Expanding what it means to play like a girl: gender, performance, and redefinition

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe assertion that one plays like a girl has historically been an accusation of weakness and ineptitude. Traditionally thought of as a slur that disempowers girls, this phrase also disciplines boys’ performance in sports. A discourse that attempts to resignify the phrase you play like a girl has recently circulated in statements from, and about, the U.S. Women's Soccer Team, President Obama, and a Procter and Gamble brand's commercial campaign, to name a few. This rhetoric aims to break down stereotypes about what it means to play like a girl and to empower girls to play. Using theories of definition as argument and gender performativity, I argue that this discourse expands what it means to play like a girl.