International Journal of Linguistics and

Literature (IJLL)
ISSN (P): 2319–3956; ISSN (E): 2319–3964
Vol. 10, Issue 2, Jul–Dec 2021; 119–128
© IASET

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DEVELOPMENT OF FEMINIST TRAITS NURTURED

THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN SPORTS, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCES IN
LITERATURE ACROSS THE GLOBE- (ONE IS NOT BORN A WOMAN, ONE BECOMES
ONE (BEAURVOIR 56)

Dr. Shruti Jha Bahukhandi

Head of the Department, Department of English Literature, Chandrapal Dadsena Government College, Pithora,
Mahasamund, Chhattisgarh, India

ABSTRACT

Feminism is a movement for women struggling for gender equality in every sector all over the globe, such as education,
politics, sports and many others. Feminists aspire for women's freedom in making various decisions for themselves such as
articulating both characteristics of masculine and feminine self-assuredly.

Sport has been one of the most important socio-cultural learning experiences for girls and woman for last few
years. Societies have started giving same benefits to our daughters. It is important for all of us to know that and yet more is
required. The benefits of sports are that School going girls who play sports are less likely to be involved in an unintended
intimacy ; more likely to get better grades in school and more likely to graduate than girls who do not play sports.

Girls and women who play sports have higher levels of confidence and self-esteem and lower levels of depression.

Girls and women who play sports have a more positive body image and experience higher states of psychological
well-being than girls and women who do not play sports.

KEYWORDS: Women Struggling for Gender Equality, Confidence and Self-Esteem

Article History
Received: 01 Nov 2021 | Revised: 20 Dec 2021 | Accepted: 23 Dec 2021

INTRODUCTION

The word Feminism has picked up so many connotation of late that it seems to have no ‘precise meaning ‘. The term taken
from the Latin femina (Woman), originally meant “having the qualities of females (Caine 13).

According to Donna Hurst and Sue Morrow

“Feminism is difficult to pen down because it is dynamic, constantly changing, ideology with many aspects,
including the personal, the political and the philosophical (Quoted in Caine 50)

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120 Dr. Shruti Jha Bahukhandi

Whatever the description may be the feminism is a call to action, it can never be simply a belief system. Without
action, feminism is merely empty rhetoric. Therefore feminist theory is concerned with matters in the history of women
appreciation, differential treatment of girls and boys, male sexual fantasies anthropological studies of women, political
methods and so on.

Feminist Traits

Unable to fully defy traditional patriarchal norms of society these women characters attempt to realise and preserve their
identity, not only as women, but also as human being and develop following feminist traits :-.

 Feminine Sisterhood – Bonding between females.

 Selfhood and autonomy- Growing aware towards their personal interest like music, painting, dance, writing,
sports and so on

 Individuality –Development of individual character.

 Improved relationship between man and woman- An erasure of gender discrimination and all apprehensive
practice against a woman from and a balanced gender relationship.

The Meaning of Sports (Refine)

Sports, physical contests followed for the goals and challenges they entail. Sports are part of every culture past and present,
but each culture has its own definition of sports

The most useful definitions are those that clarify the relationship of sports to play, games, and contests. “Play,”
wrote the German theorist Carl Diem, “is purposeless activity, for its own sake, the opposite of work.” Humans work
because they have to; they play because they want to. Play is auto telic—that is, it has its own goals. It is voluntary and
uncorked. Recalcitrant children compelled by their parents or teachers to compete in a game of football (soccer) are not
really engaged in a sport. Neither are professional athletes if their only motivation is their paycheck. In the real world, as a
practical matter, motives are frequently mixed and often quite impossible to determine. Unambiguous definition is
nonetheless a prerequisite to practical determinations about what is and is not an example of play.

There are at least two types of play. The first is spontaneous and unconstrained. Examples abound. A child sees a
flat stone, picks it up, and sends it skipping across the waters of a pond. An adult realizes with a laugh that he has uttered
an unintended pun. Neither action is premeditated, nor is both at least relatively free of constraint. The second type of play
is regulated. There are rules to determine which actions are legitimate and which are not. These rules transform
spontaneous play into games, which can thus be defined as rule-bound or regulated play. Leapfrog, chess b, “playing
house,” and basketball are all games, some with rather simple rules, others governed by a somewhat more complex set of
regulations. In fact, the rule books for games such as basketball are hundreds of pages long.

