Women as ‘space invaders’ in a gendered billiards hall: The male space and moments of change

Abstract

This article takes inspiration from feminist sociologist Nirmal Puwar’s conception of ‘space invaders’, to examine the gendered dynamics within a billiards hall in suburban Shanghai. Drawing upon insights obtained via participant observations in the hall and interviews conducted with members of the college billiards society affiliated with the hall, the article not only identifies the nuanced forms of sexism operating within/through the billiards space, but also explores how the arrival of new types of bodies can introduce new dynamics to the landscape and engender possibilities of change. Ultimately, it outlines three interconnected dimensions or ‘moments’ of spatial mutation – positional displacement, embodied transgression and ontological disruption of the subject. Considering that existing critiques on gendered relations in billiards are limited to media releases, this study marks the first scholarly attempt to analyse the gender power dynamics within the realm of billiards.