Cultural and Political-Economic Timeline ""Maria Kaj's lively, engaging, and humorous writing style brings to life the richness of women's Olympic history. With every stride, stroke, and shot women made history on sports' global stage and Women and the Olympic Dream shines a much-needed light on their achievements. A must read for anyone interested in women's important place in the Olympics' past and its present.""--Dr. Rita Liberti, professor of Sport History, Department of Kinesiology, California State University, East Bay"

"""An absolutely fascinating and informative read bringing out of an underserved obscurity the story of women in sports overcoming discrimination...unreservedly recommended""--Midwest Book Reviews."

Author Information

Maria Kaj is a blogger and the author of multiple books about the Olympic Games. She lives in northern California.

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