Gender and Strength

Patriarchy is a system that affords men privileges while women and gender non-conforming people are disadvantaged. Women and gender non-conforming people working in traditionally masculine professions have faced negative psychological, physical and professional consequences. Strength and conditioning (S&C), as a profession, has historically been a male domain where women face multiple barriers. While researchers examined the gender preference for strength coaches among collegiate athletes and occupational barriers women in S&C face, limited attention has been paid to women's experiences working in S&C. In this chapter, we (1) discuss women's place in the history of S&C and the social resistance women face therein, (2) review the literature surrounding gender and S&C as a profession, and (3) present results from studies examining the experiences of women professionals in S&C. We focus on women's entrance to and advancement in S&C and their perceptions of how gender has influenced their career trajectories. While recently there has been an effort to increase the number of women both in the profession as well as in leadership roles within the S&C community, bringing women's experiences to the forefront can facilitate strategies geared towards improving women's access, experiences, and retention in the field of S&C.