Leaving it on the pitch: Hope Solo's negotiation of conflicting gender roles on Dancing with the Stars

Abstract

Although star athletes have been extremely successful on the American Broadcasting Company's (ABC) reality television dance competition Dancing with the Stars, the participation of U.S. National Soccer Team goalkeeper Hope Solo created a gender performance conundrum. Embodying both athleticism; a ‘traditionally masculine’ marker and the graceful ‘femininity’ associated with ballroom dancing, Solo's emersion into competitive ballroom dancing created a notable intersection of multiple gender performances. Referring to the work of Judith Butler and Judith Halberstam on gender and masculinity, this article examines ABC's mediated construction of a tomboy narrative in order to reshape Solo's athleticism as a sign of immaturity. Through the shows' mediated portrayal of Solo's gender roles, clear lessons of the construction of gender and its narrations and performance were presented to the audience of one of America's most watched television shows.