As games, chess and basketball are obviously different from leapfrog and playing house. The first two games are
competitive, the second two are not. One can win a game of basketball, but it makes no sense to ask who has won a game
of leapfrog. In other words, chess and basketball are contests.

A final distinction separates contests into two types: those that require at least a minimum of physical skill and
those that do not shuffleboard is a good example of the first; the board games scrabble and Monopoly will do to exemplify

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the second. It must of course be understood that even the simplest sports, such as weightlifting, require a modern modicum
of of intellectual efforts, while others, such as baseball, involve a considerable amount of mental alertness. It must also be
understood that the sports that have most excited the passions of humankind, as participants and as spectators, have
required a great deal more physical prowess than a game of shuffleboard. Through the ages, sports heroes have
demonstrated awesome strength, speed, stamina, endurance, and dexterity.

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Sports, then, can be defined as autotelic (played for their own sake) physical contests. On the basis of this
definition, one can devise a simple inverted-tree diagram. Despite the clarity of the definition, difficult questions arise. Is
mountain climbing a sport? It is if one understands the activity as a contest between the climber and the mountain or as a
competition between climbers to be the first to accomplish an ascent. Are the drivers at the Indian polis automobile race
really athletes? They are if one believes that at least a modicum of physical skill is required for winning the competition.
The point of a clear definition is that it enables one to give more or less satisfactory answers to questions such as these.
One can hardly understand sport if one does not begin with some conception of what sports are.

The Council of Europe Charter on Sports uses the following definition:- Sports means all forms of physical
activity which through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical ability and skills while
providing entertainment to participants and in some cases, spectators.

Figure 1

Sports Nurture Many Qualities on the Personality of a Person who participates in it as Following

 Will Power Development: With the help of sports will power can be developed. When a person plays sports and
is determined to win, it develops will power in other aspects of life as well.

 Courageous: Sports needs courage. There are many sports like Boxing, Judo-Karate, Wrestling those needs
courage. So the basic nature of the person becomes corageous while playing sports.

 Confidence Development: Sports develops confidence. When one confidence on oneself one can achieve success
in different aspects of life too.

 Emotional Development: It helps the people to deal with anxiety, frustration, tolerance and ego strengths.

 Pleasure Catharsis-Safest Outlet: for a libi dinal energy. E.g a vigorous game of Football offers adequate
opportunities to the players to think, act, fight, agree, construct, destroy, create etc. In socially acceptable ways
thereby releasing anxiety and resolving conflicts.

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122 Dr. Shruti Jha Bahukhandi

 Leadership Qualities: Sports helps players to take quick decision thus develop leadership qualities, which helps
them on and off the ground.

 Intellectual Properties: Sports helps a person to develop intellectual properties like ability to examine new
situations, take quick and right decision not only on the ground but in her personal life too. Beside it teaches one
to self control and discipline that may help in every nook and corner of the life

 Associability: Sports develops a positive attitude in a person. It keeps away one from negativity and depression.

 Team Building: With the help of sports a sports person is capable to build a team and work in co-ordination
which play a vital role to know the capability and strength of each other. This boosting by one another to increase
the workably which is called Team spirit.

 Co-Existence: Sports helps person to work in co-existence and listen the ideas of each others, which most of the
time works in favour of team.

 Quick and Perfect Decision Making: Sports helps players to make a quick decision and that too perfect direction
when match reaches to a crucial end similarly in the battle of life sports person can make quick decision.

 Loyalty: Sportsmanship teaches one a loyalty towards one’s game and Nation and a gentleman ship to his society.
The whole brain is occupied of doing great for her/his country irrespective of his mental status and physical
conditions.

 Social Development: Sports not only helps her/ him to be a good player but she / he develops their
responsibilities towards their societies and become a good citizen and role-model for many hence becomes an
asset for a society and nation.

 Sportsman Spirit: There come many circumstances in life when we do not win but sometimes we win by a
marginal number. Sport teaches us to be calm and cool, Of course one makes it out of somebody’s failure, but we
should not loose respect for our opponent and shake his/ her hand as a sign of sportsman spirit.

 Helping Nature & Trust: Sports helps us to develop the spirit of helping others in day to day life. Even though a
sports person himself or herself is in a difficult situation, but their years of experience and spirit compells them to
help others and trust them, which makes them the true gentleman.

