Becoming a strongwoman : An auto/ethnographic study of the pursuit of strength, power, and gender aesthetics

This chapter discusses the feminist uses of a combined auto/ethnographic research method through a case study which explored the subculture of strongwoman – a strength sport that together with strongman, can be known as strength athletics – and the practices, attitudes, values, and lived experiences of those who train and compete. This chapter reflects on the methodological approach taken, focusing on how it engages with feminist research perspectives that value making oneself vulnerable and embracing emotion, and how it can enable exploration of intersectional identities and experiences. Within this, the application and use of a combined auto/ethnographic approach is discussed. Finally, the chapter reflects on the knowledge produced in this study and its contribution to critiques of the sociocultural norms of gendered aesthetics during a wider shift towards acceptance of female strength, power, and muscularity.