 Self Esteem: Sports helps to boost up one’s self esteem. Whatever situation comes in life they always look up and
get ready to achieve their goals.

 Resilience: Whenever there are some odd circumstances in the life of a normal person they tend to loose hope.
But, Sports brings vitality in life a sports person and thus they bounce back with more strength to face the
challenges headon.

 Role Model: Peopls do look up to athlete looks as their role models in life — for the way they achieve success in
their sport, the way they have aligned both their training and their mental edge for maximum gains, and the way
they have inspired people on and off the field.

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Relationship between Development of Feminist Traits Nurtured Through Participation in Sports, With 123
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Illustration of Literature Found Globally Where Feminist Traits Are Developed As A Result of Participation in
Sports

Unbreakable: An Autobiography: India’s best known boxer, five times World Champion and an Olympic medal list,
Mary Kom tells the moving and inspiring story of her life with surprising honesty. 'My years of hard work, the refusal to
give up, pushing every boundary there was. The thrill, the joy of winning, the successes.

M.C. Mary Kom is not yet ready to call it a day, but here she tells her story so far, no holds barred -- her tough
childhood.

Playing to Win (My Life on and off the Court ) By Sania Nehwal
Sania Nehwal

In this fascinating memoir, she talks about her childhood and growing - up years, her relationship with the most important
people in her life, the ups and downs of her celebrated career, from district level wins to the Olympics and the sacrifices
needed to succeed in any sport.

Golden Girl: of Indian Athletics

Biography, career and highlights, P T Usha, IPA, is a retired Indian track and field athlete. She was born in Kuttali,
Kozhikode, Kerala. She has been associated with Indian athletics since 1979. She is often called the "Queen of Indian track
and field".at 56, she is still one of the most talked-about track and field athletes of India of all time. This legendary athlete
has been a constant in our G.K books for years. Not only she is a treasure, us Indians will always be proud of but now as a
coach, she is helping other aspiring athletes to take on her legacy and shine bright like she did and still does. In fact,Jisna
Mathew, a trainee at Usha’s Athletics School, has been clinching medals, she recently won a Gold at the Asian Junior
Athletics Championship.

Arunima Sinha

World’s first woman amputee to climb the highest peak of Antarctika

Her Book: Born Again on the Mountain

Born Again on the Mountain: A Story of Losing Everything and Finding It Back

She was pushed from a running train by some robbers in 2011 while she was resisting them. As a result, her left
leg had to be amputated below the knee; she got rods in the right leg and multiple fractures in spinal cord. While still
being treated in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, she resolved to climb Mount Everest. She was inspired by
cricketer Yuvraj Singh(who had successfully battled cancer) and other television shows, "to do something" with her
life. She excelled in the basic mountaineering course from the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi, and was
encouraged by her mother to climb Everest. She climbed Mount Everest with a prosthetic leg, which was arranged by
raising funds with the help of a swami of Ramakrishna Mission, Vadodara.

She contacted Bachedri pal, the first Indian woman to climb Mount Everest, in 2011 l When she met Pal and
Arunima told her story to her, Bachendri Pal said to Arunima "My child You decided to climb Mount Everest in these
situations with Prosthetic (Artificial) leg. You had climbed, achieved Mount Everest my child now just the date is
remaining to the World to know".

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124 Dr. Shruti Jha Bahukhandi

Sisters: (Venus & Serena Williams )

Before they were famous tennis stars, Venus and Serena Williams were sisters with big dreams growing up in Compton,
California. In the early mornings, they head to the tennis courts, clean up debris, and practice. They compete in their first
tournament and they both win. From there, the girls’ trophy collection grows and grows. Despite adversity and health
challenges, the sisters become two of the greatest tennis players of all time. This inspiring story of sisterhood, hard work,
and determination is perfect for budding athletes or any young reader with a big dream.

Ace Against Odds: By Sania Mirza

Ace Against Odds is the 2016 biography of the Indian professional tennis player Sania Mirza. The book is her official
biography chronicling her journey to becoming one of India and world's top female tennis player.... The book was released
at the hands of Shah Rukh Khan at a function in Hyderabad in July 2016.

Author: Sania Mirza, Shivani Gupta, Imran Mirza

Unguarded By Mithali Raj

Yeh ladki ek din India ke liye khelegi A young girl reluctantly accompanies her elder brother for his crack-ofdawn cricket
practice. A 16-year-old smashes a an unbeaten 114 runs in her debut against Ireland. Mithali Raj is the highest run getter in
international women s cricket. When the Indian women s cricket team made it to the finals in the 2017 ICC World Cup, the
country put Mithali on a pedestal and marveled at the record-breaking maverick. But here was a player who had been
playing for nearly two decades, quietly persevering at a game which brought her little recognition with a fierceness and
determination which is almost chilling. This book chronicles the journey of the greatest woman cricketer in the world the
struggles, the dressing room dynamics, debilitating setbacks, sweat, tears, and the unadulterated joy of playing for your
country. Shockingly honest, tender, and goose bump-inducing, Unguarded is a treat not just for cricket-lovers but anyone
looking for inspiration.

The Fire Burns Blue: History of Women’s Cricket in India

About the Author. Karunya Keshav has reported on cricket for Wisden and I.C.C. The Fire Burns Blue: A History of
Women's Cricket in India Kindle Edition. by Sidhanta Patnaik (Author, Contributor), Karunya Keshav (Author) Format:
Kindle...

Fast Girls: A Novel of the 1936 Women's Olympic Team

Fast Girls is a compelling, thrilling book at what it takes to be a female Olympian in pre-war America. Rich with historical
detail and brilliant story-telling, the book follows three athletes on their path to compete – and win – in a man’s world.
Brava to Elise Hooper for bringing these inspiring heroines to the wide audience they so richly deserve.”—Tara
Conklin, New York Acclaimed author Elise Hooper explores the gripping, real life history of female athletes, members of
the first integrated women’s Olympic team, and their journeys to the 1936 summer games in Berlin, Nazi Germany. This
inspiring story is based on the real lives of three little-known trailblazing women Olympians. Perfect for readers who love
untold stories of amazing women, such as The Only Woman in the Room, Hidden Figures, and The Lost Girls of Paris.

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Relationship between Development of Feminist Traits Nurtured Through Participation in Sports, With 125
Special References in Literature across the Globe- (One Is Not Born A Woman, One Becomes One (Beaurvoir 56)

Game Changers

The embrace of women’s sports sometimes feels almost like a political act...Molly Schiot’s Game Changers: The Unsung
Heroines of Sports History is so valuable.” —The Wall Street Journal “A thoughtful, exhaustively researched, and long-
overdue tribute to the women who have paved the way for the likes of Serena Williams, Abby Wambach, Simone Biles,
and more.” —espnW based on the Instagram account @The Unsung Heroines, a celebration of the pioneering, forgotten
female athletes of the twentieth century that features rarely seen photos and new interviews with past and present game
changers including Abby Wambach and Cari Champion. Two years ago, filmmaker Molly Schiot began the Instagram
account @The Unsung Heroines, posting a photo each day of a female athlete who had changed the face of sports around
the globe in the pre-Title IX age. These women paved the way for Serena Williams, Carli Lloyd, and Lindsey Vonn, yet
few today know who they are. Slowly but surely, the account gained a following, and the result is Game Changers, a
beautifully illustrated collection of these trailblazers’ rarely-before-seen photos and stories.

AIMS OF THE STUDY

The Present Study Aims at

 To find out feministic traits in literature dealing with sports.

 Literature related to sports globally will be analysed.

 In the literature biography, autobiography, research, articles, fiction, journals will be the targeted for the study.

 The study is aimed to find out how women sports person are empowered taking part in special kind of competitive
sports.

 The study is aimed to see how there is transformation of personality from feminine phase to female phase
(Showalter 36 )

Contribution to Society

Change in society

Greater access to education

More equable pay with men

The right of women to make individual decisions.

Inspire to achieve instpite of barriers based on gender discrimination.

Women who were considered too weak for endurance sports like Wight lifting were encouraged and myth is
broken, that it is not beneficial for their re-productive health

Women’s participation in sports will enhance resulting in to following health benefits:- ( A) prevent myriad, no-
communicable disease which account for over 60% of global death rate.(B) For older women sports can contribute to the
prevention of cardio vascular diseases which account for one third death around the world. (C) Reduce the effects osteoporosis

Peace, tolerance and understanding can be promoted.

Awareness about HIV/ AIDS can be raised.

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126 Dr. Shruti Jha Bahukhandi

Reduce sexual abuse in the society

The Primary focus of this work is attention towords women in the context of modern society. Unable to fully defy
traditional patriarchal norms of society, these women will attempt to realise and preserve their identity, not only as woman,
but also as hunambeings.

This work attempts to co-relate the socio-economic conditions responsible for shaping the personality of a woman
through the globe. This will co-relate Marxist feminist approach with sports and will pave the way of portraying the
simmering discontent in the form of sports ( Chenalasing their energy ), and thus refusing to streo type woman in to
postures of dependence of subordination, the female articulate a world view in keeping with the values of female selfhood.
Thus, this work will help to produce more MC May Kom and Mira bai Chanu.

This is an attempt to create different modules, which will act as a tool for both introspection and self reliasation.
There will be a probe in to the inner psyche and attempt to understand the hidden strength and potential, which will come
out as a result of display of their discrepant between their class position and their rightful status.

An alternative to the traditional realistic pattern will be suggested as there is no need to destroy the social structure
but by posing construction, by suggesting re-assessment and re-definition, for formulating a consciousness, which will
perhaps ultimately bring about a constructive change.

METHODOLOGY

Selection of autobiography.

Selection of biography

Film Review: Film reviews will be taken.

Articles: Related articles will be read.

Journals: Related Journals will be referred.

Research Paper: related research paper will be referred.

Fiction: related fiction will be referred

Several distinct ideologies within the feminism will be studied

 Conservative Views: They believe that the differential treatment is due to the different social rolls alloted to
them.

 Liberal Views: They believe for leagal reform to improve the status of woman.

 Classical Marxist Views: They believe that women suffer and this suffering is rooted in capatalism and insists to
work on socio-economic system.

 Redical Feminism: They hold that the roots of women’s oppression are biological.

The purpose of this research work is not to model a single feminist critical perspective but to put together a
collection like: M C Mary Kom and Mirabai Chanu.

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American and European Feminism: demanding political and democratic freedom.

Black Feminism: It implies legitimate issues which affect the lives of black women, not only in America, Africa
but wherever blacks and whites co-exists.

Asian Feminism: The problem of women in the Muslim world with its tradition of “Burkha” and “Shariat” laws.

 Communist China

 Buddhist Japan

 Secular India

Different Modules will be derived for the study of diverse culture and situation helpful for building a principle of
perfect equality, admitting no power or privilege on the one side not disability on the other.

REFERENCES

1. Mary Kom, M. C. Unbreakable :An Autobiography, New Delhi : Penguin, 2019.

2. Nehwal, Sania. Playing to Win: Penguin Random house, New Delhi: November 2012

3. USHA, PT. Golden Girl : The autobiography, New Delhi: Penguin,1987.

4. Sinha, Arunima.Born Again on the Mountain : New Delhi : Penguin,2014

5. Winter, jeanete. Sisters : Biography –Venus & Serena Willims, Beachlane Books,2019.

6. Mirza, Sania. Ace Against odds –Autobiography, Harpar Collins, India,2016

7. Raj, Mithali, Unguarded, Autobiography,Newform Hard Cover, 2018.

8. Keshav, Karunya & Sidhanta Patnaik : The fire Burns Blue, A History of Women’s Cricket in India, Westland
Publication Llimited,2018.

9. Hooper,Elise. Fast Girls: A novel of the 1936 Women’s onlyempic Team, Harper Collins Publishers, 2020

10. Schiot,Molly. Game Changers: The unsung Heroines of Sports History, Simon & Schhuster, 2018.

11. Abel. Elizabeth Ed. Writing and sexual differences, Brighton Harvester Press, 1982.

12. Atwood Margaret, Survive. A Thematic Guide to Canadian Literature, Toronoto: Anansi,1972

13. Beauvoir Simone de, The second sex trans. H M Parshley. New York. Alfred Knopf,1952: rpt Vintage Books 1989.

14. Caine, Barbara English Feminism 1780-1980 London Oxford University Press, 1997.

15. Chatterjee Partha. The National and its fragments : Colonial Poco Histories, New delhi, Oxford University
Press,1999.

16. Chitnis Suma, “ Feminism : Indian Ethos and Indian Convictions” in Chadially: 81-95

17. Showalter m Elaine, A Litretaure of their own : British Woman Novelists Frm Bronte to Lessing. Princeton: N.K.
Princeton University Press, 1977.

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